my mandarin dragonette seems to have dissapeared...

Ocelot199 · 02-24-2007, 12:51 AM

i'm sad

I don't know what happened. He's just... not there anymore. Unless he's wedged himself between two rocks or something, I can't figure out where he is.

I know he's really docile, and I've got some more territorial fish in my tank (flame angel, couple of blue damsels, and older lawnmower blenny), but they all seemed to be getting along.

Anybody have any advice? I'm thinking about taking some rocks out tomorrow and poking around... but I'm afraid of crushing him if he is hiding between the rocks.

**Seahorsedreams** · 02-24-2007, 01:12 AM

How long has he been missing?

How big is your tank?

Does he eat frozen?

If not, do you have a fuge?

Ocelot199 · 02-24-2007, 01:21 PM

Just a day now. Its a 75 gallon with a LOT of hiding places that are really difficult for me to get to without taking everything apart.

He won't eat frozen, but I've got a huge pod population cause of my fuge (actually it's getting kid of ridiculous... it looks like its snowing in my tank most of the time). He also eats chaeto if I prune it and put it in the display for him (I think it's cause when I bought him they were holding him in a tank with all their macros).

I spent almost an hour last night with a flashlight... I did find a bunch of stuff that I don't normally see (mostly my emerald crabs, which have gotten huge), but no mandarine

**CarmieJo** · 02-24-2007, 01:49 PM

Has he ever gone awol before?

Ocelot199 · 02-24-2007, 01:50 PM

Not for this long. He seems to be more nocturnal, so I don't see him a lot during the day, but I do see him pretty much every night. Haven't seen him for the last two nights, now.

I'm going all around my tank with a camera trying to locate him. So far, nothing :/

**Seahorsedreams** · 02-24-2007, 01:53 PM

He's only been missing a day? I had mine disappear for 1-2 weeks. Don't tear anything apart just yet.

Mandarins are carnivores. He isn't eating the macro intentionally. He's probably after the pods in the macro and happens into a bite of macro.

Ocelot199 · 02-24-2007, 01:58 PM

Hmm... I'm prolly just overreacting then. He's only been in my display for like, 2 weeks now. I'm used to being able to see him :/ He's such a pretty little guy.

iglowce · 02-24-2007, 09:13 PM

thats weird. my mandarina and red scooter are always out hunting. wait a few more days before u do a more intensive search

jason3880 · 02-24-2007, 10:54 PM

I agree with Seahorsedreams, Ive also gone a week or two w/o seeing my mandarin. He dose always show back up, I have to remind my self that the food he is eating is in higher population in the smallest areas of the rock work. I think he will show back up, or I hope.

***Rob*** · 02-26-2007, 08:11 PM

same hear.. both of mine (mostly the female) will go missing for days/weeks. it doesn't happen often, but it does happen

and renee is right, its likely eating pods, they dont eat macro..