Aggressive tank questions

[namxas]

Our ghoul never went onto the stick (it's too antisocial). We thaw PE mysis in SW, rinse under the tap, dump the net into a "custard cup" containing new SW and let it sit a few more minutes. This makes the mysis "lay down" and not float all over the tank.

Then we take a 1" thinwall tube (used for UGF's), place one end on the substrate and pour the SW/mysis down the tube. It will sink into a little pile. The fish has learned what the tube means, and comes over to "dig" the mysis out of the substrate with its dactyls, then snaps them up. You may need to turn off/reduce the flow to keep the mysis from blowing out of the pile.

IME, these fish are super sensitive to being "watched" to closely, so back off from the tank.

Here's a vid of our ghoul feeding to give you an idea of how slow and methodical it is:

GHOUL FEEDING

 

[rayn]

That sounds like a plan I can do. I thought they were live food eaters though.
Nice vid of yours eating too.

 

[rayn]

I did the thaw, rinse, sit in salt water then pipe to the bottom. I made two small piles in different parts of the tank. All he did is wander over to the pvc pipe and try and hide. Been about two hours now. Im getti.g worried on whether he is really eating or not now.
I could put another ghost shrimp in if that might help.

 

[seahorsedreams]

Ours would completely stop eating if I looked at it. The first time I saw it eat was when I set up a video camera and left the room. He's gotten a little better.

 

[rayn]

Well after a day of sitting and staring at the pvc pipe I moved one and found this

Is this normal coloring or is something amiss? Seems to be breathing fine, but still not sure on the eating issue. He also finely moved from that spot to a small piece of live rubble to sit behind.

 

[rayn]

Bump for any and all advice on this guy please.

 

[namxas]

It's a bit hard to tell from the photo, but neither Renee nor I like the way it looks. It's almost looking like what we see in SH when they get a patch of Vibriosis, which is a bacterial infection. These fish tend to be pretty disease resistant, but they can still end up sick (esp. new specimens).

Does the fish appear to have "bleached" in the affected area, or does it look more like it was trying to match the PVC or something else in the tank? Does the area appear to be on the surface of the fish, as in something growing on it, or as if the skin is "rotting away"?

Another thing this could be is the fish shedding its cuticle, but that will usually be seen as a diaphanous film coming off the fish, which is perfectly normal. However, sometimes the fish will appear "milky" before the cuticle comes loose.

 

[rayn]

I'm out at the moment and will double check when I get home shortly. However, I want to say that it looks like it is changing colors almost. There are spots that are creamy white and some that are pinkish.
He is constantly in some type of corner too. I know you said they don't move much, I just have to get used to a stationary fish. When he does move, he kinda crawls then jumps around, then once he actually swam around for a few seconds. I can do a water change today on the tank, but while im out is there something specific I should look to pick up? I have prazipro already if that would help.

 

[namxas]

If you can't get it easily, you might want to have a good broad-spectrum antibiotic such as Furan 2 onhand.

 

[rayn]

Which is better, prazi or the furan? Is the furan something I get at the lfs or pharmacy ?

 

[rayn]

Which is better, prazi or furan? Heading to lfs now too.

 

[namxas]

They're for different maladies...prazi is an anti-parasitic, while furan is an antibiotic.

 

[rayn]

Nobody carries the furan. Running to what else they might have. Any other suggestions? Sorry too, but thanks for the help.

 

[rayn]

No one local carries the furan2, but one did have bifuran+. Here is a link
http://uskoi.com/bifuran+.htm

also here are some new pics just taken on both sides. Seems like the color went back to the grayish brown like normal.

sorry for the green algea spots, but that is all they are. Only spots of color now are the tops of the fin and tail, but that is more like normal.

 

[namxas]

Based on your new photos, I'd say that you were simply seeing the fish's attempt to look like PVC. These fish will definitely follow the trend of the tank's coloration. Our specimen is in a very purple tank, so its coloration is more towards the various colors of coralline algae.

I'm glad that the fish seems OK.

 

[rayn]

Ah you make me happy. He is just sitting doing his thing in the corner. I need to get him to eat now. Maybe today while im gone he will. Placed some frozen clams next to him last night and he didn't touch them. Maybe it does need to be live, but I thought he ate the mysis I placed using your technique.

 

[namxas]

These fish really hate being watched, IME, so it may have eaten them. We actually put a video cam in front of the tank to observe the fish during weaning...the things we do for our fish!

 

[rayn]

I try not to stare at him to much, but how else do I know he is okay? My other issue is the 20 month old that loves fish and fish tanks. Try and keep her away is a chore.

 

[namxas]

Your fish may or may not be "picky" about being watched. I do know that the fish you've seen in our pix will literally flash you and stalk off to a corner and face away from you. Oddly enuff, it will sit facing its "food corner" when it's hungry, so it does "communicate".

 

[rayn]

Oh yeah he has done that. I get the jump and wave of the fins and off he goes! I wonder if the corner he is in is the feeding corner now? I pulled the remainder of the food out, he may have ate some. I will try another ghost shrimp tonight as well.