Weird bartlett anthias

[FishN00b83]

I've had these bartlett anthias in the DT for 2 or 3 weeks now. I QTed them for 2 weeks and they all were eating and looking real healthy so I put them in. They all stuck together and ate 3 times a day but now I noticed the smallest one is hugging the corner. It's just looking down sitting in the corner not eating and Idk what to do. The larger 2 are swimming and eating fine. The other two even come over and get it to come out for a whole but then it goes back in the corner. What could be wrong?

 

[FishN00b83]

I changed my tunze profiles last night to get a bigger wave. When I turn the pumps off it swims around, when they turn back on it goes in the corner. Could it be freaking out because of the different wave pattern?

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Could very well be. Try moving the angle and see if that helps. I have a firefish that does the same thing.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I have no idea what's going on with the fish; many anthias are difficult to acclimate. Any aggression? There usually is with new anthias as they establish a pecking order and reach sexual maturity. FWIW: Two weeks is not nearly enough time in quarantine.

 

[FishN00b83]

Yeah they peck at each other every once and a while, and this one is the one getting pecked at. I got them under an inch and one like doubled in size in QT. He definitely turned yellow, has the long dorsal in the front, and the streamer tail. The smallest one is growing, but not as fast as the rest.

I know 2 weeks is short, but they were all eating, colored up nicely, and didn't seem like they had any issues.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Yeah they peck at each other every once and a while, and this one is the one getting pecked at. I got them under an inch and one like doubled in size in QT. He definitely turned yellow, has the long dorsal in the front, and the streamer tail. The smallest one is growing, but not as fast as the rest.

I know 2 weeks is short, but they were all eating, colored up nicely, and didn't seem like they had any issues.

Glad there're doing well.

You're missing the point of always using a QT. Its what you don't see in the QT that creates huge problems. It isn't at all unusual for a fish with deadly parasites to show no symptoms for weeks. For example: the "normal" life cycle of the ich parasite is 3 weeks. many individual parasites wait much longer to show themselves. These parasites are no big deal on the reef; but confined to a small volume of water; they can wipe out a tank of fish in a hurry. Almost all of the threads on this section of the RC forum that deal with massive fish loss and the royal PITA of getting fish out of a tank to treat almost always start with fish that weren't quarantined properly. I honestly don't know anyone I would ask for advice from, who doesn't quarantine for 6 weeks or more. Here's a good read about ich, and ich is only one of the parasites we have to worry about (and one of the less dangerous). http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196

 

[FishN00b83]

I know why we all QT newcomers. I've had problems in the past, but I haven't had one in this tank yet, and hopefully I never do.

The anthias seem to be fine now. I guess the little one just needed to get used to the current. I saw them all swimming back and forth all morning together. I'll keep an eye on it for a few days, but I think everything is ok.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I know why we all QT newcomers. I've had problems in the past, but I haven't had one in this tank yet, and hopefully I never do.

The anthias seem to be fine now. I guess the little one just needed to get used to the current. I saw them all swimming back and forth all morning together. I'll keep an eye on it for a few days, but I think everything is ok.

You know why we quarantine new fish, have had past problems, yet are comfortable with just quarantining two weeks? What am I missing?

 

[FishN00b83]

Youre not missing anything. I know it wasn't the best choice, but I felt completely comfortable puttin them in, and I still feel the same about it. They went through the prazipro treatment and showed no signs of any other parasite. They ate 3 times a day from day one and just looked better and better each day. Will I do it again? No, but I am sure there is nothing wrong with them now that I saw them again. I just get nervous sometimes when fish do weird things. If I had them in QT for 2 months and this happened I'd still have a little freak out.