Missing Bodies

[musicman]

I have a 5 gallon hex tank with one betta and four ghost shrimp. The problem is, I can only account for two of them.

Can you help me find my missing ghost shrimp?

Its been five days since I last saw all four. Since then I have seen only two at any given time. My girlfriend swears that she has seen three diffrent ones, but never more than two at a time.

About five days ago, I purchaced a gravel vac. When I got home I used it to preform about a 50% water change. I wasn't watching very closely what I was vaccuming, rather I was paying attention to all of the crud that was being sucked out of the gravel.

--

Today I removed everyone I could find. One betta and two ghost shrimp.
I removed the plants and the castle decoration both of which I examined closely. I found nothing. Then I sifted through all of the gravel with my hands, looking for bodies. Found nothing.

I have a hood on my tank, It has a good fit. There was nothing hiding in the hood, and no evidence of any jumpers. I suppose one of the cats could have eaten the jumpers.

The male betta surely isn't big enough to eat a inch long ghost shrimp. Is he?

I am at a loss for what has happened to those shrimp. They were special and had names and everything. I would be more at peace if I could find a body. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience that could help?

 

[Zagz]

They may have died and the betta would have picked away at the bodies. Perhaps they accidentally got sucked up through the gravel vac?

 

[beglely]

i know its a small tank but those ghost shrimp are really hard to find sometimes...i have a few and very rarely do I see all of them except when i feed them

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Have you taken EVERYTHING... every single thing... from the tank? Filter included?

I had several amano shrimp with my betta. But because he would chase them when ever he saw them, they learned to stay VERY well hidden.

As for the betta eating shrimp, I've definitely heard of bettas eating shrimp in some betta forums. But I believe that in those cases, the betta didn't each the shrimp in one gulp. I'm guessing that in these cases, the betta chased the shrimp to exhaution, then started feeding on it bit by bit.

 

[meegosh]

I would bet that the betta ate them. Whether or not they were dead first, that is up for debate. It could be they are just hiding. My Diamond Tetras made quick work of 10+ ghost shrimp in my tank... any time they came out in the open they would get attacked.