Finding the dead

[Kadina]

Any tips for finding small fish corpses in a planted tank? I am hesitant to pull up all my plants and move the rocks and driftwood but I have 3 cardinal tetras that have gone missing. I've tested my water and ammonia and nitrite are at zero with nitrates at 5, but I would still like to get the bodies out if possible.

[rich311k]

How large a tank and what else is in with them? You may never find them. I have had fish completely dissappear.

[Kadina]

How large a tank and what else is in with them? You may never find them. I have had fish completely dissappear.

37g with 7 panda corys, 7 bloodfin tetras, 3 otos and a Pelvicachromis taeniatus 'Nyete' Pair

[rich311k]

I really dont think it is worth the effort. If you can't see them forget about it. They wont cause any problems anyway. They are probably half eaten by now.

[Rue]

Yes, I wouldn't dig up the tank either...I pull dead fish when I see them, but if I don't, I just leave it alone...the cories likely ate it...

I'd only be worried if it was a large fish that was 'hidden'...like a pleco that died in a piece of driftwood...the decay from that might cause issues...

[Northernguy]

A gravel vac will suck it up without pulling the plants.Do a water change.

[Wild Turkey]

I agree, do a waterchange and search, but its not worth tearing up the tank, since they arent even causing an ammonia spike.

The exception would be if you think its NTD, but in that case the other fish would probably already have it by now, or at least been exposed

[Needi]

I used to have a tank with 12 cards. and 8 glo-light tetras...Never ever found a body lol.

[bushwhacker]

i've lost a few in my 55 planted tank some i find some i dont. as long as the parameters are fine i dont worry

[Mith]

I guess you already got good advice! If your parameters are normal, don't worry about the fish. Heck, I've lost fish and ended up finding just a backbone LOL....in fact, the only reason I found the backbone was because one of my fish had it in his mouth LOL (he ate it too!!!!)

Just monitor your water parameters for a while.

Disclaimer: I'm new and learning as I go thanks to this forum!!!!

[Kadina]

I did a water change last night and still didn't find the bodies. I am guessing that they were eaten, or maybe they slipped down into the caves under the rocks and driftwood that my male cichlid has been digging. Thanks for all the advice, you put my mind at ease.