krazykid933

I have a ten gallon tank (that I know is overstocked, but is doing fine). With the following inhabitants:

4 zebra danios
2 male guppies
1 female guppy
1 small guppy
1 dwarf gourami
1 dalmatian molly
1 sunburst wag platy
1 albino corydora

I should have:

5 zebra danios
2 male guppies
1 female guppy
2 small guppies
1 dwarf gourami
1 dalmatian molly
1 sunburst wag platy
1 albino corydora
1 bamboo shrimp

I am now missing three fish/shrimp!

At first one of the small guppies disappeared. I was the largest of the two small guppies (I still have the smallest one). The only thing I could think of is that the molly or gourami ate it, but he was still quite big for that.

Then one of my danios went missing, now he was too big for anyone to eat. Since my mom said that a lizard got loose in the house (from outside) she said it may be that it was eating them. So I took press-and-seal and covered the filter/aerator/heater holes in the tank then laid a sheet over top them.

I had fully searched the tank/filter after they disappeared. I even searched the gravel.

Today, I went to feed my fish to find that my shrimp is missing! He is too large to be eaten and the holes are covered. I searched the tank/filter for him (not under gravel). I looked down my airline tubing to see if he could get out that way. I looked all over the lid and light to see if he had jumped and got stuck, but nothing.

I am completely confused! All of my fishies are disappearing and I don’t know how. Can somebody please help me?

Amanda

Wow, that's a mystery. I honestly don't know what could be happening. Hopefully one of the fish veterans will have a better idea of what's happening to your fish.

Triple Helix

Well we all know fish eat fish so some of the bigger ones could of ate the smaller ones! And anything with legs could climb out any size hole.

acidpope

Did you look around the tank? I know danio are jumpers. Wouldn't explain the shrimp though.

Dark_Rider2k3

I'm not 100% sure. I had a similar problem but I found out one of my fish was eating the others.

I can only suggest you watch your fish for aggression, and see if one fish is picking on the others, especially if he's picking on different species

krazykid933

Okay, I would only think my molly or gourami would do that...

Angelika

I had a zebra danio... actually I still have him... he went missing once for a week.... he was no where in the 12 gallon, it would of been hard to not to see him... anyhoo... he was no where in sight.. then I did my water change and I was putting in fresh water and he shot out the filter like a torpedo... the little bugger was in there the whole week.. he came out fatter than he went in... and he is still going very strong in the 20 gallon...

I hope you find your missing fish... it always baffles me when one disappears.

krazykid933

Another one gone! The last baby... I think it was the molly. I took it out. I doubt it was the dwarf gourami, because I have had him longer and he doesn't seem aggressive. If you think something else please tell me.

mrsmuffin

Fish aliens!

No seriously, I am sorry to hear you are losing fish. I hope you solve your mystery!

krazykid933

I may have actually solved it... I found the last baby guppy was just hiding and is still alive. The first two may have been eaten by the lizard thing. That only leaves the shrimp to be a mystery...

krazykid933

Yes! My fish aren't aliens... but bacteria isn't the only the thing my filter houses. It also housed a shrimp, a fish, and a dead danio... I had found an exoskelton in my tank yesterday, and its kind of funny to have a shell without a shrimp. So today I did something mindblowingly smart and looked in the filter. What a happy family... too bad I had to take them out. That explains the shrimp, danio, and one baby guppy. But the other one... ?

krazykid933

How big was who?

krazykid933

Half an inch... still young, but now gone.

krazykid933

The molly is gone...

krazykid933

Oh, I got rid of her... I had to blame someone for the disappearing fish.

Dark_Rider2k3

ouch...

A good suggestion that I was given for my fish was to take a piece of the filter media and wrap it around the intake tube (if you have a hang-on-back filter). You can attach it with a rubber band or something that won't harm the water.

It works wonders!

clinton1621

This is a very good suggestion, I actually buy the sponge inserts for canister filters and cut them to fit over my intake tubes... this not only helps prevent small fish from being sucked up but also keeps large pieces of waste from clogging up your filter and/or damaging the impeller, plus the sponge filters add more media for your bacteria to grow =)

I have a pic of my tank on my profile page where you can see the sponges on my tubes if you want to take a look =)

krazykid933

That's a great suggestion, but they went in where the water comes out.