Fish all gone AWOL

[Slaphppy7]

Is there a background on the back glass? Hard to tell from the pic...

Something as simple as black posterboard taped to the back glass will make the fish more comfortable....it will make the rest of the contents of the tank stand out better, as well

That light IS quite bright, is it adjustable?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

The salvinia are no longer there though, and fewer tannins. I'd take one currently but turned all the lights off a little while ago in order to hopefully entice them all out.

Some live food would probably work.
Easy enough to see how they've disappeared, if not why.

Some clear red or blue*, over a torch, would allow you to shine into those caves and see what's what, without too much fishy disturbance.

*Keep an eye out for suitable sweety wrappers. Quality Street usually provides.

 

[Sunnyspots]

Is there a background on the back glass? Hard to tell from the pic...

Something as simple as black posterboard taped to the back glass will make the fish more comfortable....it will make the rest of the contents of the tank stand out better, as well

That light IS quite bright, is it adjustable?

There is a dark background and an adjustable light. I've been trying to get the plants to grow so using it on full but they just don't go anywhere even so!

I've added water sprite today to darken things down a little and currently have the lights off, but still no sign except the male doing the occasional circle of his cave.

Some live food would probably work.
Easy enough to see how they've disappeared, if not why.

Some clear red or blue*, over a torch, would allow you to shine into those caves and see what's what, without too much fishy disturbance.

*Keep an eye out for suitable sweety wrappers. Quality Street usually provides.

I'll defrost some frozen food, will that do? I have a red head torch light from walking the dogs so I'll try that for the caves

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I'll defrost some frozen food, will that do? I have a red head torch light from walking the dogs so I'll try that for the caves

I was thinking live stuff, simply because it tries to avoid being eaten and fish have to put a little more effort into catching it. Frozen stuff would just drift about, much in the same way a your flake does.

 

[emeraldking]

My experience with empire gudgeons is that they do have periods of hiding without being something going on with the water parameters. And when they show up again, they're totally okay.

 

[Sunnyspots]

My experience with empire gudgeons is that they do have periods of hiding without being something going on with the water parameters. And when they show up again, they're totally okay.

Well I do hope peacocks behave the same because this has been 4 days now. I keep worrying they're dead (as you do)! And I miss them

 

[Sunnyspots]

If Hector does have eggs I may want to transfer my gourami fry (now 5 weeks give or take) in with the peacocks to free up the spare tank for peacock fry. They're about 1/2" long or so, definitely too big for peacock mouths. I'll obviously make sure all parameters match as well as possible first. Do you think that'll be OK?

I was thinking live stuff, simply because it tries to avoid being eaten and fish have to put a little more effort into catching it. Frozen stuff would just drift about, much in the same way a your flake does.

All my stuff is dead, (but tasty!) Even my brine shrimp farm failed for some reason....

 

[Sunnyspots]

Well, I placed the food amongst the plants with a pipette, and some outside Hector's cave. Not a dicky bird. My dogs are showing more interest than I saw in the tank!

 

[Sunnyspots]

Quick Share

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Hopefully this shows the tank currently.

 

[Sunnyspots]

The only action I have seen remains occasional forays by Hector from his cave. I was up in the night and watched for a while. Nothing. The fact that Hector is very much alive makes me think the others haven't all been wiped out by something. I know peacocks can be very aggressive when guarding eggs so I suspect he's bullied them all into hiding. Maybe.

If I swap Hector and his cave with the gourami fry maybe the females will reappear.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

The only action I have seen remains occasional forays by Hector from his cave. I was up in the night and watched for a while. Nothing. The fact that Hector is very much alive makes me think the others haven't all been wiped out by something. I know peacocks can be very aggressive when guarding eggs so I suspect he's bullied them all into hiding. Maybe.

If I swap Hector and his cave with the gourami fry maybe the females will reappear.

I'd leave as is and let Nature take its course.
Nothing from the red lamp?

 

[Sunnyspots]

I'd leave as is and let Nature take its course.
Nothing from the red lamp?

Not that I could see. I couldn't see round the nearside corners though, and the plant and reflections got in the way.

 

[Sunnyspots]

I found two of the fish . They were behind the cupboard where I couldn't see them but my daughter could. The third might still appear but I suspect she jumped out too, and Hector doesn't have eggs he is feeling lonely. I've ordered him 7 playmates to arrive Friday and I've fixed a small problem with the wires and lid although I suspect they jumped when I was doing a gravel vac. I need a new system to prevent it happening again. Changing the filter angle might help.
Poor, poor little fish. I feel dreadful for them.

 

[Colin_T]

I used sponge or filter wool in the corners to block gaps around heater cables and airline.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I found two of the fish . They were behind the cupboard where I couldn't see them but my daughter could. The third might still appear but I suspect she jumped out too, and Hector doesn't have eggs he is feeling lonely. I've ordered him 7 playmates to arrive Friday and I've fixed a small problem with the wires and lid although I suspect they jumped when I was doing a gravel vac. I need a new system to prevent it happening again. Changing the filter angle might help.
Poor, poor little fish. I feel dreadful for them.

Sorry for the losses, but at least the mystery is solved, and you know what they are capable of...I've had it happen with some marbled hatchet fish, notorious for jumping.

Like @Colin_T , I stuff sponge bits into the lid openings for equipment, but water changes are another matter....very nerve-wracking when you have fish that are known to jump