what to do when fish disappears?

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

so I got a royal Gramma on Monday. saw it Tuesday and haven't seen it since. didn't jump out (I have a lid) and check around the tank daily. I moved some rockwork and didn't see him under it. I assume he's in the rockwork, but not sure if I should be concerned. I have clean up crew (just snails) but I haven't seen them bunched around any areas though.

is this normal behavior for grammas. should I be worried? mostly just not sure what to do if the fish is actually dead and can't find it.

Graemesreef · Feb 10, 2023

Start running some carbon, and snag a hermit if you can.

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Graemesreef said:
Start running some carbon, and snag a hermit if you can.

I have a red scarlet hermit. I constantly run chemipure blue.

Cthulukelele · Feb 10, 2023

Grammas are shy at first. They could be dead, but odds are also good they found a hiding spot they like and are acclimating. Fish get REALLY stressed if they're still adjusting to a new environment but they're being constantly jostled or hunted for. Give them some time.

Lavey29 · Feb 10, 2023

Highly likely he is fine just hiding but I have had fish vanish never to be seen again with no negative side effects to the tank environment. Nature took its course.

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Cthulukelele said:
Grammas are shy at first. They could be dead, but odds are also good they found a hiding spot they like and are acclimating. Fish get REALLY stressed if they're still adjusting to a new environment but they're being constantly jostled or hunted for. Give them some time.

only looked for him today since it's been almost 5 days. hoping he's just hiding otherwise second fish I lost in a week.

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Highly likely he is fine just hiding but I have had fish vanish never to be seen again with no negative side effects to the tank environment. Nature took its course.

all my other fish are always out and about so haven't felt with this yet.

Cthulukelele · Feb 10, 2023

TheReefDiary said:
only looked for him today since it's been almost 5 days. hoping he's just hiding otherwise second fish I lost in a week.

The second fish lost in a week thing concerns me more now. What was the other fish? Any symptoms?

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Cthulukelele said:
The second fish lost in a week thing concerns me more now. What was the other fish? Any symptoms?

nah he jumped. dumb diamond goby decided to yeet himself from the tank the second night I had him. he somehow fit through my lid despite his crispy body not fitting when I tried.

nuxx · Feb 10, 2023

Never would have worried too much since I've had bigger tanks.

Large dead fish are easy to find, if I had a small fish disappear, a few days later a CUC member would have it.

Lavey29 · Feb 10, 2023

TheReefDiary said:
all my other fish are always out and about so haven't felt with this yet.

Gramma are great at hiding. If after a week then I'd be more concerned.

bushdoc · Feb 10, 2023

Possible options:Jumped out, sits in overflow or pipes, hiding, died.
If you have mature tank and enough CUC, you should be fine, otherwise monitor ammonia.

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Gramma are great at hiding. If after a week then I'd be more concerned.

just haven't even seen him come out to eat.

Cthulukelele · Feb 10, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Gramma are great at hiding. If after a week then I'd be more concerned.

Yeah depending on their temperament they can be very cryptic fish for the first couple weeks

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

bushdoc said:
Possible options:Jumped out, sits in overflow or pipes, hiding, died.
If you have mature tank and enough CUC, you should be fine, otherwise monitor ammonia.

didn't jump, don't have pipes (it's an AIO)

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Cthulukelele said:
Yeah depending on their temperament they can be very cryptic fish for the first couple weeks

at the store seemed very bold. but I guess new environment will change that quickly. hopefully he's alive.

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Gramma are great at hiding. If after a week then I'd be more concerned.

also I made so many hiding spots when I designed the aquascape. it was good for the fish, but in instances like this makes it difficult for me to tell if one of them died or is a master at hide and seek.

bushdoc · Feb 10, 2023

TheReefDiary said:
didn't jump, don't have pipes (it's an AIO)

Did you check back compartments in AIO?

i cant think · Feb 10, 2023

TheReefDiary said:
so I got a royal Gramma on Monday. saw it Tuesday and haven't seen it since. didn't jump out (I have a lid) and check around the tank daily. I moved some rockwork and didn't see him under it. I assume he's in the rockwork, but not sure if I should be concerned. I have clean up crew (just snails) but I haven't seen them bunched around any areas though.

is this normal behavior for grammas. should I be worried? mostly just not sure what to do if the fish is actually dead and can't find it.

Considering it’s new, this is normal. Any shy fish like a gramma will go into hiding for a while when new into a tank.
It’s likely he is hidden in a hole in the rockwork

Lavey29 said:
Gramma are great at hiding. If after a week then I'd be more concerned.

I’d be surprised if a gramma was seen daily even after a week. Last time I had a gramma, it took around 2 months before he came out on the daily and before that he would only been seen every one or two weeks.

TheReefDiary · Feb 10, 2023

i cant think said:
Considering it’s new, this is normal. Any shy fish like a gramma will go into hiding for a while when new into a tank.
It’s likely he is hidden in a hole in the rockwork

I’d be surprised if a gramma was seen daily even after a week. Last time I had a gramma, it took around 2 months before he came out on the daily and before that he would only been seen every one or two weeks.

well hopefully hes all good. only time will tell.