Lost Loaches

[FanOFish]

I have a 42gal. tank, all that was in this tank were 10 neon tetras. Yesterday, I added two small clown loaches. The first few hours they hid in the back of the tank behind some plants. After a few hours they seemed well adjusted, chasing each other up and down the tank, rubbing up against each other and acting like the clowns they are.

When I got home today, they are gone! The tank has a gravel bottom, several large river rocks, a large piece of driftwood attached to a slab of slate and several artificial plants.

I have lifted each rock and the driftwood...no loaches and ten suddenly unhappy neons. The filter is an Emperor 280 and has a closed cover on the tube that goes into the tank so they couldn't have gone up there. Any ideas? No sign of them on the floor, although my dog might have taken care of that but the tank is covered other than a small opening in the back.

I'm just baffled and not looking foreward to taking this tank apart.

 

[smb]

I'd have to say they were hiding in there somewhere. I've heard of people losing fish for 2-3 weeks and tear their tank apart and not find them only to see them reappear at a later date of thier choosing.

 

[freshmike]

I bet they are in there somewhere having a great sleep!

 

[Eelzor]

they could be in places like the filter, anywhere near it or hidden next to the heater. Thats were mine used to go somtimes.

 

[FanOFish]

I am happy to say that you are all correct. I woke up this morning to find the two of them swimming up and down and basically just annoying the tetras that were trying to get in a couple more minutes of rest

After the room brightened up I turned on the tank light and before long they were gone again.

I guess it will take these night owls a couple days to get comfortable enough to come out and play during the day.

 

[Eelzor]

happy to hear that fanofish. Its calming to be riunited with your fish you haven't seen in a while.

 

[Death Penguin]

My clownies have managed to burrow into some bogwood I have. I cannot see them when fully inserted into the hole.

 

[platypus]

My clownies have managed to burrow into some bogwood I have. I cannot see them when fully inserted into the hole.

yeh it's amazing how they like to squeeze into the tiniest spaces - they have been known to get stuck in the past! I clown loaches but they are daft as a broom all of them!!

 

[AquaNut]

There's only one lfs in my town, and they usually can't keep clown loaches in stock for long (they sell quickly). They didn't realize they had one still in their tank, inside this little ceramic cave thingy (several holes into a ceramic upside down cup kinda deal). He never came out during the day AT ALL, not even for feeding time. They finally noticed him when he got really big. He grew until he filled the entire cave and couldn't get out! They watched and realized the current from the filter would send food directly into the cave for him. They had to break the ornament to get the crazy guy out.

 

[Alien Anna]

Maybe there is hope for my missing chain loaches then - they're rather like clowns in personality, only much smaller. I can only see one but I've not found any bodies of the others so they may be still alive.

 

[platypus]

AquaNut I love it!! Bloomin loons the lot of them!

 

[bgraber]

LoL! yeah I bought 2 blue botias and after about 20 min in the tank, the both found small "acves" in my driftwood. At first I couldn't find them after even picking the driftwood up and out of the aquarium and inspecting it! I knew they had to be in there somewhere. After a bit of searching I saw a small part of a tail sticking out from the driftwood! lol. THey stayed in there until I evicted them and took them back to the lfs. I traded them in on 3 clown loaches who are out and about at all hours so far. Wonderful little fish

 

[Debo]

My clowns drive me crazy they hide so much. What is it with them anyways? How long does it take for them to be comfotable enough to come out and play?
Deb

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

generally 2 weeks? it took alot of time for my clowns to get use to the hospital tank.. they are all depressed now. im glad yours are happy at least!

 

[pharoh08]

yeah my clowns are the same, i havent seen more than 2 in the past 3 days, but thers 3 in the tank, but i havent found any remains so im pretty sure hes in there, but it realy does drive you crazy, mine like to burrow into the gravel which is where they hide most of the time