Should I be worried?

[WOLF2013]

I have a 4-5'' Oxydoras Niger catfish. I have not seen him in at least 3 weeks. He used to come out at night to feed when I put shrimp pellets in. It is possible he comes out in the wee hours of the morning when I'm asleep. I have a big driftwood that is almost 3 feet in length. He may be hiding somewhere in there with my striped raphael catfish. Also sharing the driftwood is a synodontis decorus,2 synodontis eupterus, and a banded leporinus. Am I being paranoid in thinking something happened? Could he just be hiding? I am thinking about moving the drifwood and inspecting during my next water change. Why would he suddenly stop coming out? I am thinking maybe my jack dempsey had chased him. I am rehoming the jack tomorrow.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

I have a 4-5'' Oxydoras Niger catfish. I have not seen him in at least 3 weeks. He used to come out at night to feed when I put shrimp pellets in. It is possible he comes out in the wee hours of the morning when I'm asleep. I have a big driftwood that is almost 3 feet in length. He may be hiding somewhere in there with my striped raphael catfish. Also sharing the driftwood is a synodontis decorus,2 synodontis eupterus, and a banded leporinus. Am I being paranoid in thinking something happened? Could he just be hiding? I am thinking about moving the drifwood and inspecting during my next water change. Why would he suddenly stop coming out? I am thinking maybe my jack dempsey had chased him. I am rehoming the jack tomorrow.

I’d investigate the driftwood as soon as possible because although it may be small there is still a chance that the fish has passed and it’s body still stuck under the wood or something.

 

[tlindsey]

I would check the driftwood like Rtc/tsn stated but it's very possible it just comes out at night. If it died I think you would be smelling it from the aquarium.

 

[xenacanth9]

+1

 

[WOLF2013]

I will check the driftwood tomorrow.
If he did pass away, he could have been eaten by the vulture catfish, although his skin would be tough to get through.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

I will check the driftwood tomorrow.
If he did pass away, he could have been eaten by the vulture catfish, although his skin would be tough to get through.

No telling how long ago it could have passed if it has. Hopefully it hasn’t. Also I feel that the catfish jaws may not be enough to get down an entire oxydoras niger and if it did try to I think it would take long enough for you to have noticed it

 

[Fishman Dave]

Mine seemed to have settled straight away at about the same size but then spent the next month hiding. Thankfully he comes out now at feeding time and has learnt the routine, albeit could still do to put a little weight on, which is why I now started feeding good quality sturgeon pellets along with the fish pieces, flake, bloodworm and mussel meat I feed. Hopefully yours is going through the same phase.
It could be that he has learnt from the Raphael and settled into his routine.

 

[WOLF2013]

Found my niger. He is alive and well. Was hanging out in a whole on the driftwood. I rearranged the aquarium and added some caves so hopefully I can see him.