Disapppearing clown fish

[pscott99]

Had two healthy clowns that had paired off really well. Both healthy and swimming all over. Other fish include one angry purple gramma and a small goby. No dangerous inverts, one brown star.

Came home from work, all was well. Two hours later went to feed and the female clown was gone.

No body anywhere in the tank, outside the tank, in the sump, in the skimmer. How can a little orange body simply vanish. Even my good CUC can't clean her up that fast can they ?

Missing now for two days. One very lonely male left.

[noirsphynx]

What kind of starfish is it? Is it possible she managed to get stuck in the rock work?

[FishyFishy!]

Most of the time they die in or under the rockwork, and usually you'll never find them. I found a 2 year old skelaton of a wrasse I had a long time ago jammed in a piece of live rock I pulled out of my tank last week.

[dc4]

Is your tank covered? Do you have any pets (dog, cats) that could have picked up any carpet swimmers?

[mexxedm]

Same situation happens to me twice in two weeks. Can't find the fishes any where. I don't want to destroy the whole tank to look for them. I declare they are dead and bought new fish.

[Ryan_Lap]

Depending on how your overflow is built you may want to check that. Ive had my lawnmower blenny go in there a couple times

[pscott99]

No pets or kids to pick up a body
The male went down the overflow to the sump. Still alive and swimming in the sump, put him back in the tank last week. Unless it was a very lucky jump into the sump. Anyways stuck under rock would be possible but I can see pretty much everywhere. Very sad.

It's a banded brittle starfish. It doesn't move enough to catch anything.

Thanks for the replys. Makes me feel a little better.

[Lampshade]

I had my clown lay eggs, and 9 days later when they hatched, she jumped out of my tank. 3" of euro-bracing and my canopy is 1" max from the top of the tank. Somehow made it out. I was sitting beside the tank when it happened, so i heard it, looked, didn't see anything. Then my wife went and checked and found her on the floor. Was probably close to 5 min, but she was fine once she went back in.

Anyways, hope yours is fine, mine clearly has some post-partum depression issues.

[ponokareefer]

I'd have to agree that it probably died if it isn't on the floor or in your overflow. The last fish that I ever saw dead in my tank was my large foxface and it was already being consumed. Other than that, they just disappear.

[reefme]

Ya happened to me too. Found him under my stand 2 days later. Dried up like salted fish.