Fighting Conch Missing!!!

Gangrene

Gangrene

New member
I've had my tank up and running for 3 months now with my fighting conch in it. A couple of days ago my conch went AWOL. I can't find it in the tank anywhere. He does burrow in the sand, but usually he's not deep enough to cover himself entirely. Even then he is typically out the next day. It's going on day 3 since I noticed he was missing.

Is it possible he could be in the sand somewhere completely hidden, for days? I've always been able to find this guy since I've had the tank and can't believe a guy this big can hide so well. I'm just wondering if he was taken out of the tank, or if it is hidden. Maybe he buried himself and died. Should I be worried, because I am... I love that guy!

Thanks,

Matt
 
When I had one, it stayed buried onger than that a few times. I would give it another day or two. How big is the tank?
 
I have a couple conchs in my 215. I've not actually tracked them, but I have seen them completely disappear, and I'm sure it's been for much longer than a couple of days.
 
It's a 37 gallon column tank... the sand may be deep enough for it to completely hide itself.

I'm really worried that someone may have taken it out.
 
Gangrene said:
It's a 37 gallon column tank... the sand may be deep enough for it to completely hide itself.

I'm really worried that someone may have taken it out.
Click to expand...


I've got a stray N. wennerae mantis loose in my tank, and I don't think he could crack my conch if he had to. Conchs also have a pretty stout operculum, so I think you'd have to have a pretty fearsome predator to do in a good-size conch.

Not saying it couldn't happen, I just think he's more likely just chillin' completely submerged in sand.
 
I'm not worried about a predator...

My daughter had a friend who has sticky fingers. This friend was eyeing my conch, they were talking about how cool it was... Now it's missing. I'm worried she could have opened the front of the stand and netted it out.
 
Gangrene said:
I'm not worried about a predator...

My daughter had a friend who has sticky fingers. This friend was eyeing my conch, they were talking about how cool it was... Now it's missing. I'm worried she could have opened the front of the stand and netted it out.
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh, I see. I had that happen with my daughter's betta. We found it crispy on the floor in her room.

Couldn't figure out what happened until we finally concluded one of her little sticky-fingered friends had dragged it out and left it to die. :furious:

Hope that didn't happen to you.
 
Still no sign. I'll keep this up to date.... My sand bed which is usually nice is about 1/4 covered with purple stuff. I need that conch!!!
 
I alway found my conch by squatting eye level with the sand and looking for the two black pins sticking up out of it (the eyes). This may or may not be useful. On the bright side however, if it died in your tank you'd see the shell more than likely.
 
From a guy who used to actually collect these conch (Tongan Fighting Conch) - do not expect them to be in the open, I am fairly sure if they have enough to eat they will not forage and will bury.

When i was in Tonga a horse died on the shore and when I came back there were nassarius, cone snails and tons of conch all eating it....

Put something meaty on the sand - if it is alive it will show up :)
 
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