19 yr old clown disappeared

[Murdoch98]

Ok I have a fowlr tank and a pair of 19 year old clowns, my first 2 fish ever. The clowns have hung out in the same corner of the tank for the last 10 years. The female has not eaten in four weeks, but the male would hang around her and come out and eat often. Suddenly tonight the female is in a different corner of the tank and on the opposite side of the tank. The male is nowhere to be found. The only predator I may have is a tiger brittle star that is only 4 inches in diameter. I have had the same type of brittle stars over the last 19 years without incidence. The skimmer cup did go crazy and overfill suddenly. Can a little brittle star catch and kill a healthy fish? Did the female lay eggs deep in the rocks and the male is protecting them? I am at a loss here. Thanks.

 

[Zalick]

I lost a 10yr old female in similar fashion last year. She was totally healthy and acting normal in the morning. Then I found her wedged under a rock that evening.

I don't think the female would lay eggs deep in the rocks. When I lost mine, the paired male behaved differently for a few weeks.

A brittle star cannot catch a healthy fish in my experience.

I hope yours is hiding in the rocks for some reason.

 

[caliMako]

Check the overflow. Mine figured out a way to get in there.

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[Murdoch98]

I did check the overflow. I have had many small fish over the years manage to get in there. No luck on the clown though.

 

[Krista1291]

Do you have an open tank? I have friends that had a mates pair for 10 yrs and than one day they couldn't find one. Turns out the male jumped out of the tank. I hope yours is just hiding.


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[Murdoch98]

It has a hood on top and I did check around the tank, so it's unlikely. Thanks

 

[Zalick]

Have you thoroughly searched with a flashlight?

 

[Murdoch98]

Yes. I even picked up as many rocks as I could without destroying my rock scape. Was trying to find the brittle star last night with the lights off but he didn't come out from wherever he is which is not a good sign. If I did an ammonia test and get a positive result I think that would tell me if he is a goner.

 

[Krista1291]

One additional question.. do you have any periscope snails? Because they will in fact eat fish.. I have one that ate 2 of my sickly fish.



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[Murdoch98]

No snails at all. I kind of saw the brittle star today and he didn't look like he ate anything large.

 

[Zalick]

Starfish can consume a fish pretty quickly I think. My guess would be your fish died of natural causes and the starfish followed up. I hope I'm wrong as I know how hard it was when I lost mine after 10yrs.

 

[Murdoch98]

Finally found him half wedged in the rocks. He is a goner. Bought him on August 4th, 2000 for 15 bucks. My female is not doing well. Maybe that's why she refuses to eat. Thanks all for your helpful suggestions.

 

[Zalick]

Sorry for your loss. My male behaved oddly for awhile but now is doing well. I guess it's been 2 yrs since his mate passed.

 

[Aslmx]

Did you check the sump? I found a diamond goby in my sump that I thought I had lost. I don’t know how he survivor even how he got there.

 

[sbeason]

Read his post. He found it dead.

 

[josbur63]

Sorry for your loss.I had a maroon clown who died after becoming stuck in a decoration.

 

[Timfish]

Sorry for your loss!

 

[treesprite]

It's really sad to lose a fish after that long. I'm sorry you lost him.