Large Clown Loach mysteriously vanished? Red faces?

[SweetSerenity]

Hello Everyone
I've been wanting to join this forum for a while now, lost of great tips and advice.
I thought you might be able to help me out with a few problems in my tank atm.

Yes, I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to Tropical fish - had my tank for 6mths now.

Its 3-4ft 180 Litres - 47.5 gallons custom tank. We've recently in the last couple of months changed half the fish in the tank to a more peaceful playful tank. Got some new plants and unfortunately ended up with a nasty case of ich, followed by fungus which has been treated and the tank appears to be doing great now.

The problem is one of my Clowns, Fido has completely vanished!!! He was my favourite fish, I even trained him to fetch algae wafers and he would give me kisses each feeding time
We went to bed at 3am new years day he was still in the tank. Woke up 10am not a sign of him! At first I thought he could have buried himself or found a great hiding spot. I left it for a day and still no sign. So I decided to do a bit of a clean, checked all the ornaments and driftwood carefully and a gravel siphon. Definitely not in there! The tanks water was too low for him to jump out (water level low for breeding), and we have a hood on the tank. I doubt a 12cm fish could be eaten in that short period of time with out a trace? I've heard snails can eat dead fish pretty quickly though. We have a large snail in the tank, its too big for the clowns too eat, they still try though lol.

I thinking maybe someone we had over did it as a practical joke or aliens lol, I have no idea. Strange way to start the new year huh?

There is also something else. I have 4 other clowns still in the tank. 2 larger clowns 12cm, 2 small clowns 5cm. The 2 larger clowns faces have gone red? They appear to be acting normal though. They also have a small dark black spot on each of them that wasn't there. One on the front fins, One under the eye and on the back. Is it body rot, or maybe a parasite? Poor fishes.

I have these fish in the tank atm.
4x Clown Loaches + 1 missing
5x Danios
2x Pictus Catfish
2x Guppys
1x Molly
1x Swordtail
3x Dwarf Gourami
4x Pencil Fish
1x Large Mystery Snail
4x Guppy Fry

Ph: 6.5-6.7 Temp: 26-27oC Nitrates: 0 Amonia: 0

Any advice would be great!

Thanks
Claire ^_^

[starsplitter7]

Hi there,

I have had fish vanish, and sometimes I have been able to find them and sometimes I have found mishaps. I would still check all around the outside of the tank. You would be surprised how they manage to escape. I have found fish jerky, and I have been able to revive fish jerky.

I would look in decorations and driftwood, even if there aren't any holes where he would be hidden. I have had to cut out two fish which got wedged and couldn't get themselves out. Look in the filter. I have found several fish in my filter. Check the intake of the filter and behind the filter and the heater

Good luck. I hope he's just hiding.

[SweetSerenity]

Dw I found him

He was inside the large spiral shell in the tank. I had a look in there, but I couldn't see far enough inside. It looks like he crammed himself in there so far he couldn't get out. Broke it open with a hammer and nail, but he was already dead. I guess now I'm going to be VERY careful about what decorations I put in the tank, poor Fido. They really are the most incredible hiders.

[starsplitter7]

I am so sorry. What a terrible discovery.

I took all the shells out of my tanks, because the loaches and cories would get stuck in them. I check all my decorations every week or so; if I don't see my fish more often. I have catfish who are never out, so I flip their decorations and check their health and welfare.

[ahmandi2]

Awful! I'm so sorry that is how it ended up!