My Tank’s Bermuda Triangle

[DaddyDaughterNano]

I’ve lost three fish during the night over the past two years: a helfrichi fire fish, a six line wrasse, and most recently, a darling little yellow clown goby my girls and I all loved.

In all three cases they were doing totally fine without any obvious signs of being bullied. All three were perfectly fine the night before they disappeared.

My tank has a lid and no anemone, so the only possibilities seem to be that they got sucked into the overflow (but I’ve never found them in my filter floss), sucked into the Nero 3, or taken out and completely disintegrated by one of my two clownfish or yellow assessor.

I’ve never found any signs of them after, and I’ve never found a friend floating at the top.

Has anything like this ever happened to you??? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’m literally afraid to get any more fish.

This is the order we added them:
- The clownfish pair came first
- Then the yellow assessor and firefish
- Then the firefish disappeared
- Didn’t add anything for at least a year
- Then added the six line and goby
- The six line disappeared within a week
- The goby made it two months

Edit: even though I’ve never seen my clownfish being aggressive towards the other fish, one of them always nips at me when I put my hand in the tank, and I’ve wondered if it’s taking the other fish out.

 

[kingmushroom]

I lost a fish before and found the skeleton under a rock. I imagine that when a fish dies it don't float right away, so it can get stuck hidden somewhere. Maybe in a easy place like the power head, maybe under a rock.

 

[VintageReefer]

A cleanup crew of snails and hermits and various things like that…they will clean up the remains of a small fish in less than 24 hours.

Usually the deceased fish sinks or is buoyant, drifts in current until it gets to a low/no flow spot which typically is out of sight behind rocks, then the cleanup crew smells it and does their job. It’s very common to not find any remains

 

[BryanM]

I'm still new to reefing, but what @VintageReefer said above is what I believe I'm experiencing with a missing 6line and goby.

 

[DaddyDaughterNano]

Do you guys think the fish just died? Do you think there’s reason to be suspicious of my clownfish?

 

[littlefoxx]

Do you guys think the fish just died? Do you think there’s reason to be suspicious of my clownfish?

Ive never seen my clowns actually attack and maul fish, more fin nipping or chasing away from their area. I dont think they are killing your fish to be honest

 

[littlefoxx]

Do you have any crabs?

 

[tbaum101]

Do you guys think the fish just died? Do you think there’s reason to be suspicious of my clownfish?

I think it's just life with a reef tank. I had a flame angel disappear the first night with no remains.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What size is the tank? Is there a lot of rock to provide lots of hiding spots? Can we see a pic?

 

[DaddyDaughterNano]

Do you have any crabs?

I have a few blue leg hermits and a medium-sized Halloween hermit.

What size is the tank? Is there a lot of rock to provide lots of hiding spots? Can we see a pic?

It’s a Waterbox 35.2 with about a 25 gal display.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have a few blue leg hermits and a medium-sized Halloween hermit.

It’s a Waterbox 35.2 with about a 25 gal display.

Hey nice tank! I got no idea's sorry, good luck!

 

[BryanM]

Do you guys think the fish just died? Do you think there’s reason to be suspicious of my clownfish?

I have two missing fish....went reading stories and opinions.

If you don't have a lid and its a jumper, it may have tried to fly.
Some people report missing fish for over a year, only to have them re-appear.
Others, find them in the overflow after months, eating scraps, perfectly happy.
And others simply have them die, and the tank does tank things, and they are pretty rapidly disposed of it seems, most of the time.

 

[littlefoxx]

I have a few blue leg hermits and a medium-sized Halloween hermit.

It’s a Waterbox 35.2 with about a 25 gal display.

Oh well halloween hermits will 100% attack a small fish if its sick and for sure eat it after it dies

 

[DaddyDaughterNano]

Hey nice tank! I got no idea's sorry, good luck!

Thank you! I was re-energized about it over the summer, re-scaped it, and I'm starting to place corals. I'm really enjoying the hobby again.

I have two missing fish....went reading stories and opinions.

If you don't have a lid and its a jumper, it may have tried to fly.
Some people report missing fish for over a year, only to have them re-appear.
Others, find them in the overflow after months, eating scraps, perfectly happy.
And others simply have them die, and the tank does tank things, and they are pretty rapidly disposed of it seems, most of the time.

I can't even imagine finding my helfrichi firefish after a year. I loved it, and it was so expensive.

Oh well halloween hermits will 100% attack a small fish if its sick and for sure eat it after it dies

On one hand I appreciate that it sounds like my clownfish aren't to blame. On the other, I'd trade that crab for the clown goby in a heartbeat.

I just want to thank everyone for their thoughts!

 

[littlefoxx]

Thank you! I was re-energized about it over the summer, re-scaped it, and I'm starting to place corals. I'm really enjoying the hobby again.

I can't even imagine finding my helfrichi firefish after a year. I loved it, and it was so expensive.

On one hand I appreciate that it sounds like my clownfish aren't to blame. On the other, I'd trade that crab for the clown goby in a heartbeat.

I just want to thank everyone for their thoughts!

Yeah halloweens are mean. Mine brawl over shells all the time (because theres a ton for them but they always want what another crab has)! They also are mean as heck and would even pinch my eels when they tried to eat them! Only hermits Ill put in my tank with them actually. Right now I have a horseshoe crab that does awesome cleaning the remaining food so I dont have hermits right now

 

[NTLA]

Yeah this is all too common in my experience, but I run a fairly robust clean up crew.