lespaul339
Reefer
Mine has started eating. It's not much. But he is eating. He will eat about 4 or 5 pieces of mysis now at each feeding.
Flame Angel in QT - Not Eating
- Thread starter lespaul339
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reeferreefer
New member
I have good luck with LRS reef frenzy for picky eaters. My flame is a pig but even my pickiest eaters will go after it.
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Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
lespaul339
Reefer
Well, even though he was eating I just don't think it was eating enough. I ended up losing the flame angel yesterday. It was very skinny and I think it just starved to death. Unfortunate, but I did everything I could to try to get him to eat. It just wouldn't.
scooter31707
New member
Sorry for the lost.
Silly clownfish
New member
It sounds like you are on the right track, hopefully he keeps eating. In QT I go for many small feedings a day, sometimes witha turkey baster to get it closer to teh fish (if the baster doesn't spook them). I go through every food in the fish pantry to get them eating, then increase variety.
I also only Qt one fish at a time. Avoid competition, cross contamination, or any other stresses. I put the fish in TTM tank #1 when I get home, but if it wasn't eating by the time of the first transfer, I would hold off. The only fish in recent years I had a not eating challenge with was my mandarin, and she wasn't getting TTM, just solitary qt & observation in a tank with some live rock that I was willing to scarifice if needed.
My lfs owner is very particular about where his livestock comes from. He custom orders fish for me, and uses different suppliers depending on the livestock, place of origin, etc. If he can't find what I am looking for at a particular time, I wait until it is available.
I also only Qt one fish at a time. Avoid competition, cross contamination, or any other stresses. I put the fish in TTM tank #1 when I get home, but if it wasn't eating by the time of the first transfer, I would hold off. The only fish in recent years I had a not eating challenge with was my mandarin, and she wasn't getting TTM, just solitary qt & observation in a tank with some live rock that I was willing to scarifice if needed.
My lfs owner is very particular about where his livestock comes from. He custom orders fish for me, and uses different suppliers depending on the livestock, place of origin, etc. If he can't find what I am looking for at a particular time, I wait until it is available.
BlueDolphin123
New member
I'm sorry for the loss. It could be that your tank water just isn't right for the angelfish. I always had a better experience with right-on adding the fish to the display tank. It sounds like madness but think about it. You'll be saving your specimen a lot of trouble and stress, thus making it less likely to contract a disease in the first place. I just like to acclimate the fish for 3 hours and put it in a system where the bucket's water and aquarium water are constantly circulating. The inhabitants will sense the arrival of the new fish (through pheromones and the like) and the new fish will take the time to adjust and get used to its new neighborhood.
Just lay off the angel for a while and let your tank filter and re-stabilize. That'll be doing everyone a favor. The next time, remember that the cherubs and flamebacks are hardiest. If you really want a flame, get a little experience first. (No offense.
)Best Wishes,
BlueDolphin123:fish2::fish1:
lespaul339
Reefer
I'm sorry for the loss. It could be that your tank water just isn't right for the angelfish. I always had a better experience with right-on adding the fish to the display tank. It sounds like madness but think about it. You'll be saving your specimen a lot of trouble and stress, thus making it less likely to contract a disease in the first place. I just like to acclimate the fish for 3 hours and put it in a system where the bucket's water and aquarium water are constantly circulating. The inhabitants will sense the arrival of the new fish (through pheromones and the like) and the new fish will take the time to adjust and get used to its new neighborhood.
Just lay off the angel for a while and let your tank filter and re-stabilize. That'll be doing everyone a favor. The next time, remember that the cherubs and flamebacks are hardiest. If you really want a flame, get a little experience first. (No offense.
Best Wishes,
BlueDolphin123:fish2::fish1:
I do take offense to your post. Your post basically calls me inexperienced and assumes error on my part. I've been keeping fish/ reef tanks for almost 5 years now. I think I've gained a little experience under my belt in that time. Just because this was my first angel doesn't mean I didn't read up on it or educate myself on their requirements. I did. I do that with every new fish I intend to keep.
I've seen plenty of posts where people have put a flame angel through QT and the fish made it out just fine. I'm not going to risk all the other inhabitants of my display tank by adding a flame angel right to my display without going through proper quarantine. How is that doing everyone a favor when it could potentially wipe out all my fish with a disease? I have a disease free display tank, and I want it to stay that way. I practice solid QT procedures. TTM, Prazi, and Formalin.
This fish didn't die because of error on my part, it's because the fish refused to eat, or had some kind of parasite, or was caught with cyanide. It wasn't because I didn't provide it with a proper environment, didn't educate myself, or that I didn't offer it plenty of food options.
Last edited:
BlueDolphin123
New member
Whoa! Sorry... I might have gotten a little carried away with the criticism. I'm just saying that all that medication might be for the worse of the fish. And trying a flame angel again over and over for a certain amount of time can really bum the tank (and you) out. I was suggesting that you just calm down and let the tank get ready before you try another specimen. Plus, I missed the part that this was ur first angel and built off of the lack of that statement. Apologies. How's the yellow tang doing?
BigBlueTang
Active member
I'm sorry for the loss. It could be that your tank water just isn't right for the angelfish. I always had a better experience with right-on adding the fish to the display tank. It sounds like madness but think about it. You'll be saving your specimen a lot of trouble and stress, thus making it less likely to contract a disease in the first place. I just like to acclimate the fish for 3 hours and put it in a system where the bucket's water and aquarium water are constantly circulating. The inhabitants will sense the arrival of the new fish (through pheromones and the like) and the new fish will take the time to adjust and get used to its new neighborhood.
