disapprearing fish

[VictorE]

I'm new to the hobby and have my 320 gallon tank cycled and operational, but cosmetically incomplete.

I got 5 little fish at the store yesterday and placed them in the tank. I fed them yesterday as well.

Woke up this morning and found that 5 are now only 4. Did four of them eat one of their friends?? Don't see anything in the overflow box.

Where does one look for a lost fish? If it perishes in the display tank, does it float or sink?

 

[ChuckG]

check the sump.. maybe behind the tank?

I found my 1" clownfish in the sump this morning. i wouls never though it could have passed through the overflow and down the drain.

 

[anbosu]

I would look around, but a lot of times with smaller saltwater fish you never see the body. Tankmates and the clean up crew will typically take care of them before you realize it is gone.

 

[VictorE]

I would look around, but a lot of times with smaller saltwater fish you never see the body. Tankmates and the clean up crew will typically take care of them before you realize it is gone.

Clean-up crew? These are the first five inhabitants not counting the microbes and algae.

If one really has died, would he float or sink?

 

[VictorE]

check the sump.. maybe behind the tank?

I found my 1" clownfish in the sump this morning. i wouls never though it could have passed through the overflow and down the drain.

Too hard to fish out of the filter bag in the sump. If that fish is not smart enough to stay in the display, which is adequately large enough, then perhaps Darwin's law needs to apply here.

Besides would it not be stressed and injured if it has spent the past 15 hours in the filterbag?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Too hard to fish out of the filter bag in the sump. If that fish is not smart enough to stay in the display, which is adequately large enough, then perhaps Darwin's law needs to apply here.

Besides would it not be stressed and injured if it has spent the past 15 hours in the filterbag?

Not to be aggressive, but there are SO many things wrong with this post. You cant get your filter bag out? How are you going to clean it, etc? Smartness has nothing to do with fish jumping or going in the overflow. If you are not willing to take the seemingly simple steps to check if a fish is alive and care for it, this probably isnt the forum for you.

FWIW, those are chromis, and chromis are well known for poor survivability at small sizes, and not doing well in groups.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Not to be aggressive, but there are SO many things wrong with this post. You cant get your filter bag out? How are you going to clean it, etc? Smartness has nothing to do with fish jumping or going in the overflow. If you are not willing to take the seemingly simple steps to check if a fish is alive and care for it, this probably isnt the forum for you.

FWIW, those are chromis, and chromis are well known for poor survivability at small sizes, and not doing well in groups.

Agreed on all points. Also, you really should have a clean up crew in place before introducing fish into the tank.

 

[ChuckG]

Too hard to fish out of the filter bag in the sump. If that fish is not smart enough to stay in the display, which is adequately large enough, then perhaps Darwin's law needs to apply here.

Besides would it not be stressed and injured if it has spent the past 15 hours in the filterbag?

I don't use filter socks so he slipped right into the sump unharmed. At least he seemed OK as I left for work.

Filtersocks trap particulates that I'd rather just have the skimmer remove.. for me it is easier to manage and export them that way.

 

[VictorE]

WOW . . . tough crowd. :hammer: I was trying to have a little fun with regards to the fish's intelligence. Obviously taken the wrong way.

I checked the bags, nothing there. Can't see it in the overflow either.

 

[sslak]

Probably dead, they rarely float. It will usually be behind/under a rock decomposing, adding ammonia/nitrates to your system. Crabs/snails would normally help you out with that by eating the remains.

As others have said, you should have hermits and snails in place before introducing fish.

 

[snorvich]

I agree with Sugar Magnolia and jmaneyapanda. We are not trying to be a tough crowd, we are actually trying to educate you on some of the issues associated with keeping fish.