# Mystery of the vanishing cichlid...



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

This is possibly the most baffling thing I've experienced, but noticed last night one of my Africans is missing? If you look down at my signature you'll see there are supposed to be two Protomelas Steveni in my 150g - but now there's just one? I've looked everywhere, in all the caves, around the outside of the tank in case he'd jumped, even at the back of the background (it's not physically possible for him to have got there, but I've got to the stage where I'm even checking the impossible). It's mystifying.

The only thing I can imagine is that he's maybe dead under the sand, but in most places the sand's not deep enough to cover him and, where it is, I've checked and can't find anything? It's a very peaceful tank and they all get along great, so can't imagine he's been killed by his tankmates and eaten. Besides, he was close to six inches so it'd surely be impossible for them to eat everything in a few hours and leave no trace? There's never been any noticeable aggression in there and, with his fellow Protomelas Steveni, they were nearly always together and, in fish terms at least, best mates. He was in perfect health when I saw him a day ago, so I'm all out of explanations.

Before anyone asks, no, I don't have a cat.

I've given up on finding him now because I've checked everything, I just wondered if anyone else had ever had a similar experience?


----------



## rennsport2011 (Oct 21, 2013)

Do you have a dog? I've had similar experiences, but then found the fish later, often alive.. wondering how i've missed it.


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

No dogs, no. No other pets, just the fish. And no, I'm not mates with David Blaine.

Here's the two Protomelas below, at the bottom left of the group in my all-male tank, and they were like this until yesterday, but when I came home from work about midnight there was only one? It's the lighter of the two in the photo that's done the vanishing act.



I've had to tell myself to stop thinking about it, because this one could otherwise drive me nuts. He was one of my favourites, too, always up and about with his mate at the front of the tank and never any hint of aggression. It's a real shame.


----------



## The Cichlid Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

I still think there's a chance for him if it's only been a day. Fish often find hiding spots that we don't know about. Here's hoping he shows up! :thumb:


----------



## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

Wow Lee, I can really understand your frustration, it'd seriously drive me bonkers. You've canceled out the cat, dog and David Blaine thing. I don't think the others could have ate him, at least not in totality, surely there would still be harder pieces like the head and skeletal remains as evidence. :-?

The cave pieces in your tank, are those removable separately from the background? I think I'd be looking a little deeper into the caves.

Fingers crossed for his safe reappearance.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have had fish totally eaten (even skull) but not in 24 hours. I imagine he will show up.


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

The Cichlid Guy said:


> I still think there's a chance for him if it's only been a day. Fish often find hiding spots that we don't know about. Here's hoping he shows up! :thumb:


It's good to think positively, for sure, but this would be totally out of character. Don't know about anyone else's Protomelas Steveni, but mine never go in caves and never hide, so I'm sure that's not the case. Also, I've checked all the hiding spots repeatedly - there aren't that many, even in a seven-footer.


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

Loume said:


> Wow Lee, I can really understand your frustration, it'd seriously drive me bonkers. You've canceled out the cat, dog and David Blaine thing. I don't think the others could have ate him, at least not in totality, surely there would still be harder pieces like the head and skeletal remains as evidence. :-?
> 
> The cave pieces in your tank, are those removable separately from the background? I think I'd be looking a little deeper into the caves.
> 
> Fingers crossed for his safe reappearance.


Thanks. No, the caves are totally separate from the background and I lifted them both out this morning to check. Those were the only places he could possibly be, so I'm only left with the option that he's not now in the tank and wondering how he got out. It's like when you lose your keys and can't find them anywhere, only more bizarre.


----------



## rennsport2011 (Oct 21, 2013)

Did you check behind the background?


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

DJRansome said:


> I have had fish totally eaten (even skull) but not in 24 hours. I imagine he will show up.


Being eaten was my first thought after the caves, but it would be bizarre in the extreme for a near-six-inch fish to be entirely eaten in a few hours in a peaceful, well-fed tank. You know more about African cichlid behaviour than me, but I just don't see it. They fed well last night when I got home, which wouldn't surely be the case if they'd devoured a fish that size in the previous few hours?

I have checked everywhere, so the 'showing up' option seems like a very remote possibility. I'm relying on Sherlock Holmes' "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". It's impossible for him to have disappeared, but I'm not sure what 'improbable' explanations that leaves?


----------



## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

Sure love the look of this tank, Hope you find him!


----------



## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Any heating ducts or cold air returns fairly close to the tank?


----------



## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

One day I noticed my Red Tiger Motag had dug a nice cave under a rock. A few days later, I was feeding the fish and she was no where to be seen... Then I realized I couldn't see the hole she had dug. The rock had shifted... don't know how long she was trapped under there, could have been hours, but she appears to have come through it ok.


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

We've got a jumper, as the police say. Turns out he'd hurled himself so far from the tank that, even when I moved all the furniture back to check, he was further back than that. He was found about three feet from the tank, so he'd either hurled himself that far, and managed to make it over the back of the sofa too, or his death throes had carried him that far away. Anyway, at least it's good in one way, because I know I'm not going nuts now.
Has made me slightly wary of it happening again though - it's an open-top tank and there's nothing to stop any of the others doing the same. Was thinking of adding a Fossorochromis Rostratus, but might leave it now.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Even with all my tanks covered except for filter spaces I get jumpers. I could not imagine not having a tank covered.


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

DJRansome said:


> Even with all my tanks covered except for filter spaces I get jumpers. I could not imagine not having a tank covered.


That's what I'm thinking now, and wondering if there's some sort of makeshift netting-type thing I could rig up, something not too ugly?


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I use glass lids. My light fixtures rest on the glass. The net would have to be pretty fine to contain small fish and not ensnare big ones.


----------



## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Glad you found it. Couldnt imagine not finding it. I don't cover my tank. Helps humidify the house. I want my fish to know that if they don't like it here they can leave anytime.


----------

