Regal quit eating on me

[twiggyb]

Well, I don't want to panic, but the regal that I received that has been in captivity for 5+ years has stopped eating on me. It's been 3-4 days since it has last eaten anything that I have seen. Where she hangs out though all the hair algae on the back is cleared out. I feed the tank one full squirt with a turkey baster twice a day with mysis, mussel, blood worms, angelfish gel and reef plankton. I've been throwing some flakes in as well since that's what I saw her eat when I picked her up. I'm feeling like a failure here with a fish that's been in an aquarium for so long doing well and now it's chosen to stop eating on me. I don't know what my params are at the moment, but I'll test them out in the morning when I can see what I'm doing. Its in a 40b with my OSFF, 6 green chromis and two skunk clowns. I do a 15g wc every week on it. The temp stays around 78 to 81 and my salinity is 1.026. I've debated whether or not to move her to my 65 reef, but I'm not sure if I should do that if there is a problem that I would have to treat for. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[nonstopfishies]

If not physical signs and your water parameters check out I wouldn't be too concerned quite yet. Something probably caused this, but doesn't necessarily mean it will continue. Have you made any changes to the tank recently? How big is the fish?

 

[agreeive?fish]

how long ago did you get the fish, some times fish and especialy some of the more delicate large angels will stop eating when moved...personaly i would move the regal to the reef tank, by all accounts i have read regals fair better in reef tanks than fowlr tanks, my indo regal has been in my reef for close to 6 months now and doing FANTASTIC

 

[Islander84]

does the regal nip alot?

 

[twiggyb]

The fish I'd say is around 4-5 in, the tank was a transfer from a 30g hex about a month ago I'd say. I didn't have the regal then. No changes have been made since the addition of the regal. I've only had the regal for 3-4 weeks? I was told it would nip at zoas and other fleshy corals, but I have not seen it nip at the zoas or softies or anemones that are in the 40b. Have a couple of sps also that are ignored by it, but not the OSFF. I wouldn't really mind losing any softies or lp's that are in the 65, except my magnifica, but I don't know if it would go after that or not. Lights are just coming on so I'll test in a little bit here.

 

[twiggyb]

Ok I only tested for nitrates, ammonia and alk. Would have done nitrites and phosphate, but I don't trust the results of my API test kits. My ammonia was 0 and so was my nitrates, but I think that is due to the hair algae that's growing on the back glass. My alk is 7, not sure if this affects fish more than corals so I just tested it anyway. She ate two little mysis the night before last and ate a couple bites of mussel last night. Nothing in the mornings though. Hopefully she'll eat here before I leave for work in a half hour or at least tonight when I get back home.

 

[ryanrid]

i was recently in the same situation as yourself, it took him 3 days to eat.

it took about 6 days till he ate AM tho and was only just pecking at stuff for a weeks or so at night time. I got it feeding on live brine then once it started on that put in fozen brine/mysis etc. at first it would only take small ammounts so i just put in a bit at a time so it did not fould the water, now it smashes food and will be going into the DT this weekend after 4 weeks in QT.

I would QT for longer usually but as i know the history of this fish i thought 4 weeks is long enough now it is eating well.

 

[twiggyb]

Well she ate voraciously last night so hopefully she'll keep it up. She was actually up front waiting for it with the others.

 

[agreeive?fish]

good to hear

 

[MrTuskfish]

Glad to hear it. I'm amazed it lasted that long in a 30 hex.

 

[twiggyb]

I didn't own it when the 30g was up and running.

 

[snorvich]

A good food for finicky or newly finicky eaters is Nutramar Ova. Glad your fish is back in the chow line.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I didn't own it when the 30g was up and running.

Yeah, you did him a big favor!