How is this even possible?

[Junk2]

My tank is only a 120. Yes, there is a lot of rock. The recliner I sit in every evening is right next to the tank and I'm staring at it frequently. Tonight I noticed my red coris wrasse was flying through the water chasing something ... no big deal except it was constant. Then I saw it. There's a mystery wrasse in my tank. The last time we had a mystery wrasse was like a year or two ago. It couldn't have hidden that long, but nobody in my house is the type to go to a fish store but yes I asked. How the heck could something be out of sight for a year? Seriously. An it's gone again but I called my son to make sure I wasn't going crazy. This is crazy though.

 

[DYIguy]

I've been out of sight for the past 3 years lol are you looking to sell or trade?

 

[ericrodriguez]

Good for you!! You got it back technically!!

 

[Junk2]

I even was thinking maybe he lived in the overflow except I capped them off so only water can flow through and no fish can get in/out. It's freaky.

 

[ericrodriguez]

He just comes out at night to eat

 

[Foxchase]

They're pretty shy fish to begin with and it's probably getting bullied by the red Cori's wrasse every time it comes out so that's probably why it never comes out. Poor thing

 

[Salted]

So you have a mystery wrasse mystery? I’d say call the experts.

 

[DEL]

he probably only came out late night when you are asleep. either way, I'm sure you are happy he's back!!

 

[bigyankfan]

I had a mystery wrasse that disappeared and I had counted him out, then 2 months later he reappeared for 2 - 3 and then disappeared again for at least a year now. I am hoping that when I start to move stuff over during my upgrade this weekend, he will once again return from the "dead'.

 

[DYIguy]

I'm just glad i haven't bought one- another one of the things i won't buy because I won't see them- I don't own night goggles lol

 

[Junk2]

It used to be out all the time which is why I thought it died. It was hidden for maybe 1.5 yrs before we got the coris wrasse which I never would have gotten had I known the mystery was alive. Just crazy. Also proof that you just never really know what's in there lol.

 

[radiata]

My favorite re-appearing fish was a Yellow Brotula from the Philippines. I put it in a heavily rocked 65G. I didn't see it again until one day several years later I found wat was left of a dead fish floating in the tank. Through a process of elimination, I realized it was the Brotula.

FWIW, they're a pretty neat fish because they're apparently live bearers. They also feed at night. Interestingly enough, there's an Atlantic version of the fish. It is black and can be found up the eastern seaboard as far north as the Carolinas. I've never seen one but would like to try a few. Here's some photos of the Black version:

black brotula at DuckDuckGo