Dead Fish Fouling

One of my new Endlers has disappeared and I'm sure he died as I saw him struggling just before he went missing and he spiralled down into the tank somewhere near the large ornament and plants.
He isn't visible and the only way I could check would be to lift out the ornament and remove plants.
He hasn't been seen since the afternoon they went in.

My question is, as it looks like I have to leave him, his body will foul my water.
How high is the ammonia likely to go with one tiny fish in a 22 litre tank.

I have checked the water every day since they went in and the parameters are
AMMONIA   0
NITRITE     0
NITRATE    around 25
GH             21
KH             10 - 15
PH              7.6
CHL            0

On the basis that I'm sure there is a dead fish in there, should I change some of the water, even though I have good parameters.

PS one of the other fish is constantly at the top and seems lethargic compared to the others

I have the filter and small pump going so it's not a lack of oxygen

****** fish! Certainly not a relaxing hobby at the moment !!

I would just keep monitoring the ammonia. If it doesn't rise, there is no problem and you may cause more trouble by fiddling around. One tiny fish won't produce that much and your filter will probably cope. It may have been eaten afterwards if it died.

I agree with Richard.
Endlers are tiny fish so won't make much ammonia, and your plants will help remove any before it becomes a problem for the rest of the fish.
And having had endlers myself, they are very likely to eat a dead fish (most fish will).

Great - glad you've got better advice from more experienced fishkeepers than me before you started having to undo all your hard work. (Wow - I'm learning so much on this forum, and it's also a useful reminder that perhaps I have a tendency to fiddle too much with my tank eg some of the tetras always seem traumatised after water changes, so I'll rein myself in a bit.)

Given that you've put so much effort into your tank set-up since you got it, it would be lovely to see a photo of it some time, as it sounds like you've been really creative with what you've done to your small tank while you've been waiting for it to cycle.

Hope the endlers are settling in a bit better as the weekend progresses.

Watched another of the fish doing the "spiralling" then sinking bit as did granddaughter.
It was quite distressing really.
When we found him he was upside down in a plant and looked very dead.
I managed to net him out and put him in the hospital tank but unfortunately he didn't revive.
We had gone from watching the five swimming around , although two were always at the top, to this one suddenly struggling.
Again Checked the water and the parameters were as they were this morning ie no ammonia, no nitrite and .25 ish of nitrate.
I have posted a question under plants because that is the only thing I can think I may have done wrong.

fcmf, don't worry about it.  If the tank was like Sue's and everything attached or moveable I wouldn't have hesitated to look for the lost one.

By the time the grandchildren left (they are teenagers so took it in their stride) I was so fed up that I turned the light off in an effort to let the other fish rest.  By that time we could only see three of them. !!

I have messaged MA where I bought them on Friday. Perhaps with hindsight Friday 13th wasn't a good day to be buying livestock!!

It is Sunday so haven't expected a reply yet.

MA made such a point on Friday of saying what hardy little fish Endlers are. Ya think!!

Thanks for the supporting words Fishcake.
I thought cycling the tank properly meant that I would be up and away.

MA are talked of so highly that I just feel it must be something I'm doing or have done.
We started with 6 and appear to be down to three now unless one of the little darlings is just hiding.

It's the expense too. £11 for 5 tiny fish, especially if they have to be replaced. We had though that we would be spending another £11 to complete the tank instead it's to replace what we've had
The other half is getting a bit cheesed off to tell you the truth.
In a tank we never actually asked for but was a gift. 

It certainly isn't. I have another dead one this morning and one missing. So of the original 6 on Friday 13th, we are down to 2.
They did feed this morning but their fins appear clamped, whether through nervousness because the numbers are dropping or because of some unknown reason.
It's a pain