Anthias are hiding after being active for months

[amcvay1979]

I have been slowly losing some of my lyretail anthias and thought they were all gone but today found my last female with its head in a cave. I thought it was dead so I touched it and it began swimming. It's still hiding and I hadn't seen it for over a week.

Strange thing is, my most aggressive and largest Anthias, a stocky male, is behaving the same way. He's been hiding in plane sight for weeks, not swimming around and not actively feeding. I can see him on the bottom hiding between rocks. I've seen him swim around the rock, but never freely swimming.

Both of these fish were active eaters and swimmers for months and now both are acting like they're dieing. Neither exhibit any quick breathing or swimming upside down or anything like a dieing fish would and that's what has me so puzzled.

Water params test great, no new additions except a large mimic tang about 3 weeks ago, but it was not aggressive towards the anthias. I had a ph issue a couple months ago that I have since solved and I lost some anthias around this time as well. I feed 3 times a day and I feed mostly Rods Food with added fish eggs and plankton (both rods).

Any thoughts?

 

[CuzzA]

Did you qt the tang? It's too hard to say with the amount of info given, but it's likely one of four things. 1) Anthias usually require multiple feedings due to a high activity rate and fast metabolism. They could be starving to death. 2) Tangs are aggressive fish. May have bullied them to death. 3) Stray electrical is known to put fish into hiding and eventual death. And finally 4) The most probably cause is when you introduced the tang you also introduced a parasite and it has killed the anthias. The tang may be healthy enough that it masked whatever parasite it has.

Sorry about your loses.

 

[amcvay1979]

The 2 anthias are still alive, look healthy, colorful, breathing normal but they aren't eating. Just hiding. When I lost a few anthias it was prior to the tang addition.

 

[amcvay1979]

Could they be changing sexes? If that's what it is, would they do this slowly and be inactive during the transformation?

 

[ca1ore]

Hard to say. Lyretails are notorious for winnowing themselves down beginning with the female at the bottom of the pecking order. Eventually you end up with just one, usually the male, that then dies of loneliness. Cannot explain the stocky though.

 

[nuxx]

Hard to say. Lyretails are notorious for winnowing themselves down beginning with the female at the bottom of the pecking order. Eventually you end up with just one, usually the male, that then dies of loneliness. Cannot explain the stocky though.

True... our 5 have become 4.

Hutchii's doing the thing... 5 now 4.

 

[amcvay1979]

So I've got some lonely, bummed out anthias? Should I add another of each so they have a pal?

 

[Greentree]

How are they doing? My dispars are acting the exact same way. They're still fat and healthy looking with good appetites - but they hide between rocks and don't swim around.

 

[amcvay1979]

I've lost all of my anthias and I'm not replacing them. They don't seem to be well suited to tank life, at least my tank.

 

[laga77]

I have lost two groups of Anthias like this. It was not a food issue as I made sure they were well fed with a variety of foods. One day they look great being active and the next they get neurotic. I have no idea why this happens.

 

[suta4242]

Have only seen this happen once, and that's when I added a boisterous planktivore to the tank. All the golden anthias went into hiding.

Removed the fish and it went back to normal. But lyretails are tough. If your tang is not being a bully then perhaps its a disease.

Hope you find a solution soon.

:wave:
Angie

 

[davocean]

It's hard to say for sure what caused the chain of events.
I have read about this and usually something originally stressed them, usually being lacking diet(not your case from your comment) and once they hide in caves they rarely bounce back.
As for lyretails picking themselves off I have never experienced this myself, and I've had 2 groups in different tanks long term, when I hear of this behavior normally it is w/ bartletts, not the lyretails.
It could have been something that came w/ the new tang, or possibly a chain of events stemming from your PH issues, and both those are just shooting in the dark at what may be.

 

[Nanighan]

I can never keep anthias long term. Even the easy ones like lyretails and bartletts. Always seem to decline after about a year and a half. They will eat, and look fat and happy. Then the sudden inactivity, and then death soon follows. I stay away from them now.

 

[snorvich]

Reclusive behavior and mortality coupled with an addition three weeks ago suggests velvet.

 

[davocean]

^^ Good to see you back on board Steve!

 

[snorvich]

^^ Good to see you back on board Steve!

Thanks!! Since I am going through chemo (latest tomorrow) I am insane for about 9 days afterwards and hesitate to do much here as my mind is mush.

 

[davocean]

Sorry to hear and my Mother is going through same so I understand, you have been missed by many.

 

[snorvich]

Sorry to hear and my Mother is going through same so I understand, you have been missed by many.

It is tough. In my case, surgery removed the cancer and the chemo is to nail any hidden cells. As such it is relatively less than what most folks get.

So, during periods of sanity, I try to help out here as much as my body and mind will allow. Thanks for your kind thoughts Dave.

 

[RedStangGA]

It is tough. In my case, surgery removed the cancer and the chemo is to nail any hidden cells. As such it is relatively less than what most folks get.

So, during periods of sanity, I try to help out here as much as my body and mind will allow. Thanks for your kind thoughts Dave.

Didn't realize that was the reason for your absence. Thoughts and prayers your way for a complete recovery. And thank you for still lending a helping mind when you feel up to it. You're stocking recommendations were spot on for me and I do appreciate it!

As to the Anthias, I'm curious as to what the end cause was. Setting up a 220 and thinking of 2 different medium sized(6-7 members) harems.

 

[BlackTip]

Thanks!! Since I am going through chemo (latest tomorrow) I am insane for about 9 days afterwards and hesitate to do much here as my mind is mush.

Steve:
I know you only from your very informative posts. You have been always very helpful. I wish you full and speedy recovery. I will keep you in my prayers.