Completely baffled...where did my fish go?!

I have 4 fish with 3 crabs in a barebottom, no rock QT tank that i have been using temporarily until my 180 gallon gets going. It is a completely covered unit (lights on top) with a built in overflow (fully filled with a ton of bio balls at that). One of those fish is my cherished Harlequin Tusk. He's been fine for a good part of a month, in fact i just checked on him about 5 hours ago. This morning, about 15 minutes ago, as I go to turn on the light, I noticed he is missing! Checked all the usual areas he can hide including back of powerhead, heater, overflow, sump area, etc., but nothing. It's not like you can easily miss a 4" harlequin tusk! What the heck happened to him?! Anyone got any ideas? I am so sad and perplexed right now!

 

Crabs got him?

 

I was thinking that too, but that fast without a trace?

 

I dont think it was the crabs...they would leave a skeleton

 

Beautiful fish. Could it be in the overflow? i know you said you had bio-balls in it though..

What kind of crabs? How big?

 

check everything, i mean EVERYTHING. three times. its gotta be somewhere dude! good luck

 

Any other inhabitants in the QT? Maybe something you moved to the DT last night?

 

Just checked again and nothing! Not even the tiniest spec to give a clue where it went! Everything is in my QT now, as my DT is under construction. I checked the overflow again, but as I said, its entirely filled with bio balls as well as egg crate to keep it down. My crabs are just 3 red hermit crabs....

 

Wow! This is so strange. I'm sorry you can't find him I really have no idea where he could be, but I hope he turns up soon.

 

hmm. The crabs could not have gotten it; they're too small. My only other thought was maybe it jumped out? My tank has a lid with a light that sits on top of it. There is a cut-out in the back of the lid to allow space for HOB equipment. I don't know what else.