Oxymonacanthus longirostris pair enters a mixed reef environment

[twiggyb]

Here's some pics of my new girl. The male has thumped her in the side a few times, but doesn't seem to mind her for the most part. She's still trying to figure out what the hell's going on

[twiggyb]

The body weight doesn't look too shabby either. There's some acros in the tank just in case she doesn't want to eat anything. Put some BBS in and she looked like she took some of that. Put some frozen mysis, cyclops, BBS, and enriched brine but no go right now. I'm sure it's because she's fresh out of acclimation. I've seen her pick a little at the prostata so I know she's at least got an appetite.

[Monkeyfish]

Have you tried Ova, Cyclopeeze, mashed up Ocean Nutrition or live black worms?

[small alien]

Cool. Im a little surprised DD isn't fattening them up a bit more. Mine had almost none of the pinched neck I've seen on so many others. Best of luck with your new file!

[D5HP]

Originally Posted by small alien

Cool. Im a little surprised DD isn't fattening them up a bit more. Mine had almost none of the pinched neck I've seen on so many others. Best of luck with your new file!

It is a little strange....I know I would have paid $50 for one if it was real nice and fat! It took me a solid month (more like 6 weeks) to get mine to where I felt like they had some real meat on their bones. Now I feel like they are a healthy weight...but I want them to get obese.

I imagine the answer to this is that they may indeed be putting some weight on them...which is scary to think about since my female was a sliver when I got her. It may be an issue of time for them + turnover rates. It certainly would relieve the hobbyist a bit since I'm sure their system is far more capable of dealing with the repercussions of 10 feedings per day compared with your regular aquarium keeper.

Don't let the weight discourage you though. Keep them eating and keep the water quality where it should be and I think you'll be all good! My post here should give you an idea of how thin my female was compared to now. That took some time but now she's queen bee.

[twiggyb]

I feed rods food fish eggs, PE mysis, Hikari enriched brine shrimp, and PE cyclops to the tank to see if it sparks some interest. I'll try some other foods with her to see if she'll eat something the male won't eat. She ate the brine, or maybe the mysis, and some cyclops and some ova. Not as vigorously as the male, but at least she's eating. Not too much interaction between the two of them, the female likes to swim up and turn sideways at him occasionally, but they hang out on separate sides of the tank for the most part. Hopefully they'll bond better than that when moved to the 65.





Male picking at some nummy acro

[small alien]

Greetings. I have a couple of health questions. Unfortunately, I don't have any decent photos but I'll do my best to describe.

First, both my male and female will occasionally get some whitish substance around their mouths. It does not appear to bother them or inhibit feeding in any way. And it goes away on it's own, usually in a day or two. But it will return now and again. I've kind of stopped worrying about it but just wondering if anyone else has experienced that. None of my other fish have ever shown that symptom.

The second one is the top of the snout and dorsal spike area of my male were looking kind of funny for a few days. Kind of "wet" looking, like bruised cantaloupe if that means anything. Kind of a slight translucency almost.

Anyone ever see either of these symptoms on their files? Thanks.

[Monkeyfish]

Haven't seen anything like that on mine. Are they getting stung by a coral they're nipping at?

[Terryz_]

Bad News, One of my file have fin rots and stopped feeding... Just did a massive water change, hope it will start to look better tomorrow...

[small alien]

Originally Posted by Monkeyfish

Haven't seen anything like that on mine. Are they getting stung by a coral they're nipping at?

That's a good idea. Perhaps that's right. It does not seem to affect them. From the damage I see, they mostly munch on a beige "finer leather". Probably a Sinularia sp. I think. Thanks for the thought.

[small alien]

Originally Posted by Terryz_

Bad News, One of my file have fin rots and stopped feeding... Just did a massive water change, hope it will start to look better tomorrow...

Bummer. Mine get a little cloudiness on their second dorsals now and again but it always clears in a day or two. There's never been any degradation of the fin. And they've never gone off their food. Please keep us updated.

And good luck, small

[D5HP]

Originally Posted by small alien

Greetings. I have a couple of health questions. Unfortunately, I don't have any decent photos but I'll do my best to describe.

First, both my male and female will occasionally get some whitish substance around their mouths. It does not appear to bother them or inhibit feeding in any way. And it goes away on it's own, usually in a day or two. But it will return now and again. I've kind of stopped worrying about it but just wondering if anyone else has experienced that. None of my other fish have ever shown that symptom.

The second one is the top of the snout and dorsal spike area of my male were looking kind of funny for a few days. Kind of "wet" looking, like bruised cantaloupe if that means anything. Kind of a slight translucency almost.

Anyone ever see either of these symptoms on their files? Thanks.

