Livestock disappearances

[viperrob]

I have noticed that since my Zebra Gobies have gotten bigger, so has the mounds of sand behind my rock. About a month ago my Condy Anenome disappeared. Didn't thing nothing about it since it has moved into a small space in my rock before.

However, now my Wrasse has disappeared. I haven't seen it for about 5 - 6 days now. This fish was always the first to appear in the morning for feeding. I have 3 rather large mounds of sand (crushed coral) behind the rock for which he usually resides.

So, now, do I move all the rock out of the tank and start sifting the sand, or give it a cpl of more days?

Oh, I have a 125 gallon tank with about 150 lbs of rock and about 200 lbs of crushed coral sand.

And suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[rdnelson]

Have you tested the water since it went missing? May see if spike if you he didn't make it and the clean up crew didn't get to him.

 

[viperrob]

Actually yes. I test my water nearly weekly and its been perfect numbers each time. Salinity is a little high but other than than can't get any more better numbers.

 

[raz0945]

Do you have a lid on your tank, wrasses are jumpers?

 

[dakota9]

How big of fish were these?

That's a lot of water volume. I think you're fine if you're concerned about dead fish contaminating your tank.

I think a decent cleanup crew can and will get to anything! I've never seen a situation when something went to waste.

 

[viperrob]

I have a glass top that is sealed pretty good except around the AquaClear systems. The wrasse was my original fish from my 46-gallon, so he was about 3.5 - 4 inches long. Only time I ever seen it go to the top of the tank was in the morning when I fed. I'm not concerned about the contamination, I don't have a extra full tank and as much as I clean filters, glass and do water changes, that is the least of my worries. I just want to find out what happened to it without stressing out the other fish by moving all the rock around or out of the tank so I can sift through the sand.

 

[islandreef]

I would give it a few more days, most likely there gone, but you could make it worse by pulling out the live rock and disturbing the remaining inhabitants.

 

[viperrob]

That is what I was thinking too. Especially since I just started with the coral and have a cpl of sensitive fish. Maybe I will get a few more crabs and put in there. I just saw another large Turbo Snail I thought disappeared too. Don't realize how many hiding places there are in a large tank until things start re-appearing.

 

[viperrob]

Thanks for tips. Today while adding a Black Volitan to my collection of babies, my Wrasse appeared out of nowhere. Something must have stressed it out for it to disappear for so long.

 

[frantz]

Glad to hear everything worked out. I'm hoping for the same. My 6 line has been MIA since I re-arranged 1/3 of the rock scape for more rock shelves about a week ago. He has gone missing before...