My clown disappeared

[anttt]

I have two clown loaches (I got them a week ago I was planning on buying more) This morning I saw one but could not find the other one. I looked in all the plants and the decorations and it is not there. I checked the filter and it isn't in there. I looked around the tank and didn't see it so it didn't jump out. I have no idea what happened. Do clowns eat other clowns?

Thanks, Ant

[abaigael04]

I don't know but this happened to me to- I have 4 but should have 5! I also looked everywhere. I sort of came to the conclusion he jumped out then a cat got him? I am at a total loss as to how a fish disappears into thin air. I will be adding to my clowns, too but this still perplexes me!

[chefkeith]

Loaches are magicians. They'll disappear for what seems like weeks or months and come back when you least expect it.

If you have a HOB filter, look in there. If you have a UGF, look under there. Look under everything. Look inside everything too. They find holes and squeeze into them.
If it died, it could be buried in the substrate also.

[anttt]

Would it hide under the rocks by any chance?

[abaigael04]

I have since moved my clowns to a 125 gal. So unfortunately I know he is not and wasn't in the tank. I completely undid my 65 gallon as I don't have anywhere to put it ATM. Have you looked everywhere? Do you have any other animals? Any other fish in the tank?

[anttt]

I have two cats and two dogs. One cat stays outside and the other one doesn't even care about the fish. But no there are no other fish in the tank at the moment. I looked under and in everything in it.

[abaigael04]

my cats ignore the tank, too but I know if one jumped out they'd sure be over there. I don't know your cats though so I can't say how likely that is but it is what. Can only assume happened to mine - or the dog? Other than that- I don't know unless he is under a rock.

[tariesindanrie]

Hi Ant,

I know it's frustrating, but Chefkeith is right- they are little magicians and they can hide in places you totally wouldn't expect. When one of mine was small, he liked to stuff himself inside a crevice that was inside a hollow decoration. I've had them stay in caves for days on end (at least while I was looking, and apparently, for no other reason than to freak me out).

Clowns do not kill and/or eat one another, that I know of. They have been known to jump out of uncovered tanks, and I wouldn't trust a cat not to eat one. Two out of my three cats pay no attention to my tanks at all, but I don't doubt for a minute that they would all have a fishy snack if the opportunity threw itself at them.

Try and be patient. If you've searched the tank thoroughly, and haven't found any signs of kitty evil, a treat might bring the little Houdini out of hiding. Try a small shrimp (frozen work great, just boil for 30 seconds, dice it up and put in in the tank).

Hope he turns up well and spunky very soon!


Kate

[Bully]

As mentioned above, if you can rule out the fact that the fish has left the tank then patience is all that's left.

I had this happen with a newly introduced juvenile B. striata. The wife and I did what we considered a 100% search of the tank (removing stones and decor etc.) and had to conclude that the fish had died and been consumed.........2 weeks later he was swimming with the rest of the group It's not an uncommon experience amongst loach keepers

[helen nightingale]

i have some wood in my tank, and there is a certain place where i often see the very tip of a yoyo's tail, as he digs himself underneath it and then disapears. they are very good at hiding.

in the daytime i have no loaches visible, and when people have come round in the daytime and wanted to see them, only a few greedy ones have come out for food

if the water quality is consistently good, then it seems unlikely the fish is dead in the tank. maybe a few more friends would help the loach to stop hiding.

[chefkeith]

I didn't see my mean boss clown (about 6") for about a month after he lost a fight with one of the other clowns. He coming back out now, but He's not nearly as mean and bossy anymore. It seems he got an attitude adjustment. He looks perfectly fine too.

[Auntsally]

Happened to me too! I lost a clown and found that the driftwood/rootwood had a SMALL hollow crevice going up from the underneath into the wood. Amazingly he did not come out even when I moved the wood looking for him, then a few days later I noticed a tail inching out from under there and emerged one missing clown. How he fitted in I just don't know! Then a week later off he went again. This time I found he had squeezed past the cover and was in the back section of my Juwel internal filter! Right at the bottom so again I didn't see him by just looking into the filter housing. Then he seemed to feel more secure because he hasn't vanished since. Wouldn't mind but they have two black tubes plus boulders and plants so not short of hidey holes! Unless you have something that eats dead fish in there he will probably reappear. Oh the joy of keeping clowns!

[Pilze]

I tore down my tank this weekend and moved into a new house. After it was empty, I realized I was missing one kubotai. There were only two places to look - in the water or on the floor. It was nowhere to be found.


When I got to the new house I found it inside my Rena Smart heater.

[tariesindanrie]

Best of luck in the new house

Is your kub all right?


Kate

[starsplitter7]

When I got my first clowns I spent about 3 weeks frantically searching for them. I never found them. But then they came out, and now I know where they hide. I have no idea where they hid originally.