I might have finally lost my ninja fish

[NewAquaMom]

I need some advice.
I have a 75g tank with Daffoldils. I love these fish. I've discovered they like small water changes and nothing LIVING at the bottom of the tank. So every now and again I gotta do a little aquascaping to clean their tunnels and rocks. Whenever I do  this there is always one fish who decides to hitch a ride. They skulk around the tank in a darker color (I've watched them do it.) And when they get their chance they swim inside whichever piece of hollowed out decoration I'm removing and they make it out of the tank. I'm usually good about catching them and shaking them out. Every once in awhile like today. i got my three little kids hollering at me, the phone is ringing, or someones at the door and I lose sight of the ninja fish. Well I got everything cleaned up and put back in. I've made a head count and I'm short one..ninja fish. He's probably stuck in one of the decorations completely dead. However, one of the other fish will probably do this in the future.
What do you all do when you get ride along fish. Any tips suggestions would be appreciated.

[imagirlgeek]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Not sure how big these decoration are, but could you have a small bucket of tank water by the tank to put the decorations that 'might' contain runaway fish?

And depending on how long it takes for you to clean the decor and get it back in...they just might survive.  I had a fish hang on to some holey rock a few years ago.  The rock was taken outside and laid in the grass for about an hour (we were breaking the tank down to move it).  When we found it, we dropped it in the cooler and the fish perked back up...we still have that fish.  

[Somefishguy]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Sorry for your loss, think the best idea id a bucket or rubermaid container like imagirlgeek mentioned.

[CichlidFan]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Yeah, i've learned that lesson the hard way too...I lost a calvus that way.....watch for fish....when you remove deco and rocks......+2 on the bucket of water to place removed items in....

CF

[NewAquaMom]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Sadly they are all big decorations, I had a rubbermaid bucket with tank water in it just in case but it is definitely not big enough to cover all the decorations. I don't have a body yet. so Until then I can always hope she shows up. This time it was my top girl. The alpha female. UGH this is so frustrating. Just gotta do better in the future.

[CichlidFan]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Big Bummer......it's funny how so attached one can get to one's FISH....eh?

CF

[NewAquaMom]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Pfft, you said it! Question: if our other pets fly and walk over the rainbow bridge. What do our fish do? Swim under it to the rainbow sea in the sky? My brother would say to the great skillet in the sky. He's the one always coming over calling dibs on the crayfish or fish if they happen to go belly up, ugh.

[CichlidFan]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Seriously, without getting too deep into this, we are all part of the entire make up of the universe, all is recycled in one way or another.....life goes on.

CF

[NewAquaMom]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Que Disney animation & orchestral accompaniment..Circle of life..tehe, no worries

[ghoastgirl1]

Re: I might have finally lost my ninja fish

Sorry to hear that :( I'm always paranoid someones going to get sucked up when I'm vacuuming my tanks...I know how upsetting it can be. It'll be better in the future though! And hey you've got awesome crayfish to enjoy now   8)