Dont understand where my fish are disappearing to...

[Smarkalan83]

Ok so 3 days ago I noticed that my foxface angelfish went missing... Looked everywhere inside and outside the tank still nowhere to be found... So I check levels and my nitrates spiked to between 40-80ppm.... Last night did a 15 gal water change (I have 60 gal tank) and all fish seemed fine ... This Morning I woke up checked nitrates and they are still high and now I have a missing emperor angelfish the top of tank is covered so there is no way any can get out even looked throughout top of filter don't see anything.... Someone please help me I am going insane don't know where they would be disappearing to .... HELP PLEASE!!!!

 

[Smarkalan83]

Just was reading more And I read that Condy anemones will eat fish if they have re chance .... I had gotten 4 of these anemones when they were small being old they were harmless an over time I saw them grab and eat frozen food ... Is it possible they could have eaten my rabbitfish and emperor angel overnight withou me noticing???? I will attach pic of he anemones Romania size....please help

 

[rush]

Have you turned over some rocks and check to see if your fish are under there. If you have dead fish under a rock somewhere that would explain your spik ein nitrates.

Equally if your anemone did get your fish (doubtful but possible) that means they are not getting fed enough. But if for whatever reason they did eat them, their waste could also be contributing to the sudden spike in nitrate levels.

Now all this being said if your nitrates are at 40-60 then you need to get them down ASAP.

Start with a 40% water change immediately, should cut them to about 20-30, then do 30% in a day or two, then another 20% per day until they are under 5 again. Then keep doing 10% until they are at 0.

Go buy a bucket of salt and get your hands wet lol

 

[Krypt]

Do you ever hear any clicking sounds in the tank?

 

[WMC]

Do you have an overflow box/sump? Check in there and the sump. I noticed one of my yellowtail Damsels in my overflow box today and when I came back with a small net he/she was gone. I checked the drain to the sump and the sump and it is nowhere to be found. I'm a little baffled on this. A few years ago I rescued a small clownfish from my overflow box.

 

[rush]

Do you have an overflow box/sump? Check in there and the sump. I noticed one of my yellowtail Damsels in my overflow box today and when I came back with a small net he/she was gone. I checked the drain to the sump and the sump and it is nowhere to be found. I'm a little baffled on this. A few years ago I rescued a small clownfish from my overflow box.

Does your overflow box not have a gated entry that goes above your water level?

 

[WMC]

Does your overflow box not have a gated entry that goes above your water level?

Yes it does. The Damsel was about a 3/4 inch and must have wanted to get through the "gate". Strange thing is I have had this damsel for about a year and now it decides to check out the overflow box. My clown was only about 1/2-3/4 inch when it went through. I have already placed a mesh screen across the gate.

 

[rush]

that is funny. lol

what a water slide that would have been to the sump

 

[Smarkalan83]

No sump on my tank yet .... Too expensive to buy in I would like to build one has anyone ever done it and is it easy and cheaper?

 

[rush]

You could buy a 20 gallon sump for $20 used online. Does not get any cheaper than that. For a 60 gallon you don't really need a sump though. HOB is fine.

 

[Smarkalan83]

Where online can I get one that cheap .... I have a penguin bio wheel 350 a bio wheel 200 and protein skimmers along with 1000 gph power head

 

[rush]

I would sell the bio wheels and just keep the protein skimmer but that is your call. Go to kijiji or usedeverywhere or craigslist

any of those sites will do. If I go on kijiji for where I live I could get one for $5-$10

 

[Smarkalan83]

I will check them out thanks ... Just kept filters on because my levels keep climbing high

 

[rush]

take off filters and do water changes instead

and if your nitrates keep climbing maybe you are feeding too much

 

[redneckgearhead]

Yea I hear those filters can be nitrate "factories"

 

[rush]

how so? its a sock filter, nothing more to it. lol

who ever told you that could not be more wrong