Regal angel questions

[hogfanreefer]

I have a 5" (was bought as 3-4") yellow belly in QT, deliverd on Sat so I've had him 48 hours.

I was told he was eating mysis in the supplier's tank (and he may well have been) but he hasn't even looked at mysis since in my QT. I know it's only 48 hours but usually they will get excited by the smell and at least investigate it. He ignores it.

Today I went to our local market and got some fresh oysters (no clams available) and rubber banded one to a rock and he immediately started eating it.

Questions. 1)How best do I transition him from the clams/oyster to mysis or other prepared foods? 2) He's been shaking his head and twitching a bit which makes me think he has flukes (not a mark on him that I can see). How big of hurry do I need to be in treating him with Prazi? Can I wait till he is eating better or is that too risky?

What origin is he? Don't think he's Red Sea

 

[RDtrack]

It might be a yellow belly from the Indian Ocean. I have one that looks similar. The Oster will probably work but does your LFS sell Frozen clams on the half shell? If so that's how I got mine to eat. I feed it that for about a week at the same time adding a little pe mysis. Then in about a week it started eating mysis and has ever since. You could treat using Prazapro for the flukes. Also I'm a big supporter of freshwater dips too. Good luck. Made it through one hurdle with the fish eating oysters. I love mine.

 

[RDtrack]

I maybe would do the freshwater dip sooner than later if he is really shaking

 

[RayL]

When I got my Bandit angel he wouldnt eat but I thought he had flukes. After two days I did a freshwater dip and then another one about 4 hours later. I then waited for him to eat properly before I used prazi, I think I waited about 10 days.
Hope this helps, and hope the angel is okay

 

[hogfanreefer]

I think I will do a freshwater dip. At the least it will confirm or disprove my suspicion. About 5 minutes or stop sooner if shows any distress?

 

[Rea17]

At least 5 minutes, no more than 10. Beautiful regal, good luck with it.

As far as getting him onto other foods goes, mine was really interested in clam on the half shell from day one (littleneck clams from the grocery store). I started chopping clam and mixing it with PE mysis in the clam shell, then freezing, and the regal gobbled the mysis as anxiously as the clam meat. Presentation is really important.

 

[alton]

I leave mine in FW for 10 to 20 min. But I have taken fish out in less than 3 min. It depends on how well the fish take it? My last Regal I swear thought he was a freshwater fish, I took him out after 20 minutes and it never phased him, swam around the whole time like he was in saltwater? Once I placed him in QT with prazi pro ate the same day. I acclimate, Prazi Pro dip, FW dip and then into QT with Prazi Pro.

 

[ken6217]

I would just give him mysis and wait him out for a while and wait for him to eat. I'd rather that than have him eating a food that you will be feeding him rather than a food that you don't on plan on feeding him forever.

I was lucky. I picked up a orange belly about 6-8 weeks ago any he ate PE Mysis from the start. For the last week he started showing a little interest in pellet but did not eat it. Two days ago he started eating pellet.
Ken

 

[hogfanreefer]

Did a freshwater dip this evening 7 1/2 minutes because he started laying on his side. At least 75 -100 flukes in the bucket afterwards. Didn't eat much tonight yet. Fingers crossed.

 

[ken6217]

Good luck.

 

[RDtrack]

Good luck. Now don't quote me but just because it was laying on its side doesn't mean it was having problems. I get worried when they go nuts. Hence net over container

 

[alton]

When they start laying on there side I just gently upright them

 

[orly20]

Did a freshwater dip this evening 7 1/2 minutes because he started laying on his side. At least 75 -100 flukes in the bucket afterwards. Didn't eat much tonight yet. Fingers crossed.

I know its an old thread but I was wondering how the angel faired after the FW dip?