Help! Lyretail Anthias (Male) Laying on Sand

bla403 · 09/12/2011, 06:11 PM

Hi All:

Yesterday I bought a pair of Lyretail Anthias from my local fish store.

I acclimated them and then popped them in the tank. Both of them were swimming around happily and were getting along well with their other tank mates. (Pair of false perc clowns & a lawnmower blennie)
They both ate some cyclopeeze last night

I woke up this morning to find the male just chilling on the sand. (Female was out and about) Gave him a nudge with the turkey baster and he swam to the other side.
Came home from work and he was back in the previous spot doing the same thing (photo below)

Any ideas on what could be wrong?

He is breathing normally but is just acting lazy. Also he didnt eat any mysis which I put in front of him.

Tank is a well established reef that is 2+ years old. It was recently moved about a month ago and all corals are growing again. During the move I removed all the sand after draining the tank and didnt replace it when I moved into the new place. I added 10lbs of live sand from the LFS yesterday before adding any of the fish. Nobody showed any ill signs.

Tank is 79, 0 Nh3, 0 No2, <5 No3, 0 Po4, Cal/Mag/Co3 are in check

xxtriggermanxx · 09/12/2011, 06:55 PM

if he's still eating i wouldn't worry.. just keep an eye on him i'm sure in a few days he'll be out and about .. just keep his belly full.

snorvich · 09/12/2011, 07:24 PM

What was the SG of the transport water? What is your SG? How did you measure SG?

bla403 · 09/12/2011, 07:32 PM

SG of the store water was 1.024 and the SG in my tank is 1.025.

I use a marine depot hydrometer... recently verified it with some calibration fluid.

bla403 · 09/13/2011, 05:23 AM

Ok same status as yesterday. Found him in a different spot just laying on the sand.

Wouldnt eat anything this morning. (NLS pellet or PE Mysis)

Any thoughts?

I'm also going to goto the asian market tonight to get some flying fish roe as that always seemed to be a winner across the board no matter what type of fish.

Any other possible food recommendations?

AfricaOffroad · 09/13/2011, 05:57 AM

My male acts in a similar way from time to time.
That said when there is food around he is out and about.

bla403 · 09/13/2011, 04:44 PM

Updated Status:

This morning all seemed well with the female but the male was still doing the same. Sitting on the sand in a corner.

Came home from work to find the female dead and being eaten by some really small bristleworms. Not sure what happened here as the female seemed fine last night and this morning and was swimming around.

Male is in the same state but hasnt eaten now in 2 days. Trying everything... Pellets, Mysis, Cyclopeeze, flying fish roe (caviar), zooplankton (reef chili). I tried to pick him up from the sand gently and he was responsive and swam out of my hand and back to the corner.

Called the LFS last night and they said bring us some water and they will credit me if things dont go well but had no advice.

Reefnub · 09/13/2011, 05:04 PM

Is there white spots on them? Maybe they have some sort of parasites that you don't see. How did you acclimated them? They do look healthy from your picture, were they fat when you got them?

dzfish17 · 09/13/2011, 05:40 PM

He is probably going to die. I would check the water again and do a water change just to be safe. How long were they at the store?... maybe they just got there and didnt acclimate well. Hope you didnt bring something nasty into your tank.

bla403 · 09/13/2011, 07:10 PM

Acclimated in a bucket over 2 hours replacing water in the bucket with water in the tank. 1 cup at a time.

No white spots. Color looks good and they appeared healthy at the store.

I dont know how long they were at the store. Sort of a large store and I dont think anyone there would know either. My guess would be that they werent there that long and this was too much change too quick.

I called the store and they suggested a fresh water dip for 8 minutes .. any thoughts on that? They said to match the temp & ph with fresh di and leave him in there for 8 minutes then put him back in the tank.

ashlerbam · 09/13/2011, 07:30 PM

What kind of tank? is there enough oxygen exchange for the new fish?

bla403 · 09/13/2011, 07:35 PM

Oxygen Exchange isnt a concern of mine as the tank has an overflow, octopus skimmer & 2 power heads going. There used to be more fish in the tank but I get rid of a few of them before I moved the tank a few months ago. Used to have a much higher bioload.

Any thoughts on the Freshwater Dip idea?

Reefnub · 09/13/2011, 09:28 PM

I wouldn't freshwater dip him, you only do it when they have parasites on them. freshwater dipping is also stressful. The fish might just be acclimating, my sunburst anthias did that in qt tank before he started swimming around. As long as he's not rapidly breathing and eating it should be be fine. How's he doing right now?

bla403 · 09/14/2011, 05:19 PM

He isnt rapidly breathing and swims around if you put your hand in the tank or if a snail moves close but he isnt eating. At least he isnt eating when I put the food in the tank. It doesnt look like he is finding leftovers but he could be eating things at night without me knowing (copepods, amphipods, etc.) but I doubt it.

Same status as before really.

