Angels not eating

[microlady]

I ordered two dwarf angels from Live Aquaria's Diver's Den. I put them through a 2 week quarantine. They refuse to eat anything I offer. They do not even pick at the live rock now in the display. No disease synptoms are present.

Suggestions? They are wasting away. My display is 2 years old, soft corals, 100 gallon reef. No bullying is ocurring.

 

[ThRoewer]

1. what species?
2. did you contact LA/DD about this before the 14 day warranty period ended?
3. did you treat them with any medication during quarantine?

 

[microlady]

1. Flame and Potters, never had this problem with flames before
2. Unfortunately no, but I thought they needed time due to shipping stress. I plan on doing this. They should have been acclimated to prepared foods before I recieved them.
3. Prazipro and tank transfer method

The colors are bright on both fish and they are active. I noticed the Potters drop some feces the other day so it is eating something. The flame isn't even picking on the rocks or glass, and that us unusual.

 

[ca1ore]

Dwarf angels do sometime need a bit of coaxing to get them to eat. Not unusual, in my experience, for them to go a few weeks without observably eating. Particularly true for Potters and LemonPeels, not so much with Flames. Keep trying a wide variety of things.

 

[ThRoewer]

Have you tried algae? Many Centropyge species are primarily algae eaters. The brown and green algae that usually grow on the glass should do. If you have a rock with algae on it in your display add it to their tank.

 

[mitchrapp]

What foods have you tried? Mine have no problems with mysis. They also go nuts for live blackworms. My bicolor will even eat NLS pellets now, but it took a while. He never liked nori while he was in QT, but now in the DT, he will nibble at it.

 

[scooter31707]

It's common for a Potters to go on hungry strikes, that's some have labeled them as difficult to keep. Flames can have that reputation to for not eating. I know with my Potters and Coral Beauty from LA, did not eat for a week in QT. I decided to treat with Prazi-Pro after TTM and the Flame started eating. The Potter did not and eventually died. So I am guessing they could possibly have came in with Flukes. I was told that some Angels can come in with Flukes.

 

[microlady]

It's not flukes. I treated for those. They are not sick with parasites. They have been offered a wide variety of dining options, including frozen foods, flake, pellets, and seaweeds on a clip daily. It really is bizarre. Now neither one of them are picking on the rocks. There is plenty of microfauna on the rocks. They both just swim around as if in a daze. And they are getting really thin, especially the flame. I am used to seeing angels dart quickly around the tank, and in and out of rocks. I am questioning collection practices on this one. I did call LA today and they told me to soak their food in garlic. Whatever. I am pretty ticked off to be out over a $100 just because they want to starve. I expect LA to do something about it for selling me fish from the Divers Den that are supposed to be acclimated.

 

[microlady]

Have you tried algae? Many Centropyge species are primarily algae eaters. The brown and green algae that usually grow on the glass should do. If you have a rock with algae on it in your display add it to their tank.

They are in the 100 gallon display. There are TONS of algae and microfauna.

 

[ThRoewer]

They are in the 100 gallon display. There are TONS of algae and microfauna.

And they are not picking at anything???
In that case I would say something is seriously wrong with them.

 

[ThRoewer]

This sounds a lot like my Red Sea Regal from DD who is on hunger strike for almost 6 weeks now. It seems they have something funky going on at DD.

 

[microlady]

And they are not picking at anything???
In that case I would say something is seriously wrong with them.

I agree. They are not exhibiting normal behavior. Very very weird. Maybe LA is sacrificing quality now that they are owned by Petco. Didn't they have some sort of buyout? All of the other fish are perfectly fine. And my soft coral reef should be a pretty good environment for them.

 

[microlady]

The flame angel just sulks and sort of swims in place like it is in a daze. It's mouth protrudes a bit and it is getting pencil thin. I don't expect it to last much longer. The Potters picks some, but hides a lot. It darts into the rocks when I come around.

 

[ThRoewer]

Your flame angel sounds almost precisely like my regal. I'm wondering what they do to those fish at DD.
I don't think the LA fish (the ones shipped straight from Quality Marine) have those issues.

I hope by now you contacted them and told them about this. They have something fishy going on there.

 

[horseplay]

Some fish never adjust to prepared food but I would think most angels will at least show some interests when the food flow by or picking at rocks. Especially coming from DD. They claim they have the fish in their tanks for at least two weeks so they would've known.

 

[Madehtsobi]

My potters that I got from LA is still alive after 3 weeks now but I haven't seen him eat either. Hides as well and never seen him "attack" the food. Tried all kinds of food too. Not sure what he's snacking on...

 

[ThRoewer]

Well, I would assume DD only sells fish that are fully acclimated = eating. With some fish that may be only corals or live food. but they should be eating something and behave normal.
According to them my regal was eating while they had it there.

 

[Madehtsobi]

Don't know what to believe anymore...

 

[microlady]

Well, I would assume DD only sells fish that are fully acclimated = eating. With some fish that may be only corals or live food. but they should be eating something and behave normal.
According to them my regal was eating while they had it there.

I agree with this 100%. That is what makes me irritated about the flame's condition. The flame angels on DD are at least $20 more because they are supposed to be acclimated to captive foods. LA told me on the phone today that they will extend the warranty another week, and I do not see how this fish will last even another hour. I have not observed it eat ANYTHING in the 3 weeks I have had it! And I even mentioned that I was concerned about cyanide or some other type of poisoning.

Keep me posted on the regal too.

 

[microlady]

Some fish never adjust to prepared food but I would think most angels will at least show some interests when the food flow by or picking at rocks. Especially coming from DD. They claim they have the fish in their tanks for at least two weeks so they would've known.

All dwarf angels that I have ever owned show at least some interest in picking on live rock and glass. This one does nothing! The last flame I owned was a total pig.