Help with Flame Angel

[swegyptian]

Hi all,

I have a flame angelfish in my QT, who is ready to go into the display on Monday. Over the past week or so he has lost interest in food. He watches it, thinks about it, and then passes on everything I have tried, including mysis, enriched brine, fresh clams, and Ocean Nutrition pygmy angel formula. When first in the QT tank, he ate really well. Now not so much. He was being harassed by a chocolate tang, but there is now a divider in the tank. The SG is 1.009, but I have just started raising it for him to be moved in a few days. The fish is obviously thin now, and he has me worried.

So here is the question. When I move him, where should he go? In the display, or in the refugium? The fuge is small, about 10 gallons worth, but he would be alone with some various algae and pods. I am worried about him getting harassed in the DT, but I thought he might have a better chance of eating. What would you do?

 

[Macimage]

How long has he been in qt? What was he treated with in QT?

Is the refugium connected to your display tank?

Joyce

 

[swegyptian]

He has been in QT for about 5 weeks. Just hyposalinity in the QT. The fuge is part of my display, in the sump.

 

[LauraCline]

Neither, keep in QT and treat with prazipro as per directions and then antibiotics after if needed.

 

[Macimage]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14756042#post14756042 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LauraCline
Neither, keep in QT and treat with prazipro as per directions and then antibiotics after if needed.

I agree.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I second that. The fish could have internal worms/parasites, prazipro works great for that stuff. Have you tried NLS pellets? My flame goes crazy for them more then any frozen food.

 

[swegyptian]

He doesn't eat NLS pellets, and he was treated with Prazipro three weeks ago. I guess I can do it again.

 

[swegyptian]

I dosed Prazipro in the QT again, and now the SG is 1.012. He is swimming around, and he is interested in food, but he won't eat. I put three little NLS pellets in the tank and he swam right up to them, but didn't eat them. I will try a different food this afternoon. Is it normal that internal parasites make fish not eat? He ate really well, from day one, for about three weeks. Is there anything else I should do?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[swegyptian]

He picked at something today, probably some cyclopeeze, but I mixed it with mysis so I can't be sure what it was. I also got some baby brine shrimp that should be ready tomorrow, hopefully it's not too late. He seems to be more interested in food now that the SG is coming up.

 

[Alberta-newb]

My opinion (I'm no expert)... Once you are comfortable that he is healthy, I would put him in the display. I found both of my potter's angels would not eat in QT. After a few days in the display, it appeared they were enticed to eat by watching the "feeding frenzy" at mealtime from the other fish. Both quickly learned that mysis and nori were food. It may be several weeks before they join right in with gusto (they tend to be shy).

My opinion anyway

 

[E.intheC]

alberta.. I agree with you that fish can have improved feeding responses if they see other fish eat. It's kind of along the same lines as having dither fish.

 

[swegyptian]

I am afraid that he is going to get nailed in the display, and in his state, he won't be able to tolerate much. I think I am leaning towards sump if anything. I will keep you guys posted.

 

[Macimage]

I am not sure if hypo and prazi pro are a good combination. It may be better to raise the salinity to closer to nsw.

I would definitely not put him in your sump if it is connected to your display.

Is your ammonia, nitrates and nitrites in your qt tank testing all 0? If not, that could be part of the problem.

 

[swegyptian]

Yup, all parameters are normal. The salinity is normal now. He wasn't interested in live baby brine, but I will give him another day. He doesn't have any visible parasites. My thought on moving him to the fuge would be that there is more food available, just in case he becomes interested.

 

[Sheol]

QT Tank probably doesn't offer good grazing oppurtunities. Centropyge need to graze on alagae & other stuff ( sometimes corals & Zoo's!!) to feel at home. Is there much LR in your sump since you are afraid to place him in the display? Also, is the display mature ( 6 months about..). These help with acclimation.

Matthew

 

[Macimage]

Can you shut the refugium off from your display? Or can you add or swap more live rock from your display to the qt tank?

 

[swegyptian]

I can't shut it off effectively, but I could put some pieces from the fuge into the QT. I don't know how much would survive without a good light, though. I also assume that anything that is in the QT tank is going in the display at this point because the other fish is moving, maybe even tonight. What drawback would there be to moving the angel aside from the stress of moving?

 

[Macimage]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14781374#post14781374 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swegyptian
I also assume that anything that is in the QT tank is going in the display at this point because the other fish is moving, maybe even tonight. What drawback would there be to moving the angel aside from the stress of moving?

The risk would be in transferring a fish that has some type of disease and wiping out all the fish in your display tank.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14781374#post14781374 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swegyptian
I can't shut it off effectively, but I could put some pieces from the fuge into the QT. I don't know how much would survive without a good light, though.

Pods don't need light to survive. You can put any normal output bulb over it for the algae.