New and lost a fish but it's much more complex...

Hello all!! This is my first post even though I have been referencing the site for months now. First I'd like to indirectly thank the people who dedicate their free time to this site. The amount of knowledge is vast and incredible and it is such a great tool for rookies like me. Thank you!

So my problem starts with my red tailed black shark. I had a bunch of fish in a 10 gallon. All tetras. Was doing great. Upgraded to a 20 long and wanted sharks. My shark tank! We'll I went to the store and the line "you can get whatever you want!" Didn't seem to help me like they intended. So I got 2 sharks red tailed black and a rainbow shark. Before we go down the road. Yes they didn't like each other. Yes I separated them. Yes I bought another tank 25-28 bow which holds my rainbow shark and all the rest of my fish except the red tailed black shark. I put him in the 10 gallon bc all he likes doing is staying in the cave figured plenty of room. Days even weeks went by no issues. Switched food again no problems.

Came me home from work. Fed him. Normal. Came home after I went out to feed him at like 1am, gone! Completely missing. I walked away thought he was in the top part of this cave rock thing in there, came back. Still wasn't seen. Pulled all the decorations out. Gone. He only jumped out of a bucket once while I was cleaning a tank or whatever but saved him threw him back in fine. But I looked all around he tank. Looked thought the shelves, filters, decor, you name it I looked. I searched forums the internet. Continued to look nothing. I simply can't understand. I have allergies now but I can still smell and I can't find a thing with my nose currently. Nothing was wet. I mean I am completely out of options. No other fish are in that tank with him so he wasn't eaten. I mean yea?! Please help!

 

Hello The Dude, Welcome to the Forum!

have you checked inside your filter intake and all the nooks and crannies inside the aquarium decor? You'd be amazed where forum members have found fish

 

Do you have a cat and/or dog? But really, many of us have been through this. It took me a couple of days once to find a mosquito fish. Another time I lost a frog once from a covered QT. I never did find him!

But if you really do want to do these sharks, you need a minimum of 55 gallons. If you can't go that large at this time, you and your sharks would really do better if you can rehome them. You were misinformed, and you can't fix this situation with the tanks you have.

 

So my shark is solo in that 10. Again they were together separated them and he seemed fine for weeks in the 10 gal inside his little cave. Took out all the decor. No nooks and crannies. I'm just completely baffled. I feel like a terrible parent who lost their kids. Filter is too small to get in there. Checked anyway. Nope not there. No other fish in that tank yo eat him. So have to be on the floor right. Nope! Just totally gone. I don't get it. Oh yea. No other animals. Fish tanks in other rooms but no other pets.

 

Maybe you have been punk'd.!

 

Welcome to fishlore
Sorry for your Shark problems. There's very few options, he's either in the tank stuck somewhere and hidden or he jumped out of the tank and flopped off somewhere you can't see him . There is the option of someone taking your shark as a joke...but I think you would know if you had friends like that. Check under your cabinet, he might have flopped under there when he jumped out. Fish won't stink for a decent amount of time. I remember when I used to fish in a local pond and fish would sit out for a day or two before they really stunk.

 

If your car and wallet are still there then he could not have gone too far.

Seriously, my first two thoughts (filter or cat / dog) have been ruled out. Good luck with the search.