Hello,
I'm new to Aquarium Advice, so here's a little about me and the reason I'm writing. I'm married, have 4 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats and a 55 gallon aquarium. I'm not looking
for advice on my marriage, my kids, or the 4 furry critters that live here . . . but I sure could use some help with my aquarium!
I have a 55 gal freshwater tank that I set up 4 or 5 years ago starting with 10 or 12 mollies that multiplied into probably 50+ fish over the first couple years. Later into the first year I added 2 (yoyo) loaches, and 3 Chinese algae eaters--two of which died for unknown reasons, after which I added 6 cory cats. I had some parasite that killed a lot of my mollies and, because of the treatment advice of a local pet store, I lost my first 6 cories--which they replaced.
Now my fish are just disappearing! I live near a lake, but I'm pretty sure they aren't sneaking out at night . . .
What I have left in my tank as of this evening is 1 loach, 1 algae eater, 3 mollies and 4 cories. A week ago or so I still had all 6 cory cats, now I can only find 4. I cannot find anything at all (no bones or anything else) left of the fish that are disappearing . . . they are just gone . . . vanished . . . poof . . .
I'd accuse one of the cats, except the tank is covered and there is no where for the de-clawed cats to get access to the water.
I do suspect the algae eater, though, because he(?) seems to chase the other fish around the tank sometimes. Then again, the loach does too. And he has his little hideout in a "hollow tree", which he backs into. A year ago I found the smelly remains of the other loach inside that "tree." I haven't found any other carcuses since, but I'm wondering if the loach is dragging his tank mates in there and . . .
. . . ?
I just don't know what's going on . . . can anyone give me some ideas where to look
to resolve this problem? I would like to put more fish in the tank, but not if they're going to slip off into a black hole somewhere never to be seen or heard from again.
Thanks in advance.
Linda
I'm new to Aquarium Advice, so here's a little about me and the reason I'm writing. I'm married, have 4 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats and a 55 gallon aquarium. I'm not looking
for advice on my marriage, my kids, or the 4 furry critters that live here . . . but I sure could use some help with my aquarium!I have a 55 gal freshwater tank that I set up 4 or 5 years ago starting with 10 or 12 mollies that multiplied into probably 50+ fish over the first couple years. Later into the first year I added 2 (yoyo) loaches, and 3 Chinese algae eaters--two of which died for unknown reasons, after which I added 6 cory cats. I had some parasite that killed a lot of my mollies and, because of the treatment advice of a local pet store, I lost my first 6 cories--which they replaced.
Now my fish are just disappearing! I live near a lake, but I'm pretty sure they aren't sneaking out at night . . .
What I have left in my tank as of this evening is 1 loach, 1 algae eater, 3 mollies and 4 cories. A week ago or so I still had all 6 cory cats, now I can only find 4. I cannot find anything at all (no bones or anything else) left of the fish that are disappearing . . . they are just gone . . . vanished . . . poof . . .
I'd accuse one of the cats, except the tank is covered and there is no where for the de-clawed cats to get access to the water.
I do suspect the algae eater, though, because he(?) seems to chase the other fish around the tank sometimes. Then again, the loach does too. And he has his little hideout in a "hollow tree", which he backs into. A year ago I found the smelly remains of the other loach inside that "tree." I haven't found any other carcuses since, but I'm wondering if the loach is dragging his tank mates in there and . . .
. . . ? I just don't know what's going on . . . can anyone give me some ideas where to look
to resolve this problem? I would like to put more fish in the tank, but not if they're going to slip off into a black hole somewhere never to be seen or heard from again.Thanks in advance.
Linda
