Missing Hillstream Loach

[Livy_ann]

How good are Hillstream loaches at hiding? I literally can't find mine anywhere. I hadn't seen her all day today. She's usually on the glass and/or near her favorite rock. I added food in there and didn't see a trace of her which was super odd. She's not the nicest one during feeding time and is quite a bully. So I started looking everywhere underneath rocks / filters. I cleaned out my power filter to confirm she didn't get stuck... Nothing.
I have now looked for at least 45 minutes and there's no trace of her. I've checked around the tank in case she jumped out which is unlikely because every hole I have filled in with sponge to prevent her from jumping out just in case. I have now turned lights off for a little bit to see if she'll come out in case she's actually somewhere in the wood and there's nothing. All of the fish I have in this tank are peaceful, she's actually the bully so it's very very unlikely anyone would have hurt her and if she did die the snails I have in the tank would not have finished the body this quickly. Any thoughts?

*Can a fish get trapped in the inside of a sponge filter? Haven't looked inside mine yet

 

[fishorama]

My hillstreams are quite good at hiding. But if she died, maybe the other fish & snails would eat her remains somewhere you couldn't see? I know, after 13 years, I have lost a few hillies but I've never seen a dead 1...I have lots of plants & rocks for them to hide or die in.

As for your sponge filter, I don't think a healthy fish could possibly be stuck & a dead 1 would be fairly easy to see.

Fingers crossed, I think she may just be MIA for now.

 

[Livy_ann]

I FOUND HER!!!
She was in the in the intake tube of 1 of my sponge filters, it looked like she was stuck. Still alive but not moving much, really heavy breathing. Hopefully she is fine!

Should I fill the tubes on the sponges?

 

[Magnum Man]

I have a Hillstream tank, and they can literally climb out of tanks, above the water, using the same methods they use to hold on, in the turbulent waters, they frequent in the wild... this climbing ability, means they can climb up the waterfall of hang on tank filters... just about every time I service the 2 hang on filters in my Hillstream tank, I find one inside feeding on the stuff on the sponge... they are always fine in there, but I put them back in the tank...