Mandarin missing for 2 days help!

[Mrsbmckee]

I bought a mandarin who wasn't going so well. The first 2 days in the tank he hovered Above the sand not really moving. Then one morning I came to check on him and he was gone. He has not been seen since. Because he was so fragile I was worried he may have died in my tank. I have over 100 lbs of live rock in and 85 gallon. I am concerned if he dies in the tank he will mess up my water levels! I cleared out on side of rock and while disturbing my bta... I found nothing. I have a plta that was just added recently on the other side. Should I move that side around looking or continue to wait? Thanks for any help!

 

[psusocr]

How long has your tank been setup? does it have plenty of copoepod population for him to eat? did you acclimate him? what are the levels in your tank?

 

[Mrsbmckee]

Tank has only been set up for about 5 month so I know it was a little early but I bought an extra 4000 copepods to help stock the tank. Ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5 ph 8.1 salinity 1.023 and calcium 440 ppm

 

[Mrsbmckee]

I did acclimate him for about 45 minutes

 

[Mrsbmckee]

Anyone have ideas? If he did die would my cleaner crew have eaten him? I only have about 25 hermits and 15 snails....

 

[Leviathan_XE]

IMHO it's too soon to tell. My spotted is named Ghost for a reason and I only have a 72 gallon with pretty open rock work, even then when I first got him I would only see a glimpse of his tail here and there. It wasn't until he got really comfortable that I started to see him regularly. Even if it's worse case senario and he has passed it shouldn't have much effect on your water quality. You'd be surprised how fast a clean up crew does it's job.

 

[snorvich]

Anyone have ideas? If he did die would my cleaner crew have eaten him? I only have about 25 hermits and 15 snails....

He would be history if he died with the clean up crew. If I recall correctly, your mandarin was hovering over the sand but not actively hunting. As I mentioned then, it was likely caught with cyanide based on what you were reporting. Sorry.