new purple tilefish hiding!

[CHSUB]

day 3!!! hope he comes out soon.

 

[CHSUB]

still hide and won't eat any ideas?

 

[Monkeyfish]

What have you tried to feed him? They are notoriously shy and can be difficult to get eating. Was he eating at the store before you purchased him? Is he in a tank with other fish? - aggressive or highly active fish may spook him.

 

[BFG]

I always feed extra when I bought this species home. Helps them to identify their food source. They are notorious jumper. Always find them outside the tank after a few month. Something spooked them during the night.

 

[CHSUB]

going to try live brine next, he is in a new tank with 2 tangs, hippo and kole, i had one about ten years ago and he was great, eat krill and silversides right out of my hand, but this one is very shy....

 

[snorvich]

Careful about feeding krill except only rarely. Mine lives with my shrimp goby.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Careful about feeding krill except only rarely. Mine lives with my shrimp goby.

Is there a reason why you should only feed krill rarely?

 

[curlykid]

it can cause injuries to the fish's mouth.

 

[Kluver]

Is your fish out yet? Not to hijack the thread but I just bought 2 purple and they are hiding as well. They came on day 2 but went back hiding. Let us know when yours come out

 

[CHSUB]

still hiding and still alive; i blew some mysin shrimp in his hole, but could not see if he eat it? mine too came out on day 2 and hide again...

 

[nav jam]

Careful about feeding krill except only rarely. Mine lives with my shrimp goby.

it can cause injuries to the fish's mouth.

Hi, sorry to hijack thread. Can someone please shed some more light on this?

 

[BFG]

Don't spot feed. Broadcast feeding consistently will bring the fish out.

 

[nav jam]

Is there a reason why you should only feed krill rarely?

it can cause injuries to the fish's mouth.

Hi, sorry to hijack thread. Can someone please shed some more light on this?

Anyone with some info?

...would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CHSUB]

3 weeks sat. still hiding and still alive....feeling discourage! knew the risks with this fish, can only hope. he looks active in his hole, but can't think he will make it much longer.

 

[CHSUB]

sad news...had to remove tilefish today. he had some type of HLLE, big hole in his head. i think it was stress related, my kole tang was constantly harassing him!!

 

[Spartan]

Very tough to get to eat and very shy. I had one a few years ago. Got it same day it arrived at the LFS in perfect shape. Took maybe three weeks before he ate anything (you name it I tried it). Eventually it started eating simply chopped raw shrimp after refusing it countless times. Even so it was always a challenge to get it to feed. It did not eat every day. I managed about 6 months, then it just died. They are beautiful but without doubt a very difficult fish to get to thrive.
Someone might have better luck keeping it alone in say a 55 or so, but purely a guess.

 

[Spartan]

Here's a link with more details

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1212953

 

[Greymalkin]

Very tough to get to eat and very shy. I had one a few years ago. Got it same day it arrived at the LFS in perfect shape. Took maybe three weeks before he ate anything (you name it I tried it). Eventually it started eating simply chopped raw shrimp after refusing it countless times. Even so it was always a challenge to get it to feed. It did not eat every day. I managed about 6 months, then it just died. They are beautiful but without doubt a very difficult fish to get to thrive.
Someone might have better luck keeping it alone in say a 55 or so, but purely a guess.

My! I love this fish! I was thinking of getting a pair, but after what you guys said, I don't know.There is a video on you tube, "aggressive purple tilefish", which is exactly the opposite. He was shy at first too, but now the fish lets the owner handle him! A mystery, indeed!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have owned a handful of purple tilefish over the years. They were initially shy, but relatively quickly(within 2 weeks) became quite bold. The last one I had was so brazen, that when I would be working on the tank, my 2yr old would have his hands in the tank splashing and the purple tile wouldnt be afraid, but rather would be swimming around his hands looking for food.

Often times difficulties and shyness from tiles is related to the dpths they are collected and subsequently getting gas bubbles in their swim bladders. While dealing with this they are very shy and timid. They are however always jumpers and will find their way out of the slightest opening.

 

[syrinx]

They do best, in my experience, with fish tank lighting- not reef tank lighting. Read up on the concept of QT- and doing the begining with limited amounts of light. QT would allow you to get fish eating without the issues with the tang etc. Not an easy fish- nor do I think they are especially long lived 8 yrs or so is the oldest I can recall.