Can fish just disappear?

[the_elvish_misfit]

Two days ago I transfered the fish from my 10g to my 55g. Yesterday I counted them and there were 3 Neons instead of 4 so I figured that one was just hiding, after all the tank is 5X bigger than what their used to. But today she's still missing. I took out the decor rocks and plants and searched around them with a flashlight to be sure, checked the filter, heater and the tank lids. The only hole in the tank is less than an inch around where the filter goes in, so I checked the floor, my rat's cage (and my bed ; ) and she just isn't anywhere.

My fish are well fed, so my dad's theory that she died and the other fish ate her I can't believe.

It's completely impossible that she just up and disappeared, I know she has to be dead somewhere and neons are tiny, but I can't think of anywhere else to look.

Anyone have ideas?

 

[taylorodw]

If your "My Tanks" is right, it's very possible that your Angelfish ate your neon, and possibly killed it. How big are your angelfish?

 

[the_elvish_misfit]

The angelfish's bodys are both less than the size of a quarter, not counting fins. Nobody in the tank has ever bullied the neons.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I have 6 neons at the moment, some days ill have 5, some days ill have 2 some days none, some disappear especially out the back of the tank and thru the filter.

Id be suprised if the angels ate live food like that, my angels are the same size as yours about the size of a american 25 cent piece/quarter on the body, they swim WITH my school of neons almost constantly.

 

[jim692]

My fish are well fed, so my dad's theory that she died and the other fish ate her I can't believe.

It's possible they were (fully or partially) eaten after they died. Fish as small as the neons will decompose very quickly at a filter, intake tube, etc. Anytime you transfer fish around it causes some stress to the fish and they don't always handle it well. Check the water parameters, and observe the fish just to be safe.

 

[robinp]

i lost a fish once and after searching i found it on the floor, it jumped out in the small space where the top has a cutout for the filter.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

One of my BN plecos went missing for about 2-3weeks. I completely emptied the tank of all decoration and still couldn't find him. Then the day after I tore the tank up, he appeared on the side of the tank. It was a suprise to me and couldn't find him. So it's possible for fish to dissappear and reappear if they are good at hide & seek.

 

[jsoong]

In a big tank, it is possible to have a fish die & decompose before you notice any evidence.

I lost a 2" goldfish this past summer. I was away for a week, my fish sitting daughter swore that she saw ALL the goldfish everyday, & never a dead one. But there was definitely a missing fish when I got back, no sign of bones or anything!

 

[the_elvish_misfit]

Gonna try to answer as many things at once as possible.

I tried to do a ratio water change like adding the same new water from the 55g to the 10g and adding the displaced 10g water to the 55g slowly so they'd be used to it when I did make the switch, and still floated them for 15-20 minutes. But then again neon's are fragile and the netting may have stressed her to death.

I've had a dead neon before but nobody touched it. Unless the filter chewed it up really good I still can't figure it out.

I suppose if it was dead and laying out there and the fish, being the pigs they are, couldn't wait between meals, could have eaten her.

I was more worried about the water getting polluted and hurting my more expensive fish, a neon is replaceable I'm getting a few more tomorrow anyway.