My female shows this currently. She has done it a few times and it appears to migrate around her body to an extent. It shows near the her tail occasionally and its currently right in the center of her body. It seems to change daily and she is otherwise unaffected. I didn't see anything on it so I figured it was similar to them putting on their pajamas when it's bed time...she might just like wearing her slippers when the sun is out too.

I will try and get a picture tomorrow...tank is cloudy today from adding more sand for the tamarins I'm waiting on.

[Renton777]

Here is a video update I did of my tank, the osff are often the focus. I have now had them for 3 weeks, they eat very well and have put on weight. They constantly pick at the rogger's food from the clip, actually both them and the leopard wrasses enjoy stopping by it for a snack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKasIG0iJWo

[Renton777]

Originally Posted by small alien

Greetings. I have a couple of health questions. Unfortunately, I don't have any decent photos but I'll do my best to describe.

First, both my male and female will occasionally get some whitish substance around their mouths. It does not appear to bother them or inhibit feeding in any way. And it goes away on it's own, usually in a day or two. But it will return now and again. I've kind of stopped worrying about it but just wondering if anyone else has experienced that. None of my other fish have ever shown that symptom.

The second one is the top of the snout and dorsal spike area of my male were looking kind of funny for a few days. Kind of "wet" looking, like bruised cantaloupe if that means anything. Kind of a slight translucency almost.

Anyone ever see either of these symptoms on their files? Thanks.

I too have seen this on my pair, however it appears more often on the fish that often nibbles on corals. The other fish eats more frozen and roggers food. My running theory is that it is just wear and tear from the SPS and rocky surfaces it picks at. It seems to come and go without creating any problems for the fish. D5HP's stinging explanation seems very plausible too.

[Terryz_]

Originally Posted by small alien

Bummer. Mine get a little cloudiness on their second dorsals now and again but it always clears in a day or two. There's never been any degradation of the fin. And they've never gone off their food. Please keep us updated.

And good luck, small

That little guy didnt make it and the partner looks a bit depressed and not feeding as much as it was previously...

[small alien]

thanks for the reply Renton777. Terryz, you might try a large water change. Good luck.

[seahorsedreams]

I have seen the "Cantelope" appearance on one or both of mine. I remember seeing it, but I didn't take notes. :-/

I haven't seen white stuff around their mouths.

I have no corals in my tank.

[D5HP]

Hmm well if Renee's pair have shown that before it makes me far less concerned!

I'll see if I can't keep this updated with my information but the only huge difference between the two fish is that the female does get bullied by the male (although this has dropped off sharply to the point it's a rare occasion) and the female sleeps in the food clip. The male sleeps in the front corner of the glass using his 'forehead hook' to keep himself tied to the silicone bead.

I'll keep observing.

[small alien]

Thanks Renee.

[small alien]

Picked up some Sustainable Aquatics Hatchery Diet. Both files went for it immediately. And with no soakong. Pellets are only .5 mm which is a great size for their wee mouths.

[twiggyb]

Where did you get the food from?

[D5HP]

Originally Posted by small alien

Picked up some Sustainable Aquatics Hatchery Diet. Both files went for it immediately. And with no soakong. Pellets are only .5 mm which is a great size for their wee mouths.

Hmm I'll keep that in mind...but mine won't go after anything other than food on the clip now. It has its advantages I guess...neither of them eat anything directly from the water column but I do think they still eat ova that falls to the sand bed.

For what its worth, yesterday the files did the flow change thing again. Weren't eating all that much throughout the day from what I could tell so I did my water change that was scheduled for yesterday anyways and after I switched the flow to Nutrient Transport (short pulse wave) the male started eating aggressively followed by his female. Pretty strange since I've seen that twice now.

Something to keep in mind!

[Monkeyfish]

Originally Posted by twiggyb

Where did you get the food from?

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/produ...=106&pid=10297

[small alien]

Yep, that's the stuff. If only my scooters would eat it. They and my pipe are the last holdouts for pellets and flake.

[small alien]

Originally Posted by D5HP

Hmm I'll keep that in mind...but mine won't go after anything other than food on the clip now. It has its advantages I guess...neither of them eat anything directly from the water column but I do think they still eat ova that falls to the sand bed.

For what its worth, yesterday the files did the flow change thing again. Weren't eating all that much throughout the day from what I could tell so I did my water change that was scheduled for yesterday anyways and after I switched the flow to Nutrient Transport (short pulse wave) the male started eating aggressively followed by his female. Pretty strange since I've seen that twice now.

Something to keep in mind!

That is pretty wacky. As I've noted, mine get flirty after a water change which is likely totally unrelated. Never had mine skip a meal though.