Worried about new flavoguttatus anthias. Please help !!

[FWC]

I picked up a new red saddled anthias a few days ago and have him in quarantine. Its been 3 days now.

He hid the first day ,but comes out with the lights and goes and hides with lights out. However I'm a bit worred about him ,even this early on. He seems a bit litless ,and seems to favor one side of his body. He also hans't eaten or shown any interest in eating. I've offered mysis and a few other "reef mixes" of food I found in the freezer ,it looks mostly like brine shrimp and some other stuff.

Is there anything I could do to help kickstart his appetite and get him back into tip top shape ??

He's a (poor) video of him to show what I mean (nevermind the odd noises in the background. Its coming from my canaries in the same room.)

http://youtu.be/bd_XfrYyuHM

 

[MIKE NY]

beautiful Tiger Queen....anthias are a shoaling fish and IMO do better in groups either with the same species of simular mid-water fish, but try a smaller food like NutraMar Ova or Cyclopeez that usually gets all my new ones eating ...

 

[FWC]

Thanks

Also after doing some reading it sounds like the red-saddled (tiger queens are P.Lori) anthias start to kill each other off after a few months ,so I decided to save the pain (and money) of buying 3 just to have the largest kill off the smaller 2 in a few months.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I think he'll be fine as a single fish. Many anthias, especially these from deeper water, can take quite a while to acclimate. I don't think the 3 day mark is nearly the time to worry. I've had some anthias go 2 weeks before eating and over a week before they even emerged from hiding. I agree with the Cyclops-eeze. There is something in this stuff that anthias seem to smell as soon as it hits the tank. Don't flood the QT with all kinds of foods (unless you quickly siphon out the uneaten stuff), he'll eat standard anthias fare when he's ready and that may be a while.

 

[FWC]

Thanks for the advise !!

I picked up some cyclops-eeze and it seems to have perked his interest ,however I haven't seen much in terms of him actually eating. I do think he ate a little bit though ,as I can see a small darkish spot inside of him that wasn't there before.

However I'm a little worried now ,as it looks like he has a few small wounds on him. I have him in QT with a small powder blue tang ,and I think the tang might has taken a swipe or two at him with his scalples. Should this be a cause for concern ?? I'll post pictures later today.

 

[MIKE NY]

Maybe a problem...what size is the QT?...was the PBT in first?...even if it was in afterwards the PBT can be territorial and very aggressive....I have mine for about 13-14 years now and have to take it out every time I add a new fish....and even doing so some fish I just can't keep.

 

[Zoasman]

These Anthias are very sensitive....u have to make sure he eat soon.. I bought 12 recently, 3 of them kept hiding and won't eat, eventually they moved on to the next life.

 

[FWC]

Thanks guys. I added the tang and anthias at the same time. The QT is...smallish....


Anyways here are the pictures from tonight ,he definitely looks worse from yesterday. I'm really worried about him.

The possible shanker ??

 

[namxas]

I agree with Mr. Tuskfish...these anthias will be fine for a bit, and then proceed to pick each other off until there's only one left (our trio did just that).

As for feeding, our last specimen eats pretty much everything the OSFF it's rooming with eats: NLS pellets, mini mysis, BS+, tiny bits of salmon, live Artemia (gutloaded), etc.

You might even try some live Artemia nauplii (<24 hrs old for best nutritional profile).

Good luck.

 

[Katis]

Very pretty anthias, do they need to be in cower water? I have a chiller and can lower the temps.

 

[namxas]

We ran ours at 74*F for awhile, but the last fish is currently being kept at 77*F...have had it for years.

 

[FWC]

Thanks guys ,but sadly he died some time this morning.

I think next time I try with this species ,I will do a few things differently. I will keep the tank cooler (the QT is at 78 ,I think I'll run it around 75 next time) and I'll have just the anthias in QT.

I'll also try and request one that is already eating.

 

[AwwNuts]

sorry to hear that he didn't make it.

I just went thru the same with a wild caught Racoon Butterfly fish. Gorgeous but he didn't want to eat any of the foods i provided including live foods

luckily my LFS gave me credit for him as i took him home the same day as he received it after i special ordered him. Feels good when you have a good relationship with your LFS and they still give you credit after you own the fish for 2 weeks. Well i would call that more of a special favor as the owner likes us a lot.