Bonded Longnose Hawkfish Pair - Question

[dweber618]

I purchased a bonded pair from Diver's Den this week. They got here on Wednesday. I took a couple of days for one of them to start eating (the smaller of the two), which I was expecting. However, the larger one still has not eaten, and has not moved from the same spot for a couple of days now.

I just fed them, and the smaller one started picking on the bigger one for no apparent reason. The larger was just sitting there, and the smaller one just charged it. Is this normal for a bonded pair? Does anyone have any experience. I'm concerned since the larger one still has not eaten or shown any interest in food. I've tried mysis, and fresh clams. The smaller one of the two loves mysis and goes crazy when I feed.

Any thoughts or advice, is that normal behavior?

Thanks!

 

[ThRoewer]

They shouldn't make any problems with eating, so if they not eat at all or move around in the tank, something is wrong. I would contact DD immediately about this so that they have this issue on record. If the one that isn't eating dies you at least will get it refunded.

I would try some live foods, brine shrimp, black worms,... whatever you can find.

 

[dweber618]

So I went up to check on them and tried to sneak in without being noticed. The larger one was at the surface clearly trying to get as far away from the smaller one as possible. The smaller one was just charging at him repeatedly.

Should be go pick up some eggcrate and divide my QT? It's slightly annoying as they were sold as a bonded pair and are acting this way towards one another. Maybe separating them will let the other de-stress and start eating? Then re introduce them later?

 

[dweber618]

My lfs isn't open yet, I don't believe they keep live foods in Stock, but I'm going to call and check. At this point it appears it's not eating because the other one is stressing it out too much.

 

[ginpang]

They shouldn't make any problems with eating, so if they not eat at all or move around in the tank, something is wrong. I would contact DD immediately about this so that they have this issue on record. If the one that isn't eating dies you at least will get it refunded.



I would try some live foods, brine shrimp, black worms,... whatever you can find.

+1 and maybe send them a video of the aggression of an " apparently
Bonded pair"

 

[bat21]

I would definitely try to divide your QT. A while back I ordered a "bonded pair" of tank raised neon gobies. Every second they were in view of eachother one would chase the other a hundred miles an hour around the tank. This went on for a few days until one disappeared. So, I think it's pretty hit or miss with the fish they claim are bonded. Unless being apart in pitch black dark for 12-24 hours makes them forget they liked eachother.

 

[dweber618]

Well I did just finish dividing the tank. They certainly don't act bonded as one is clearly harassing the other. Thankfully it's not showing any aggression towards the wrasse I have in QT as well. Hopefully I can get him eating, then maybe give it another go. Frustrating to say the least.

I've also got an email into LiveAquaria.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[rishma]

I received a bonded pair an the large one was very aggressive towards the small one. I had to separate them. I put the aggressive one in the clear acclamation container. After several days they bonded and I released the aggressive one with no further problems. You could tell they were bonded because the one on the outside of the acclamation container would sit on top of it and the one on the inside would sswim next to it.

The acclamation container was actually a clear hamster ball I got from A pet store. I put a small piece of live rock inside and weighed it down on the bottom

 

[dweber618]

Well that's encouraging! I have seen them together, laying, so hopefully I can get the larger one eating and they will start liking each other again. And thanks for the hamster ball tip, that should work well!

 

[ThRoewer]

+1 and maybe send them a video of the aggression of an " apparently
Bonded pair"

It's sometimes the shipping stress. I had it with some Yellow Coral Banded Shrimp that I bought as pair. The female tore the males pinchers off while in drip acclimatization. I had to seperate them for a while. When I put them back together later they were fine together. A week ago I moved them into my 100 gallon tank where they are now hiding somewhere in the rocks.

I also had it with my regals when I had to put them in a treatment tank - due to the stress the larger one started attacking the smaller one. For their own safety I keep them seperated with eggcrate while in treatment.

 

[dweber618]

I just tried to feed again. When I went in the two were next to each other on either side of the divider - so that was nice to see. However, the one was still on his hunger strike. I struck out with being able to get live food as well. Still no word from Live Aquaria either.