Back from the dead?

[Bullnugget]

No way, obviously my clown loach is an EXCELLENT hider. A couple weeks ago, I seen some fuzzy stuff floating in the tank, started cleaning it, and as I picked up a huge fake décor piece a bunch more came out of the bottom. Since I hadn't seen him in quite some time I figured he must have gotten trapped in there and died, and was decomposing. The hiding isn't unusual for him, or my angelicus botia or rainbow shark. The 3 are usually in another piece of décor hiding, but it has holes to go in and out of, they usually don't even come out when I pick it up to clean the tank, but I see them like glued to the walls in there lol.

Anyway, I was doing another vacuum and water change tonight, and found one of my Otos under the same piece, still in hole but decomposing as well. Crap, I thought good thing he was only $1 though. I try and keep track of those guys, but they are so small and hard to find sometimes. I had 4, thought I was down to 3. But on my water change I found 3 and this dead 1. I had picked up a few Corys today since I don't have many good bottom feeders. Tonight after my water change I look over and there is the clown loach swimming across the tank as fast as he can. I thought well holy crap, he's back from the dead! I have not seen this guy in at least 3 weeks now.

So apparently all my fish are alive and well. My question is what was the white fuzzy stuff with a mass of some sort in the middle, and why was it all under this décor piece? It looked exactly like the Oto that had died.

 

[Rivercats]

It could be the dead oto or food that is growing moldy. I'd remove it from the tank regardless. Also watch as cory's tend to get into holes they can't get out of and die. I had this happen not too long ago. So when adding rocks, dw, or any décor I try to be sure not to have things with holes unless they are large ones fish can't get trapped in.

 

[Bullnugget]

I plan on some new décor, maybe even just getting real driftwood, expensive but it always looks nicer