What should I do with My Coral Beauty???

[NickBee]

About a week ago I posted (with a video) that my coral beauty was sticking his head above water:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1013361

One thing that was suggested in the thread was to measure the oxygen level of the water. That measured right at 7, which I believe is right at saturation for our water parameters (SG of 1.023 and temp of 77 Deg).

At this point he’s still showing this behavior and seems like he’s getting skinny. He’s not eating food put into the tank (frozen mysis, blood worms, pellets, flakes). He does pick at the live rock every now and then. He’s been in the tank about 3 weeks. Everyone else in the tank is doing great.

I know I’ve read that angels should only be added to a well established tank. Of course this was research I did after getting the Angle home from the LFS (the one that set up our tank, so they knew our tank was young). Yes I learned the newbie lesson to always research an addition before making a purchase.

But what now? Should he go back? Quarantine? Ride it out?

Thanks!

[Shagsbeard]

Try a variety of foods. Perhaps you'll hit on something that he'll eat. If you can get fresh sea food from the local markets, try chopping up some squid, clams, shrimp, mussels,... and see if he'll pick at fresh food. Sea urchin eggs can be really hard to find commercially, but are really really good food for these types of fish.

[akrimmel]

have you added any fish after the CB?

[NickBee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9011871#post9011871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by akrimmel
have you added any fish after the CB?

A blue spotted toby and long nose hawk. Both are doing great. And as I posted inthe 1st post nobody is bothering the CB. Everyone in the tank eats VERY aggressively except the CB.

Thanks!

[akrimmel]

do you wacth the nightly activities in the tank.

[NickBee]

ya at night he relaxes on the bottom of the tank. hiding between or behind rocks...

[mikeandjenn99]

I would personally move him to a QT so you can watch him better and give him a chance to try and eat without other fish in there. Maybe the other fish are too aggressive and if the CB isn't feeling well, fighting for food may not be an option. Everything else seems to be ok as far as behavior, so I'd just QT him. Keep us posted on how he turns out. :)

[akrimmel]

mikeandjenn99
agreed.

[papagimp]

fwiw, i agree, stick him in QT and try to get him eating better. My last coral beauty (recent carpet surfer) never showed any wierd behavior like that and ate just about anything that got put in the tank. And being an overstocked 55g he did remarkably well fighting for his share of the food. In fact, he was usually first one to reach to food and always got the pieces he wanted. May wanna try some garlic soaked foods, I noticed in my tanks that supplements such as seachems Garlic Gaurd to a good job enticing fish to eat, even if they don't eat the food, they at least tried it.

[NickBee]

We are setting up a 10 gal QT tank this weekend. I’m just a little mad that the LFS sent us home with a CB when they knew out tank was young. But since I like the fish I’d rather not return him. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

Thanks!

[akrimmel]

ok let us know.

[NickBee]

Here’s an update. Today he ate (sinking pellets) but only off the tank floor. More of a picking than aggressively eating.

[NickBee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9011869#post9011869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shagsbeard
Try a variety of foods. Perhaps you'll hit on something that he'll eat. If you can get fresh sea food from the local markets, try chopping up some squid, clams, shrimp, mussels,... and see if he'll pick at fresh food. Sea urchin eggs can be really hard to find commercially, but are really really good food for these types of fish.

BTW,,, isn’t sea urchin roe what is used for sushi? I’m sure I can pick some up at my LSB (Local Sushi Bar). Minus the wasabi of course!

http://www.flavorj.com/~skysea/sushi/uni.jpg

[NickBee]

Wow,, I was finally able to search and find my thread.

The CB is doing better. He is not going to surface as much and is eating off the bottom (pellets). Also he’s picking at the live rock more. I think he just got spooked out from the gravel to sand swap. It took him about 5 days to calm down a bit. He still does not join in on the feeding frenzies when things like mysis are served.