We went away for the long weekend and I haven't seen our Cory Catfish since.
Specs first:
10 gal tank:
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
Population:
3 Serpae Tetras
5 Danios (two pearl, three zebra)
1 Cory Catfish (I hope)
The tank started to gain some green algae before we left - a reliable neighbor fed the fish daily, and I did a 25% tank refresh the day we left. When we came back the water seemed fine although the green was more dense.
I did a 50% tank refresh this weekend, and the water cleared a bit, but no sign of the Catfish.
He always used to hide during the daylight hours anyway. I would see him most often swimming about after the lights went out, so I figured he had tucked himself away and was doing his thing. The green in the water was making it hard to find in any case.
Could he still be hiding, and I just can't see him because he's not coming out when I'm around to check? It's a small tank but lots of rocks with nooks and crannies for him to go. He's pretty hard to spot because we have black small black river rocks on the bottom of the tank.
Could he be dead and I accidentally buried him in the gravel when I did the 50% refresh? (ugh)
The water quality seems fine - except for the green. Would the Tetras and/or Danios have eaten him?
Should I sweep the bottom and see if I find a carcus - or should I just let it go and keep testing the water to see if anything drastic happens to it. I'm worried that if he is dead, his decay will hurt the other fish.
Any thoughts? It's depressing, he's been in the tank for several months and he seemed so happy and healthy just a couple of weeks ago.
/
Specs first:
10 gal tank:
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
Population:
3 Serpae Tetras
5 Danios (two pearl, three zebra)
1 Cory Catfish (I hope)
The tank started to gain some green algae before we left - a reliable neighbor fed the fish daily, and I did a 25% tank refresh the day we left. When we came back the water seemed fine although the green was more dense.
I did a 50% tank refresh this weekend, and the water cleared a bit, but no sign of the Catfish.
He always used to hide during the daylight hours anyway. I would see him most often swimming about after the lights went out, so I figured he had tucked himself away and was doing his thing. The green in the water was making it hard to find in any case.
Could he still be hiding, and I just can't see him because he's not coming out when I'm around to check? It's a small tank but lots of rocks with nooks and crannies for him to go. He's pretty hard to spot because we have black small black river rocks on the bottom of the tank.
Could he be dead and I accidentally buried him in the gravel when I did the 50% refresh? (ugh)
The water quality seems fine - except for the green. Would the Tetras and/or Danios have eaten him?
Should I sweep the bottom and see if I find a carcus - or should I just let it go and keep testing the water to see if anything drastic happens to it. I'm worried that if he is dead, his decay will hurt the other fish.
Any thoughts? It's depressing, he's been in the tank for several months and he seemed so happy and healthy just a couple of weeks ago.
/
Also, depending on species, he may not be suitable for your tank size.
