Baby Blackcap Basslet

[Whiterabbitrage]

Got a Blackcap Basslet that is very young and small. He's been in the QT for a month and doing well. However he does spend most of his time hiding in a pile of shells.
My question is will he be ok if I move him to the DT? Currently the DT houses a Chromis, two Flasher Wrasses, a pair of Ocellaris, a Yellow Coris Wrasse that are all very aggressive feeders. It is difficult to get food to the Barnicle Blennies or the Watchman Goby. ( they are skinny). The fish are not aggressive in temperament only with food. I am afraid to put the Basslet in with such aggressive feeders. Maybe he will be too shy to come out and feed and will starve to death in the rocks? Or maybe he will be more comfortable with other fish swimming around and will become a more aggressive feeder himself. He is around 3" so he is smaller than the clownfish. He would be the smallest fish in the tank.
Would he learn to come out and feed? Of should I plan to keep him in the QT for a few months until he is larger? Advice please!

 

[Dkuhlmann]

That's a call you're going to have to make. If it's feeding well and comes to you when you feed it I'd say put it in a breeder box hanging in the tank so it can see the others and they can see him for a while before you let him loose

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

That's a good idea. Thanks!

 

[Reef Frog]

At 3" it's not a juvenile anymore. I think that's close to adult size. They're tough fish, I bet he can take care of himself with your crew.

Here's a technique that may give your less aggressive eaters better access to the food. Deliver the food with two turkey basters, at the same time at opposite ends of the tank. This will spread out the fish and the food. If the Black Cap is hiding, squirt some food near his hiding place. He will get it sooner or later. Also, most healthy well fed basslets can go a long time without eating if necessary. So there's likely to be plenty of time for him to figure out the new environment and get his fair share of food. Food luck.

 

[Reef Frog]

At 3" I don't think it's a juvenile anymore. I think that's close to adult size. They're tough fish, I bet he can take care of himself with your crew.

Here's an idea that may give your less aggressive eaters better access to the food. Deliver the food with two turkey basters, at the same time at opposite ends of the tank. This will spread out the fish and the food. If the Black Cap is hiding, squirt some food near his hiding place. He will get it sooner or later. Also, most healthy well fed basslets can go a long time without eating if necessary. So there's likely to be plenty of time for him to figure out the new environment and get his fair share of the food. Good luck.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Thanks Reef. You would think feeding opposite ends of the tank would work, right? Not with my crew. The Flashers and Clowns are huge food stealers. Apparently food tastes better if stolen. They race across the tank to steal from other fish, from anemones, even if the pieces are too big to eat, they steal it, race away and spit it behind the rocks. Even when I feed them first the behavior remains unchanged. The Blennies are fast enough to sometimes get their share as long as I target feed near their barnicles, but the Watchman is very slow.