The Puffer Forum

It's that simple. Mine is still a baby, Fahaka. Went down to his tank 3 days ago and he is simply not there. It is a fully sealed/enclosed 29 Biocube. I dug up all the substrate to make sure that he didn't dig, checked the overflow, bioball area and pump area and he is just not in there. How can a fish disappear? Any similar stories or ideas? I check the tank daily and Never notice remains of him or anything like he died and dissolved into nothing. So weird and upsetting.

Hi, Well just a pointer, he will need a bigger tank soon.
Well does he have any tankmates? this story seems really odd..Did you check to see if he jumped out?

You say -"I went down to his tank" - do you just mean downstairs? Or down to an outbuilding? Could he have been stolen?

Look very, very carefully in the substrate. They like to bury themselves until just their eyes and nostrils are above the sand.

That is truly strange! Do not think the impossible though. I would be willing to bet that you will find him somewhere, hopefully inside the tank and still alive. Did you have the top off for any period of time maybe? They can jump quickly and you won't even know it.
If you do find him, I'd be putting him in a bigger tank, that 29 Biocube will be outgrown very quickly!

I am well aware I need to upgrade him soon, like I said, he is only about 2 inches still, I have a fresh 125 waiting for him. When I say 'down to check on him' he is in my basement, couldn't be stolen. I dug up the ENTIRE substrate, even so, usually when I come down he comes right up to the glass, begging for food. He has dug on 1 occasion and as soon as I tapped on the glass he came swimming up quickly like usual. I have not seen him in 4 days. The top was never off. I check daily, hourly, everywhere, in and around the tank. HE IS JUST NOT THERE! Sooooo strange. I almost brought another one home from work today but I don't wanna give up the ghost yet. He has to be in there!

Ok Ok I found him! I had to completely disassemble the pump and he was sitting at the very bottom of the chamber. He does not look very good, he hasn't eaten in 5 days. He is still alive but dark and thin and just kind of sits at the bottom, I offered some blood worms and I didn't really see him eat. Any QUICK advice for this sick little fish to get him back on his feet?

I'm so glad you found him, that's great! Try offering him something big and meaty, like a nice fat shrimp, or a mussel. You need to get some food in him and something more substantial than bloodworms.

I really hope you can get him back up to par!

Yay..Do what Schismy said...Hes probably starving

Good news, I fed him bloodworms last night, bloodworms this morning, then he ate a superworm tonight and he is back to full health. Yessss....

Wish I would have seen this thread earlier than today (been working too much). I have read other instances where fish get stuck in sump plumbing or in a filter. Didn't Yaunachin's Lunar Wrasse get in to her sump and still lives there? One of the guys on Reef Central lost a Porc and it was in his plumbing between 2 90 degree angles, had to cut his plumbing apart to get at it....

That's great news! Woohoo!

Wow I'm glad he's gained his appetite back! It's great that you found him!

Glad you found him! Please don't feed mealworms to your puffer, they're very difficult to digest. Stick with earthworms for live worms.

Dadof4 wrote:Didn't Yaunachin's Lunar Wrasse get in to her sump and still lives there?

Yeah I believe that devil still lives there