Missing fish

[drukus]

Hello,

I am new (~1 year) to keeping fish. I have a heavy planted 29 gallon tall tank. My parameters are very low and very stable but the water is also quite hard (29+ grains).

My current stock is:
5 Cory Cats
10 Pristella Tetras
1 Kribensis
2 Platys
Various Trumpet/Rams horn snails

The above are all happy and healthy.

My problem is that I have also had:
4 Otto cats
6 Celestial Danios

The Danios were in the tank about 6 months when I added the Otto Cats. The Ottos seemed fine for a month or two and then one of the Danios suddenly took ill and died. All others in the tank showed no signs of trouble but about 2 months later I started seeing them (Danios/Ottos) less and less until they disappeared completely. Now, after 2 months of no signs, I am wondering what happened.

I have cleaned the tank many times, removed and cleaned the HOB filter and searched all the caves and hidden spaces and seen no evidence.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks

[exv152]

As for the danios I would check behind your tank stand if you have an open top tank, they're notorious jumpers. The otos will die off quite easily if they don't have enough food to eat (ie; algae, sinking pellets or veggies on a clip).

[Fishnut]

When you say "clean"...what exactly do you mean?  This may seem like a silly question but please tell me exactly how you clean the tank and filter.

[Nerine]

depending on the size of the filter slots too they could get sucked up?

Also - small fish disappear quickly when dead

[drukus]

When you say "clean"...what exactly do you mean? 

Mostly, I clean the filter (I remove it, drain it, remove the media and rinse half of it) and scrap the glass.

[Fishnut]

OH ok...that's good.

I don't think that is an appropriate tank for CPD's to begin with.  The tetras and especially the kribensis are too boisterous for the CPD's to feed comfortably.  The Otto cats are finiky.  From my experience, they get sick easily and perish easily.

CPD's and otto cats are quite sensitive species of fish.  If you had them together with none of the other fish, it would be great.  Maybe get some bushynose plecos for algae control instead of otto cats, but I would not get more CPD's.   They like cooler water temps anyways.  Nothing above 75 degrees.

[drukus]

Thank you. This is very helpful.

I have also tried Gourami but they do not do well in my water conditions. If anyone has any advice on any other stocking choices for my tank, I would be glad to hear them.

[Fishnut]

Barbs will do well in your water.  Be careful though.  Many barbs can be fin nippers.

Have a look at:

Cherry barbs
Gold Barbs
Checkerboard Barbs
Rosy Barbs (quite a few and a mix between males and females)
Zebra Danios (jumpers for sure)

Blue (aka 3 spot) gourami should do ok.

With any new fish, you have you acclimatize them to your tap water slowly because the water of the LFS's in the city is not anywhere close to being that hard or (I'm guessing) high in PH.

If you're interested, you have the perfect water for african cichlids.  There are a few small species you can keep in your current tank if you want to completely switch out the fish.  If you ever decide to upgrade to something bigger, think about that route!  They're a beautiful group of fish!

[drukus]

Fishnut,

I originally was going to go with african cichlids. However, since this was my first tank I wanted to go with something that would allow me to have a heavily planted tank as well as keeping the cost down.

However, my next tank will likely be largely and leveraging my otherwise inconvenient water conditions.

Where is the best place in Ottawa to get african cichlids?

[Fishnut]

I see them at most of the fish shops but I can't comment on the quality.  African cichlids are the only category of fish I have never kept in my 20+ year hobby

[Nerine]

all of mine I've picked up from OVAS members!!!! Best place!!!

I've collected lots of really neat ones you can't normally find in the LFS's from our members!!

Right now though I have convicts from Big Al's (which are decent! I believe they were local??) and a severum from a member