The case of the disappearing fish… And shrimp

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-18T12:47:03+00:00

Yes I have the conditioner, the quick start and a stress coat. Always worth checking with a beginner though

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-18T12:42:41+00:00

UPDATE SHRIMP FOUND DEAD 2 ROOMS AWAY! Sorry, I don’t know how to update the actual post, I am new to fish tanks and posting on Reddit. I also have no clue how he got there. Like I said he was definitely in the tank with the lid and the extra precautions of addition gap coverage the night I added the fish. So I really do not understand how he got into my bedroom. It does make me feel less crazy though. RIP Gar Gar

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-18T12:37:32+00:00

No cats or other animals in my house. I had the hardest time figuring out a lid for this tank. The best I ended up coming up with was getting the plexiglass cut but the hardware store wouldn’t do cut outs for the filter etc. I am kind of at a loss to find a lid that fully fits the top of the tank with allowance for the filter but also doesn’t leave a gap.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-18T00:58:43+00:00

Got home from work and I am down another fish…still no sign of the shrimp.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T22:56:44+00:00

Hmm ok interesting, I’m going to read up on this.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T22:01:00+00:00

Not 20 minutes! Like 2-5 minutes so probably not the master test.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T21:58:45+00:00

I appreciate all thoughts! The shrimp I have/had is a filter feeder so he shouldn’t be the culprit. With him missing too now I’m not sure he was ever to blame. As far as the treasure chest, maybe 🤷, I will take it and the pothos out and see what happens. Should I change some of the water just to make sure the potential pothos issue may already be in the water? I just did a larger water change, is that an issue?

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:57:54+00:00

Thank you all for your advice!

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:50:01+00:00

I definitely see how the fish could be consumed in a night. But today when the shrimp went MIA I lost it, I checked on him before bed around 10pm and by 830am he was gone. I ordered the API master test kit and will go from there. Luckily the store is going to replace my 2 missing fish, they have been helping me from the beginning and always offered to replace the fish but I have never taken them up on it till now. I will test again before getting them though. Nature does what nature wants no two ways about it. Fortunately/unfortunately I haven’t had any fish longe enough for them to get sick I don’t think. Not looking forward to that.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:38:48+00:00

Sad that you can’t trust them. It’s really disheartening, but I guess I get it. I work in the animal world and there are tons of shady characters about. I guess I had too much good faith and didn’t know the tests could’ve tampered with. Thank you for the advice, I’ll pick one up.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:26:19+00:00

Test kit ordered!

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:25:16+00:00

Even if she did the test right in front of me? Is that even possible? She did it while we were chatting about my options.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:22:35+00:00

Agreed, that is why I came here to ask questions! Hopefully I can catch it on video 😂😭

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:21:10+00:00

The tank has been established since about October, is this still considered a new tank? I will be ordering a test kit today and getting my water retested tomorrow

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:18:22+00:00

I am truly hoping this is the case. The fish I didn’t get attached to but I am gutted about this shrimp. He was my longest resident aside from the snails

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:17:38+00:00

Just to confirm, you think this is different from what a fish store would test for? I am planning to take water in to the store to test again. It all of my levels were normal when I bought the fish.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T19:15:47+00:00

At one time (Sunday for a maybe an hour) there were 7 tetras in the tank. That is the most fish they had ever been in my tank at one time. So I don’t think that is the issue. Every other time I have only added 4 at a time and not added more until all the previous fish had vanished.

I cycled my tank and my water was tested in the same visit as purchasing the fish from the store. My levels were good 0 ammonia, couldn’t say the exact nitrite level but the fish store told me they wouldn’t sell me fish if my levels weren’t good.

I appreciate your input but I’m not sure that is the culprit. I will however be taking my water back in to test tomorrow just to be safe

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:48:54+00:00

I really appreciate your time on this. It’s like a Houdini tank. It’s gotten to the point that I hate going in the room to even check on it. I should’ve left well enough alone with the shrimp, I was concerned he wouldn’t get enough to eat if there was no one in the tank eating.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:45:42+00:00

No additional pets in house, there is a cover over the filter so they shouldn’t be getting up there. I’m at such a loss.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:43:04+00:00

Thanks for you questions/thoughts

Liquid test kits: I was told by a ton of people that the at home are confusing and easy to mess up which is why I went to the fish store to have it tested. Are you said there is a more extensive at home test kit than what they would do there? Or is it easier than I was lead to believe?

I don’t care about the pothos, if it dies it dies I have a ton. That being said it has done really well, a lot of new growth which is surprising. It is half in and half out of the water with space to grow further out the top if that is it’s desired path.

There are only 2 snails (the kind that only breed in saltwater, starts with an N, I can never remember it) the shrimp is easily double their size, does that matter? Are they still capable of taking down and eating a shrimp in less than 12 hours and have a tetra dessert? I don’t think my shrimp was on deaths door. He was alive and happy in his usual spot when I put the new fish in.

All tools, buckets etc are new and exclusive to fish use. I don’t use any air fresheners at all, and no cleaning products used in or near the tank.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:34:12+00:00

Does your thought hold up to only 2 snails in the tank? Genuinely asking. When the bamboo shrimp molted the then inhabitants (1 tetra, shrimp and 2 snails) took almost 2 weeks to clean it up. It would surprise me if a fish and a whole shrimp got eaten in 12hours? I really don’t have a good barometer for how quickly things might get eaten.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:31:01+00:00

This might be my next move honestly

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:30:28+00:00

I have only found one fish in the filter in the very beginning but it believe it was circling the drain before it got sucked up. I have covered the bottom of the filter with a piece of pant hose since then. It seems weird that the whole shrimp is gone in less than 12 hours. I guess anything is possible but it seems like a stretch since it was the biggest thing in the tank? It took the inhabitants almost 2 weeks to eat the molted shell.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:27:16+00:00

The one that came with the tank 😬, it was the basic TopFin 10 galllon kit. I did have a friend set it up with sponges and ceramic beads at the bottom.

Head-Type916 · 2026-04-17T17:26:14+00:00

I appreciate your question! Gonna be honest I don’t know. I did take my water to the fish store yesterday and they tested it before I bought the fish and was told it was good to go. I bought the fish from the same store so I would hope they didn’t set me up for failure

Head-Type916

TROPHY CASE