Some days I wonder

[lcstorc]

Are these fish really worth all of the high blood pressure they cause.
Moonshine is officially on the MIA list. Sunshine is fine and so is the rest of the tank, but Moonshine is nowhere to be found.
Of course I am freaking out and staring at every inch of the tank with a flash light even though the lights have been on for hours.
Running every test I have and I even added anairsone since that seemed to help when everything bad happened earlier in the week.
No open spots in the tank covering and he ate a better than usual dinner last night.
Sorry, I just needed to vent. These guys are the most incredible fish I have ever found so if something like this happens my heart starts racing and I run around like a lunatic. Up until now for no reason at all.
Hopefully I am once again working myself up over him making a new burrow behind the rocks or something equally normal.
Meanwhile, I will continue looking and testing and freaking out.

[Jeremy0322]

breathe in.....release......breathe in.......release......

Better now?

Good

From what I hear jawfish are pretty hardcore when it comes to health. Did you check for a collapsed burrow, I think its happened to Scotts before? Also look around the tank on the floors, they are jumpers and I was surprised and what a fish can jump through.

[michael_cb_125]

They are amazing fish.
But having one is like having a small child. Everytime you lose sight of them, you fear the worst.
When i had Jose, I freaked out over everything. If he looked like he was choking on food, I would freak out and consider doing little Fishy CPR.

They are a pain sometimes, but you, I and everyone else who has had one, knows they are worth it.

Hopefully he will come out soon

~Michael

[lcstorc]

The only collapsed burrow I see is on Sunshine's side of the tank. I thought about poking around but when I do that I seem to do more harm than good so I am not going there yet.
I even tried to tempt him with some mysis on the feeding tongs above his favorite burrow and no sign of him. Usually that brings him out pretty quickly.
I lost my first 2 blues due to openins in the top,so believe me it is covered tight but I did check the floor, sump and overflow regardless.
I am probably fretting over nothing or at least I hope I am.

[michelle9491]

Trust me, you are definately not the only that feels that way & yes it's worth it!

[lcstorc]

I think Michael said it best.
They are like our kids. When the kids were small if there was silence in the room I would freak out the same way.
I guess now that the kids are grown I have the fish to fret about.
It's just these darn bluespots. I go crazy if any of my fish are missing or acting strange but the blues bring me to total freak mode.

[lcstorc]

Well, I am now officially in freak mode. I just tore apart his den and he is nowhere to be found. I even unburried the den on Sunshine's side of the tank in case he was there.
I'm going to distract myself for a bit, but if he doesn't show soon, I am going to have to start tearing down the tank looking for him.
He was fine last night. No new fish. Nothing changed in the tank. Everybody else including Sunshine seems fine.
Ok, this is not distracting me. I think I will give the dog a bath so I think about something else.

[Emg]

I suppose you can look at it like this.........either it's in the tank hiding somewhere and will come out when he feels like it........or.....something terrible happened and it is no longer. If that's the case, there is nothing you can do about it. Tearing the tank apart can just cause something else bad to happen, maybe to your other one (*GASP*)....that would be terrible !

I say calm down........easier said than done I suppose, but getting all excited and tearing things apart can only make it worse.

Been there......

[lcstorc]

I had pretty much come to the same conclusion.
The dog is now clean and the fish is still nowhere to be found. At least I know he ate well last night and everything else and everybody else seems to be fine so there really is nothing for me to do except take apart the tank and even then the only thing that would do is give me some sort of closure.
Perhaps he is just sick of being stared at all day so he is hiding.
I'll keep looking. If I don'e find him by morning I may get drastic but for today I will just keep watching and otherwise leave the tank alone.

[reefer4200]

i agree. Im sure he is just hanging out in the back playing hide and seek with you like my fish seem to do with me every so often. I always say if its meant to be he will pop up and show himself!! I wish you luck!!

[Dentoid]

I never should have told you that Spotty's burrow fell in on him! It just gives you something more to worry about.

I know how you feel all too well. I can't tell you how many times I thought Spotty was a goner. They are tough fish. He'll turn up. I've got to agree with Paul though, tearing the tank apart will only make things worse. I've got my fingers crossed.

[lcstorc]

Just like a typical kid I don't know wether to hug him or punish him (how would you punish a fish?)
Well he is now found alive. I have only caught a few glimpses of him and he didn't eat much dinner but I am thrilled to see him at all.
I am almost thinking there is something going on with him and Sunshine. She has been more active today than usual and he is hiding behind the rocks on her side of the tank. While they can't see each other as far as I know (one of her tunnels may go to the back) they are closer now than they have ever been.
I certainly hope he moves though. Where he is now I can just barely see him since it is back behind the rocks.
Oh well, I am just glad he is found.

[WhisperinLoudly]

Take away his playstation haha Glad you found him

[rmlevasseur]

Great news Lynn. If you saw my recent thread mine went over the overflow two nights in a row, and he has never done that before. I killed the whites at night and last night he stayed put. He looks a little tuckered but has been eating. They really can be naughty! I'd like to tie a string to him, lol.

[Dentoid]

I'm glad he turned up! Keep an eye on their behavior and let us know what happens.