Sunburst Anthias vanished before my eyes?

[neverwouldof]

Put him in my 24 aquapod with 18lbs live rock and i haven't seen him once since he left the bag. He went straight to the back of tank and i haven't spotted him once. Sunburst Anthias a shy fish? If he was stressed, could the hermits have got him already and left not a trace?

I'm not tearing all the live rock apart to find him but will he screw my water up quickly or is there enough live rock to take care of it?

by the way... that was the quickest 35 i've ever lost, even vegas didn't take it that quick!

and i have Vanautu Rock so he could hide in so many spots it is crazy... so if your thinking, "you have to be able to spot him" trust me i've done it all but stand on my head!

 

[duec22]

He may have dove into the sand and died or into a hole in the rock. Isn't a 24 a little small for anthias?

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

sunburst are good for small tanks because you don't have to have a school of them and they really don't swim all that much. They are extremly shy though. They are also a deep water species and bright light realy bug them. I wanted to get one, but after learing about how shy they are i changed my mind. My LFS has one that hides sideways under a rock most of the time and will come out at night, but if you walk by the tank he hides again.

 

[neverwouldof]

I don't know, i've never asked one... however i was told by the LFS that they are great for a 24. Was i mislead? he was probably the size of a quarter and the sunburst are not as big as the normal yellow and orange anthias.

 

[neverwouldof]

Thanks Cutie for the info. I wish i was able to catch him and take him back if he is still alive. Wish the LFS would have told me that. I did ask what their nature was in a reef tank.

 

[flameangel88]

I'd a lqwnmower in identical way as you described and its been almost 2 weeks now. I'd a blue mandarin in last week and saw it swimming the next morning than that was that. I've been monitoring the water parameter very closely but didn't see any spike in ammonia, nitrite (both near zero) but nitrate has been climbing and been doing wc 2x a week. I've about 35lb of LS and 60lbs of LR in my AP 24g. However, I do have a mantis in the tank that I can't get it out and I'm the same way with you that too many rocks to move.

Did your water papameter change? Do you have a mantis?

 

[neverwouldof]

my nitrates have been 0 after not doing a water change for 2 weeks, then it was around 10mg today. I just did a 20% change before i put him and a couple pieces of coral yesterday. so he might have went up into a hole and kicked the bucket. I should have known better then to go to a particular LFS that always has not so great looking fish.

 

[flameangel88]

I came home tonight and guess what--something was stuck to the css skimmer but couldn't tell what it was so took it out with my fingers after rubbing it I could feel the part of the head but it was decomposed so badly I couldn't tell it was a fish. Looking at the size I think its the lawnmower.

Hope you find your sunburst.

 

[Sk8r]

I have fish that are notoriously shy---but they all are, and the end result is that they're mostly out and visible. If your tank is quiet and your occupants peaceful you may be able to keep no-see-um fishes quite well.

 

[neverwouldof]

Found it... guess when though... after trying to get my blue spotted jawfishe out of the sump area of the aqua pod which is no easy task. (luckily he jumped in when i was sitting next to the tank and heard the splash). Luckily he back jumped out and back into the tank when i touched him with my hand. Then i went out of the room and the girlfriend said the anthias came out when i was gone. Crazy... will be putting eggcrate up there tomorrow. Sorry about your lawnmower!!!

 

[neverwouldof]

By the way Cutie.... you are correct! He came out when just lunars were on and they hide well.

 

[FishnWishn]

I have mine in a 90 gal but I think it would do great in my 16 Gal Nano. It stays in one spot and doesn't swim more than 3-4 inches in any direction. It does stay at the entrance of a cave formed by rocks. It is also hovers a few inches above a breeding pair of clownfish and they all pretty much ignore the other. I had a pair at first but lost the female. Try enticing it out with some small feedings of frozen Cyclopeeze or live brine.
FEMALE

MALE

 

[duec22]

I guess I should have looked more closely at this fish. I would have liked one but tought my tank was too small and got the chormis instead...next time I guess.