Yellow Assessor

[ThRoewer]

This is a fish I had on my wish list for a long time.

So I finally pulled the plug on 3 ORA Yellow Assessors and added them to my 100 gallon tank (after quarantine of course). There they got a pretty hot reception from the Grammas, the Starcki Damsel and even the Regal Angels - everybody, especially the Starcki, was just chasing them whenever they dared to come out. As a result they went completely MIA for 4 days.

On the 5th day, before the lights came on and while the Starcki was still sleeping, I caught one out in the front. But during the day he was gone again.
After a few days he had claimed his space under an overhang at the right side of the tank, right in the core territory of the Starcki, who seems to have him accepted to some degree.

I was already thinking he was the only survivor, but Sunday, over a week later, I spotted another one who seems to have set up shop in the cave right under the gigantea. Unfortunately that is also a place my Regals like - and they still chase him when they see him.

I hope the last one is also still around.

Though I wonder if they will ever be allowed to come out more...
In any case, I just ordered another one (wild this time) from LA.

 

[mgreenough]

I had one which was a real beauty, but went mia when i introduced my coral beauty. They seem to get bullied too easily.

 

[ThRoewer]

My other fish are not really bullies, even the Starcki is more of a wannabe that a real bully. The Grammas pretty much ignore him. If he tries to harass them they just hide in their holes and give him the finger. By now he isn't doing it too much anymore.

This is the first that showed back up:

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(Bad GHA right now)

 

[Marshall O]

I've had an ORA for 3+ years now. It is out in the morning before the lights come on, and then again about 30 minutes before I usually feed at night. Otherwise it hangs out in the rockwork almost all day.

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[A sea K]

I have always had Assessors in all of my tanks. They are timid for sure and if you want to see them then they need to be kept with other timid fish as well. I had 2 of them in my 210 and would only get occasional glimpses of them due to the other tank inhabitants. In my new 80 gal I have only 1 but he is out and about almost constantly, his tankmates are 2 occ clowns, 3 longspine cardinals, purple firefish and possum wrasse.

One thing I want to ask and have noticed is, does yours swim upside down during the day(lights on) and right side up at night(lights off)? I will catch mine out early in the morning before the lights come on and he is always right side up, later when the lights are on he will be out in full view but always upside down.

 

[Happyschneider]

Hi, I have two and they were the first fish that went into my tank. One is doing great (bigger) and is out all the time. The smaller is hiding most of the time and can only be seen every 7 days or so.

Mine swim always upside down or at least head up, tail down like walking in the water column.

Sometimes I don't see the smaller one for weeks. So much so that I started noting it down when I see him. Maybe he is looking after eggs?

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[vhuang168]

Mine was missing for a few weeks when 1st introduced. Thought I lost it from aggression but saw it dart out for food after about 2-3 weeks. Now it hangs out in the back right top corner of the tank.


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[HowieUMD]

Yellow Assessor

Assessors are great. They are very timid though, and take a while to adapt to lighting as well. If putting them into tanks with established fish, you should definitely start off with an acclimation box for a few days (after QT period of course). In the acclimation box, you should have PVC for them to hide in when lights are on. Having them in the acclimation box with just a piece of PVC will allow them to come out more when lights are on, so they get used to lighting a little quicker, and also allows the established fish to get used to them so they won't chase them when first introduced freely.

 

[ThRoewer]

...
One thing I want to ask and have noticed is, does yours swim upside down during the day(lights on) and right side up at night(lights off)? I will catch mine out early in the morning before the lights come on and he is always right side up, later when the lights are on he will be out in full view but always upside down.

Mine do the same.

 

[A sea K]

Mine do the same.

Thats interesting, I can't recall any of my previous ones doing that but maybe I just didnt pay that much attention to them in the lights out hours as they were housed in a separate room.

 

[ThRoewer]

I got a new one from LA on Tuesday, this time a wild one. I'm not yet sure where I will put it in the end.

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[ThRoewer]

Two of them now hang out in the back - seems they like getting blasted by the Jebao WP60

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[Mjrjj23]

Bought a trio from LA and guess I was lucky. Mine are out and about the majority of the time. Never swim proper, I get asked all the time if they're dying. They are some of my favorites to watch for sure

 

[ThRoewer]

My guys would be out more too if it wasn't for the Starcki damsel...

 

[ThRoewer]

It looks like two have now established their day time territory in the back of the tank, next to where the Grammas usually hang out. They also come out further to the front sometimes. I bet the third is there somewhere too.

By now the damsel doesn't pay too much attention to them anymore.
It's usually the Regals that cause them to go deeper into the rocks. It's not that they chase them, it's simply their presence.

At night one still sometimes comes out to the front to hunt for plankton. Despite being during the day at the left end of the tank, he has his sleeping cave on the right end. Same goes also for the smallest Gramma.
And the Starcki, while always in the front close to the ground during the day, has his sleeping cave on the upper back of the tank... It's a weird gang I have there!

 

[ThRoewer]

About 40 days into quarantine the new wild Assessor entangled himself in some chaeto and died :headwally:

 

[A sea K]

Thats a real bummer, sorry for the loss.
Assessors are my favorite fish and losing one really stinks.

 

[ThRoewer]

It's essentially sad because this on was really tame and came to the surface to beg for food.

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[A sea K]

I feel your pain for sure. Having quite a few (wild caught) in various systems over the years, all were outgoing but none were ever that bold, it is truly painful as in adding salt to a wound.

 

[ThRoewer]

Ordered 2 more from LA and both arrived today in bad shape and were dead by 4pm.
What the heck are they doing with these fish? Normally they should be hardy and not very sensitive...

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