Hide and seek ×100?

[itiwhetu]

@Rocky998

I am trying to sort out the timeline here, please correct where needed

You lost a fish the week before last sometime, around 12 days ago.. Said that you have two fish that seem to act out aggressively and you thought they were why the fish died.

Last Tuesday you posted that you had bought another one on impulse due to the threatened legislation to replace the one lost the week before.

You have since lost that one due to what you assumed was stress but in all likelihood it was attacked by the existing two and not seen the existing two since Thursday.

First of all....you REALLY need to slow right down and find out exactly the cause of the original fish death and its replacement's death.

I don't know...maybe @itiwhetu can throw light on this.....but to me as someone who actually feels this species of fish are maybe a little beyond your ability (and I do not mean that in a nasty way but as in not everyone can handle the more complex and aggressive fish when still learning the art of fishkeeping). It sounds like the two aggressors "removed the weakest link" by force, ie bullied it to death. Quite possibly picking up a few war wounds along the way. Within days you replaced the dead fish with another of the same species, thus a "new" intruder to be dealt with. The two aggressors again "removed the weakest link" by force. And probably picked up yet more war wounds.

You could not find them, started ferreting about in the aquarium moving everything...and thus shifting their territory and disorientating them....which would stress them to the nines especially if eggs are involved. The stress of dealing with not one but two weaker fish/intruders in their back yard followed by you messing with their aquascape would be more than enough to kill fish.

I would have that spare aquarium up and running before you start taking the big one apart cos those two fish are probably going to be in a bad way when you find them.....if infact they have survived this experience at all.

If they have not emerged by tonight with the lights off.....they are either injured, deceased or just too terrified of this big human who keeps ferreting about in their home and are doing all they can to hide from you, even hiding in places that you would never dream of looking.

I have said from the beginning that these fish are complicated and thought that Rocky should start with something easier, I still don't think the water parameters are precise enough for these fish. I am genuinely concerned about their well-being. I really don't understand why he hasn't seen either fish for two days. Even if they have spawned the old man would have kicked the female out by now. It is very strange.

 

[Rocky998]

Well... My mom woke me up to say she found them... Their both swimming around all proud and their really colorful... The female thinned out, which could either be from not eating OR she had eggs... The male will come out for a little while and then head back to a cave... I'm thinking they were busy while they were "away"... Anytime the female gets a bit too close to his cave, he flares and shoos her off and then heads back... They both look extremely healthy

 

[Essjay]

That's good news.
If the male is keeping to a cave and only comes out to shoo other fish away (including the female) or to eat, it does suggest eggs. Don't disturb him. He will look after the eggs, removing any infertile and/or fungused. The eggs are on a sort of stalk and the male will suck them right into his mouth, scary when you first see him do it. Eventually, the eggs will hatch and the fry will be sucked into his mouth, then he'll spit them out of the cave. That's when mine all got eaten but with only the pair in there some may well survive.

 

[Rocky998]

That's good news.
If the male is keeping to a cave and only comes out to shoo other fish away (including the female) or to eat, it does suggest eggs. Don't disturb him. He will look after the eggs, removing any infertile and/or fungused. The eggs are on a sort of stalk and the male will suck them right into his mouth, scary when you first see him do it. Eventually, the eggs will hatch and the fry will be sucked into his mouth, then he'll spit them out of the cave. That's when mine all got eaten but with only the pair in there some may well survive.

I may do an "Insta-cycle" for my 10 gallon so that way I can put them some where... This is great news! Hopefully they will survive and hopefully I do have eggs in my tank

 

[sparkypenguin]

Glad they're OK!

 

[itiwhetu]

Thank goodness they are fine

 

[itiwhetu]

So, how are your fish doing?

 

[Rocky998]

So, how are your fish doing?

They are doing great! The Mae is always by his cave but sometimes he will take a stroll around the tank... I really hope I have baby ones!

 

[itiwhetu]

They are doing great! The Mae is always by his cave but sometimes he will take a stroll around the tank... I really hope I have baby ones!

How big are these guys, I thought they were only about an inch long, that I would have thought was too small for them to spawn?

 

[Rocky998]

How big are these guys, I thought they were only about an inch long, that I would have thought was too small for them to spawn?

The male is a over an inch while the female is right at an inch or maybe a teensy bit more than an inch... I thought they were too young as well, but who knows... Miracles happen, right? Lol

 

[itiwhetu]

How are your fish doing?

 

[Rocky998]

How are your fish doing?

Their doing great! The male (or what in thinking is the male) loves his new cave that is smaller than the others and he found this cave inside of the rock which goes all the way through to the other side of the rock. I watched him go up into the rock and pop out right above it... I'm thinking thats where they found their hiding spot for a few days

 

[Rialto]

Just as a fish keeping thing, I do a head a count every day. If I don't see someone for twenty-four hours, I go looking. Just me I suppose.

Not just you! I get very stressed if I don't see all my fish, present and correct