Missing Upside-Down Catfish

[snowball04]

I recently bought two upside down catfish on June 24th. After adjusting them to the temperature in my tank for about 20 minutes, I put them in and they seemed fine. Since upside down catfish are nocturnal, I bought a new rock with some hiding places for my ten gallon tank. My pleco also likes to hide so I thought he might like it. In my tank are 4 zebra danios, 1 blue dwarf gourami, 1 pleco, and 2 albino cories, along with the two new upside down catfish. Anyways, today I checked the tank and I was not able find my smaller upside down catfish. I moved the rock around and found my pleco and the larger upside down catfish, but I was unable to find the smaller upside down catfish. I do not see any signs of the body or fins floating in the water. Where did it go or what happened to it?:confused: Would my fish eat it up so fast that no signs of it were left? Who would eat it? Earlier this month, around the beginning, one of my zebra danios (I had five at first) went missing as well, and the person caring for my fish since I was on vacation said that he had not seen any signs of dead fish or anything. I am very confused.....

[NJ Devils Fan]

It could have jumped out, I would look around on the floor for it. If you have snails in your tank, they eat the fish very quickly. I lost about 8 neons and I only saw one dead, and it was covered with snails. Your tank is too small for a pleco, especially a common pleco, which can grow up to 18". I would seriously consider bringing him back to your LFS.

[snowball04]

I don't think it could have jumped out because I keep the lid down on my tank and I have seen any dead fish on the floor. I also don't have any snails. My pleco was small when I bought it but now it is getting bigger. Who should I take it back to?

[NJ Devils Fan]

Any of your LFSs, they will take fish back, granted they are in good health. They will give you the value of the fish or make an even trade.

[OrionGirl]

You'll want to increase the number o fhiding spaces. Plecos will not always share nicely with other fish.

UDC are happier in small groups, and they will get to be 3-4 inches each. Mine hide under plants leaves, in caves, and under powerheads. If hiding places are in short supply, they will hide under strong surface agitation (such as where the water returns from a HOB). They can wiggle themselves into quite tight spots--I wouldn't write yours off just yet. If you have a HOB filter, check inside it.

[snowball04]

Thank you guys for your help. I actually found my missing UDC in a very tight spot this morning. After reading the latest posting, I decided to check again in my rock and I saw its tail in a very small spot. It stayed there even when I lifted up the rock to check around. Thanks again!!

[brianfl]

If you like plecos as most of us do, bristlenose plecos stay fairly small.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Well, a bristlenose will get to be around 5" or so, but still, I wouldn't recommend getting any plecos for a ten gallon tank.

[brianfl]

I must have missed something. I didn't see where the tank was 10 gal.

[Hebdizzle]

Since upside down catfish are nocturnal, I bought a new rock with some hiding places for my ten gallon tank.


3rd sentence. Written out as ten not 10

[brianfl]

Good writing, bad eyes :)