Just lay off the angel for a while and let your tank filter and re-stabilize. That'll be doing everyone a favor. The next time, remember that the cherubs and flamebacks are hardiest. If you really want a flame, get a little experience first. (No offense.
Best Wishes,
BlueDolphin123:fish2::fish1:
I can see where you were going with this post, and I understand, but it was worded poorly. Plus, the majority opinion on RC is to quarantine, and it is a opinion I hold as well. Sometimes fish die regardless of everything we do. I've been down that path more than once, and if someone had posted that ^ on one of my QT threads, I would have been very miffed.
That being said, OP, I am so sorry about the angel. It seems like you did what you could. Sometimes fish just won't eat. Keep your head up. Better luck next time
scooter31707
New member
Yep, he your head up, like I said I have been through 3 and I am going to keep trying until I get one eating and striving.
lespaul339
Reefer
Definitely not letting this keep me down. I definitely want a flame angel in my tank. The next one I'm going to buy from a LFS rather than ordering from online. I'm going to have them feed it so I can see it eat before I buy. If it's not eating, I'm not going to buy it.
The plus side is my Yellow Tang that was in QT with the Flame is doing great. He came in super skinny, but is eating great and I'm working on fattening him up while in QT. So far he hasn't shown any signs of diseases either. He has been treated with a Formalin Dip, and two rounds of Prazi. He has two more transfers until done with TTM. Then a month of observation in QT and fattening him up before he gets put in DT.
The plus side is my Yellow Tang that was in QT with the Flame is doing great. He came in super skinny, but is eating great and I'm working on fattening him up while in QT. So far he hasn't shown any signs of diseases either. He has been treated with a Formalin Dip, and two rounds of Prazi. He has two more transfers until done with TTM. Then a month of observation in QT and fattening him up before he gets put in DT.
I'm sorry for the loss. It could be that your tank water just isn't right for the angelfish. I always had a better experience with right-on adding the fish to the display tank. It sounds like madness but think about it. You'll be saving your specimen a lot of trouble and stress, thus making it less likely to contract a disease in the first place. I just like to acclimate the fish for 3 hours and put it in a system where the bucket's water and aquarium water are constantly circulating. The inhabitants will sense the arrival of the new fish (through pheromones and the like) and the new fish will take the time to adjust and get used to its new neighborhood.
Just lay off the angel for a while and let your tank filter and re-stabilize. That'll be doing everyone a favor. The next time, remember that the cherubs and flamebacks are hardiest. If you really want a flame, get a little experience first. (No offense.
Best Wishes,
BlueDolphin123:fish2::fish1:
This is generally poor advice. The contention that a QT process somehow presents a more perilous initial environment is completely wrong. Many people don't QT, for many reasons, and that's fine, but couching it in pseudo-science is a disservice. A properly setup QT (and it's not hard to do) will provide an ideal environment for just about any new fish (there may be a couple of exceptions) and my own looooong experience with QT has allowed me to be much more successful in keeping a fish population. It's not just about disease, its also about getting a fish to a healthy weight so that it can better withstand initial aggression when added to the display. Perhaps you are new to this (no offense), but there are a number of best practices that you may wish to consider.
To the OP .... unfortunately flame angels have become quite problematic in recent years (they didn't used to be as fragile). The reasons for this are less clear, though it is probably about collection practices. It is not unusual to get a specimen that doesn't eat, no matter what you do. My own opinion is increasingly to avoid them. BTW, live brine shrimp is my 'food of last resort' for a problematic feeder. Used to the Nutramar Ova, but that's unobtanium these days.
Nemos Realm
New member
I hope the next time you get one, you get one as hardy and feisty as mine...had him for over a year, and all of a sudden he snapped and started really going after my Lawnmower Blenny. In general, he just wanted to be the only fish in the tank. LOL Since Lawnmower man is one of my favorite fish, personality wise, and Flame was having a personality change...I caught him and gave him to a friend with large angels...he settled in and is doing great.
So, not wishing you get one with an attitude problem, but mine definitely had no health problems. BTW, I got him from a LFS, not online.
Good Luck!
lespaul339
Reefer
OP, I am so sorry about the angel. It seems like you did what you could. Sometimes fish just won't eat. Keep your head up. Better luck next time
Thank you.
Thanks, I was thinking about hatching some live brine shrimp when I get the next flame angel. I really thought the live black worms would do the trick with my last one, but he just spit them out.
Thanks. I also have a lawnmower blenny. Sure hope I don't run into issues between the two. Although, I think my lawnmower blenny could definitely hold his own!
Nemos Realm
New member
I usually always have a flame in my tanks..this was the first one with the Jekyll and Hyde personality..lol Yes, my lawnmower is huge, and he still was messing with him...I think you will be fine!
I had a flame for years and was sad when I broke down my tank for a move a few years ago. Then I ordered one from the DD last year that refused to eat and looked disoriented. It was weird because they are supposed to be acclimated first. Maybe something happened when he was shipped. It looked drugged, but it could have had some sort of internal problem. Now I have had a small flame in quarantine for the past three weeks (also from DD), and it eats everything like a little pig. I've heard that they are 50/50 on thriving in captivity. If this one doesn't work out, then I give up on them, even though they are one of my favorites.
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