missing foxface question

[little_squid]

i have a 7-8" foxface missing! i looked behind the tank cant find it did find my missing 6 line though lol and dont see him in the tank with out tearing out the rock:-/

ive never read anything about their venom causing issues after they die but wanted to get some more thoughts on the matter.

what if the cat got to it first? cat still kicking
what if he is stuck behind a rock and i cant see it?

whats the concern if i can not locate him if any?

 

[mbunaman]

If you have starfish they might of ate him when he died. Good Luck I hope you find him.

 

[little_squid]

just pulled out my two maroon bittle stars a few weeks ago! they had got so big i thought they were catching my cleaner shrimps but after i pulled them out i started to see more of what i thought were mia shrimp lol they still dont come out and stay out in the open like others i have had!

 

[Sk8r]

If you have enough bristleworms, he'll be bare bones before morning.

 

[little_squid]

yea bristleworms not a prob! guess i was more worried about any stray venom:-/ let alone him just rotting! just hate to move all the rock its a 7' tank so could be anywhere in there

 

[Doubledown]

I would really try to find it and get it out. An 8" dead fish decaying behind the rocks could lead to a spike in ammonia. This spike kills something else which then kills something else and the chain continues.

A small 2" fish, maybe not an issue. The mass of an 8" fish is substantial.

 

[whiirly]

I would do 20% water changes weekly for a couple weeks and you should be fine
as for poison I dont think they put off any after death when mine died I didnt see any ill affects

 

[Pufferpunk]

Animals w/"poisonous" fins do not put out toxins when they die (unless you consider ammonia a "toxin", which it is). I get those Qs at my pufferforum all the time. Really, the only fish that does that is the box/cowfish family.

 

[little_squid]

thanks i still cant find it which is odd but really dont want to move around all my rock to look for it! i do 30 gallon water changes every weekend and will keep a eye one my levels