Missing Fish

[affan]

I added a teeny tiny about an inch long Yellow Watchman Goby last Wednesday. Saw him roaming the substrate the next day, but no sign of him since. It's been, what, six days and he's still MIA. I've searched with a flash light after lights out, and I've stared at the tank for an hour at times looking for him in vain. Same thing's happened with the four peppermint shrimps I added almost a month ago, and I have yet to spot one. They're not in the overflows, they're not in the sump/fuge. Are they goners or is there still hope?

A few SPS, and LPS corals seem to be doing great as observed by excellent polyp extension and color etc. The other inhabitants of the tank are very active and can be spotted at any given time. They include a Purple Tang, a GSM Clown, Yellowhead wrasse, Coral Beauty, Firefish, and a Blue Damsel. I have about 300 lbs of mixed LR and I use RO/DI water with below 5 TDS readings for top offs and WC's.

Water Chemistry remains consistent as shown below by the previous two rounds of tests. All tests done with Salifert, and Refractometer used for Salinity readings.

Date Test Readings/Results


8/22/2006
dKH/Alkalinity 10.2 dKH/3.66 meq/L
Calcium 420
Salinity 1.026 Specific Gravity
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0 ppm
Current Temperature Steady @ 79.5 degrees
Phosphates 0 ppm
Nitrates < 10 ppm
Nitrites Not Tested

8/28/2006

dKH/Alkalinity 10.2 dKH/3.66 meq/L
Calcium 440
Salinity 1.026 Specific Gravity
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0 ppm
Current Temperature Steady @ 79.1 degrees
Phosphates 0 ppm
Nitrates < 5 ppm
Nitrites Not Tested

Any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA

 

[Sk8r]

He's probably digging out his tunnel. They tend to do this in times of change. He'll be eating out of the sand-sifting he does, and he'll likely turn up fatter than you last saw him, after about a week or two. They are fond of Formula One sinking pellets, medium size. The small ones just frustrate them.

 

[affan]

Almost two weeks now and still no sign of him

 

[drummereef]

.

 

[drummereef]

Not to be morbid, but... are you sure he didn't carpet dive? Some gobys are know for this - not sure if the Watchman qualifies. I had a sand sifter and he met his demise this way.

 

[affan]

Searching the carpet now...

 

[drummereef]

Man, i hope the best for him. bring me some good news.

 

[affan]

Welllllllllll if he's gone carpet surfing then I sure as hell am BLIND!!!!!!!!!

 

[affan]

But wait a second, could he have jumped through the egg crate that covers hundred percent of my top?

 

[drummereef]

Yup. I would check anywhere a fish could land. Including inside the hood. You're sure it's not in the sump/fuge? Let us know.

 

[rppvt]

i've had fish become part of the ecosystem... no bones-- nothing.
And i've had things turn up weeks later.

 

[Ne0eN]

I have a 3" watchman goby that I gave up on once. he turned up a month later. Try some live brine shrimp. that gets my goby out of his cave in no time.

 

[angelsil]

You probably won't find remains of a fish that small. Hopefully he's just hiding. Mine does that all the time.