My two chinese algae eaters have "disappeared"

[tootercat]

:help:


we have a 30 gallon tank with community fish...3 goldfish, 1 blue channel catfish, a male betta and a female betta and 2 chinese algae eaters. at least we DID have the algae eaters...they seem to have disappeared.....do they go off to mate somewhere? have no idea gender of either. We have some aquatic decorative items in the tank...a "giant" volcano that is rooted in the gravel but is hollow underneath as it generates air bubbles from an airstone underneath, as well as artificial plants and a barrel that has numerous openings. All of these fish ahve been together for at leat 9 months and there has never been an aggresive behavior that I could see. Is it possible that one of the larger or a group of the larger fish could have eaten them????
they literally seem to have "evaporated"...I really don't want to have to empty the tank or look under everything but will if I'm told it's a valid idea....

A very puzzled tootercat
:dive:

 

[Roan Art]

You've looked under all the decorations and stuff, right?

Is your tank totally covered with no holes? If not, I'd look around outside the tank. Fish can and will get out if they can.

Roan

 

[tootercat]

:duh:

No not yet because we really don't see how they could have done it unless they are known to burrow into the gravel...guess I better look now...thanks for the response! And yes it is completely covered no holes or openings....

 

[Chickieepooh2u]

Are all your filter intake(s) covered? I've had fish pull a "finding Nemo" with the filter hose before I got a screen for it.

 

[Ruben Tolon]

They might have been eaten by the channel catfish...those things grow huge and have no problem engulfing any fish they can catch.

 

[kveeti]

They can easily dig into the gravel, usually if they are spooked, but sometimes because they like caves and will try to make one if there isn't any (but your barrel seems like the kind of home they would like). Jumping out is a possibility, too.

 

[dorkfish]

you do know that your particular comunity of fish should'nt be together or (for the golds and chanel cat) be in that tank right?

 

[Midas-n-Titus]

I've had a solid 5 fish disappear to never be seen again. 2 of them were chinese AE's... I believe that when the die, they decompose fairly quickly... I don't know if that's a possibility seeing as how you lost 2 at once.

I had a bamboo shrimp disappear too. I really have no clue where he went. Even after we moved out of our appartment, he wasn't anywhere to be found.

 

[fishyaddict]

do they go off to mate somewhere? :dive:

check your bedroom...

sorry i had too :Angel:

 

[F1shkeeper]

I had the same problem last week when two of my fancy guppies vanished from my 10g community tank. Anyone know how this could happen, there is an upside down catfish in there but I dont think he could have eaten them.