Hillstream loaches: Taking a headcount

[iam1ru12]

I'm in the habit of sitting in front of my 50g aquarium to watch my fish. During that time, I take a headcount of each type of fish I have. But never had I been able to take a complete headcount of my hillstream loaches.

I know I had eight of them in my tank. But the most count I was able to take showed only seven of them. I haven't seen any dead loach ever.

My tank is partially planted; has rocks and terracottas.

Shall I assume that the eighth loach is gone? How could I take a full headcount short of tearing the tank apart?

[Rubix]

What is your feeding routine like? I ask because I often am in the same situation. Here's what I'll do when I'm counting short... Skip a day (or two) of feeding, then at the next feeding go for the count. It's chaos and can be difficult to count a group of frenzying fish but I find the fasting to usually bring everyone out of hiding.

[Jim Powers]

I would agree with that. Hillstreams can be very shy and unless you know the specific markings of each fish, often hard to distinguish.
You might also try to get a flashlight out at night and look around after lights out.

[iam1ru12]

What is your feeding routine like? I ask because I often am in the same situation. Here's what I'll do when I'm counting short... Skip a day (or two) of feeding, then at the next feeding go for the count. It's chaos and can be difficult to count a group of frenzying fish but I find the fasting to usually bring everyone out of hiding.

I feed them twice a day - after lights on in the morning and after lights out in the evening. Only time I don't feed them is right after the weekly water change on Saturday.

I just did my weekly WC today and, as we speak, I counted 6 of them out in the open. When I did a recount, it was down to 5. They don't stay together so I wouldn't know if I'm not double-counting them when I get to the other end of the aquarium.

[iam1ru12]

I would agree with that. Hillstreams can be very shy and unless you know the specific markings of each fish, often hard to distinguish.
You might also try to get a flashlight out at night and look around after lights out.

You're right. I wish I was able to check their markings before I put them in. Then it would have been easy to spot who's not there. But then again, when they grow bigger, their markings may not be the same as when you bought them.

[Blue]

I can still remember some of your hillstream loaches are possibly Gastromyzon ctenocephalus and Gastromyzon scitulus, Ed.

[iam1ru12]

I can still remember some of your hillstream loaches are possibly Gastromyzon ctenocephalus and Gastromyzon scitulus, Ed.

Just the couple I got from the LFS where we met. I could also see at least one Beaufortia kweichowensis. From the ones I see, I could distinguish at least three different species.