increasing algae on glass, and have you seen my Pleco?

[TomK2]

Well, for the last two weeks the algae has been growing on the glass, and just today I decide that its time to do something about it. I haven't had to scrape algae since the tank was set up 9 months ago. Then it occurs to me, where's my bristlenose pleco? Kinda hard to miss a fish that size. All I can find is some 1 to 2 cm white cartiligonous pieces that I am guessing are what is left of its spine or mouth structures. I think it died in hiding, and the other fish picked it clean. Strange how you can look at a fish for months, then not notice its gone for a while. Aside from a daily formal body count, what are you to do? BTW, I can only account for 5 out of 6 zebra danios now too.

Guess I have to pay closer attention.

 

[PsiPro]

Thats very sad. Sorry for your loss.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Yea, sorry about your loss

 

[Jchillin]

Sorry to hear about your losses Tom. I can certainly appreciate your position. We have these fish that are nocturnal and shy. Then, we provide so many places to hide that are hard to get to that we actually lose sight of them.

Of the 9 baby bristlenoses I got a couple of weeks ago, I've only seen four. I have no idea if the other 5 are in the tank at all.

 

[tetrin]

sorry about that tom...i generally find one of my neons missing every now and then...
next project, tying a small electronic transmitter (albeit painlessly) to each shy fish for better tracking...

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I lose my community fish also. It's hard to get a head count when they swim all over the place. Especially the pleco. I only see him every once in a great while. Now the ones in the 150, they are out ALL the time. I think that they forget when it's daylight because they seem very active during the day and it's like they sleep at night.

 

[TomK2]

Thanks all. I was more surprised than anything. Guess the little guy really did help out with algae control after all, because his absence is seen and felt. Here's a pic for his obit-

 

[severum mama]

Awww, that's too bad. The same thing happened to my gold nugget pleco, what a disappointment!

 

[Acer]

i added a couple of mystery snails yesterday to help keep algea at bay..

 

[TomK2]

My wife and I are in negotiations about the bristlenose pleco she has in her Goldie tank. I say it would be happier in my community tank! Unfortunately, her goldie tank has dwindled down to one oranda. We are contemplating converting it to a low light planted tank when "wanda" moves on. I never name my fish, always seems to guarantee a short lifespan.

 

[rich311k]

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[TomK2]

Thank you. The goldie tank pleco has just been transfered to the community tank, and he has his work cut out for him. My algae scraper, which I had to dig out of a box since I haven't used it in years, is broken. I am giving "Eddie" a few days to show what he can do before I go out and buy another one. Go Eddie! Right now he is just snacking on some shrimp pellets the cories and other fish had not gotten to yet.