missing blue tang...

[brandnew765]

So, i added some live rock to my 75 gallon tank last night. I have probably 100+ lbs of rock, coral and around 12 fish. When I moved my rock around to make room for the new rock I think I might have either squished my blue tang or trapped her. She liked to hide in the holes in the rock, what are the chances I trapped her inside of a rock? thanks in advance

 

[OniTweak]

Pretty high. Might want to go and check I know Ziggy lost a tang to a rock.

 

[ryshark]

If you can't find a tang in a 75-gallon, I would also say pretty high chance. Are you going to take the rocks down to search for it? If it is still alive you have to save it. If it is dead already from getting smooshed, then you don't want it to decay in there. So either way, I would probably find it.

 

[roka64]

12 fish in a 75? What other fish do you have? Do you have a sump or filter? Have you checked the floor around the tank?

 

[Ziggy953]

Wow...That is a lot of fish for that tank.

I did indeed loose a tang to a rock. It was during my upgrade. I had my entire reef in a 90g pond on the floor next to where my tank was going and I knocked a rock over and it smashed my powder brown tang.

This could have happened to you. Some tangs do like hiding in the rock work and will even lay on their sides to do it. It is possible.

I agree with Ryshark, either way you need to find the fish. With such a large bio load a decaying fish could spell disaster for you.

 

[brandnew765]

yeah, i spent all day moving around rock inside the tank and finally found her. She had hidden in a rock that I took out of the tank, I checked all the rocks but she was deep in one of the holes. Unfortunately she was already dead. I didn't think 12 small fish was too much for a 75 gallon. I have 2 small yellow tail damsels, 1 blue damsel, 1 pink chromis, 1 hawkfish, 1 sailfin tang, 5 four stripe damsels and 1 maroon clown. They are all relatively small though. I want to get rid of most of the 4 stripes, they came with the tank.

 

[brandnew765]

oh and i do have a sump and an eheim filter

 

[austinsdad]

Pls do me a favor. Measure and tell us what you nitrates are.

That way, either you can tell us what you are doing right to keep them down with so many fish (and help us all out).... or we can try to help you understand why we think there are too many fish in that 75g. Had two tangs AND all those others?

Also, how old is your tank and how much rock ya got?

Also, I believe the hawkfish will eventually eat your crabs and maybe snails. Might want to look that one up if you plan on keeping a cleaning crew.

 

[brandnew765]

the hawkfish hasnt touched any of my cleaners. he will snack on a shrimp if it is really small though but hasn't touched my larger ones. The tank has been set up for about two and a half years, and I have probably 100+ lbs of rock. My nitrates are 0, nitrites 0, and ammonia 0.

 

[austinsdad]

Zero 'trates. That's excellent with that fishload. Good skimmer too I'll bet.

 

[newfound77951]

Sorry about your tang, that stinks! I've lost two fish to carpet surfing and I know that horrible Oh-no-I-can't-find-one-of-the-fish feeling.

 

[ryshark]

Im typically not one to be the Tang Police, especially since I have 2-tangs in my 75-gallon. But that Sailfin Tang is going to grow out of the 75gallon. I hope you plan on upgrading for the sake of the Sailfin. Those are one of the tangs that need more space than other tangs.