09/12/2011, 06:11 PM	#1
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	Help! Lyretail Anthias (Male) Laying on Sand Hi All: Yesterday I bought a pair of Lyretail Anthias from my local fish store. I acclimated them and then popped them in the tank. Both of them were swimming around happily and were getting along well with their other tank mates. (Pair of false perc clowns & a lawnmower blennie) They both ate some cyclopeeze last night I woke up this morning to find the male just chilling on the sand. (Female was out and about) Gave him a nudge with the turkey baster and he swam to the other side. Came home from work and he was back in the previous spot doing the same thing (photo below) Any ideas on what could be wrong? He is breathing normally but is just acting lazy. Also he didnt eat any mysis which I put in front of him. Tank is a well established reef that is 2+ years old. It was recently moved about a month ago and all corals are growing again. During the move I removed all the sand after draining the tank and didnt replace it when I moved into the new place. I added 10lbs of live sand from the LFS yesterday before adding any of the fish. Nobody showed any ill signs. Tank is 79, 0 Nh3, 0 No2, <5 No3, 0 Po4, Cal/Mag/Co3 are in check

09/12/2011, 07:24 PM	#3
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	What was the SG of the transport water? What is your SG? How did you measure SG? __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

09/13/2011, 05:40 PM	#9
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	He is probably going to die. I would check the water again and do a water change just to be safe. How long were they at the store?... maybe they just got there and didnt acclimate well. Hope you didnt bring something nasty into your tank. __________________ 600g (96x36x46) FOWLR

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09/12/2011, 06:55 PM	#2
xxtriggermanxx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 1,867	if he's still eating i wouldn't worry.. just keep an eye on him i'm sure in a few days he'll be out and about .. just keep his belly full.

09/12/2011, 07:32 PM	#4
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	SG of the store water was 1.024 and the SG in my tank is 1.025. I use a marine depot hydrometer... recently verified it with some calibration fluid.

09/13/2011, 05:23 AM	#5
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	Ok same status as yesterday. Found him in a different spot just laying on the sand. Wouldnt eat anything this morning. (NLS pellet or PE Mysis) Any thoughts? I'm also going to goto the asian market tonight to get some flying fish roe as that always seemed to be a winner across the board no matter what type of fish. Any other possible food recommendations?

09/13/2011, 05:57 AM	#6
AfricaOffroad Moved On Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Durban, South Africa Posts: 335	My male acts in a similar way from time to time. That said when there is food around he is out and about.

09/13/2011, 04:44 PM	#7
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	Updated Status: This morning all seemed well with the female but the male was still doing the same. Sitting on the sand in a corner. Came home from work to find the female dead and being eaten by some really small bristleworms. Not sure what happened here as the female seemed fine last night and this morning and was swimming around. Male is in the same state but hasnt eaten now in 2 days. Trying everything... Pellets, Mysis, Cyclopeeze, flying fish roe (caviar), zooplankton (reef chili). I tried to pick him up from the sand gently and he was responsive and swam out of my hand and back to the corner. Called the LFS last night and they said bring us some water and they will credit me if things dont go well but had no advice.

09/13/2011, 05:04 PM	#8
Reefnub Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: California Posts: 750	Is there white spots on them? Maybe they have some sort of parasites that you don't see. How did you acclimated them? They do look healthy from your picture, were they fat when you got them?

09/13/2011, 07:10 PM	#10
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	Acclimated in a bucket over 2 hours replacing water in the bucket with water in the tank. 1 cup at a time. No white spots. Color looks good and they appeared healthy at the store. I dont know how long they were at the store. Sort of a large store and I dont think anyone there would know either. My guess would be that they werent there that long and this was too much change too quick. I called the store and they suggested a fresh water dip for 8 minutes .. any thoughts on that? They said to match the temp & ph with fresh di and leave him in there for 8 minutes then put him back in the tank.

09/13/2011, 07:30 PM	#11
ashlerbam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 78	What kind of tank? is there enough oxygen exchange for the new fish?

09/13/2011, 07:35 PM	#12
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	Oxygen Exchange isnt a concern of mine as the tank has an overflow, octopus skimmer & 2 power heads going. There used to be more fish in the tank but I get rid of a few of them before I moved the tank a few months ago. Used to have a much higher bioload. Any thoughts on the Freshwater Dip idea?

09/13/2011, 09:28 PM	#13
Reefnub Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: California Posts: 750	I wouldn't freshwater dip him, you only do it when they have parasites on them. freshwater dipping is also stressful. The fish might just be acclimating, my sunburst anthias did that in qt tank before he started swimming around. As long as he's not rapidly breathing and eating it should be be fine. How's he doing right now?

09/14/2011, 05:19 PM	#14
bla403 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 196	He isnt rapidly breathing and swims around if you put your hand in the tank or if a snail moves close but he isnt eating. At least he isnt eating when I put the food in the tank. It doesnt look like he is finding leftovers but he could be eating things at night without me knowing (copepods, amphipods, etc.) but I doubt it. Same status as before really.