At least that is the only explanation I can can think of to explain what just occurred last night.
I've had a lovely vistor from North Carolina via Israel,
I did everything I was supposed to do to introduce it into its new home. Took my time, did everything right. Eventually, I released him from the bag, and a-swimming he went. He seemed right at home, swimming along with my 3 clown loaches.
I went to bed watching him swim, enjoying my new resident.
Then I came back from work last night. And the fish was gone.
I mean, gone. Nowhere to be found. Dissapeared without a trace. It's as if he was never purchased in the first place. No corpse, no bones, so I ruled out being eaten. I searched every hiding spot, raked the gravel, took out plants and the cave. Nothing. I searched underneath all the nearby furniture, tried to project his trajectory if he were to jump out of the tank for freedom.
Nothing.
There simply is no fish. And the other fish swim by without a care in the world. I have both
Clearly, he is in another dimension. Taken away by some cosmic accident.
I hope he's having fun.