regal angel qt advice

[Thisisfine]

Looking for any success stories with regal angels and the QT process. I've browsed around and have seen a lot of conflicting info: IE best to just throw them in DT, or observational QT to DT, to slowly raising copper level over several days for copper treatment. I've also read things like it's best to introduce him to the DT with other fish to diffuse any potential aggression. Just looking for any suggestions for people who've successfully QT'd to DT.

For reference - I have a foxface, leopard wrasse, diamond watchman, bangaii, 2? firefish, 2 chromis so there's not a ton of aggression.

He's in a 40b with a bluejaw trigger with a divider currently. He went in late last night so I'm not certain if he's eating yet. I threw in some live brine and turned out the lights as it was late and it took a while to get the tank salinity right and him acclimated. I have more live brine I will try, some frozen Angel/Butterfly cubes, garlic saturated nori strips. I try not to hover when feeding since it's a shy fish. He has a 3" PVC elbow but prefers to hang out under the heater (it's a bar style with suction cups placed low on the side of the tank rather than the classic glass tube style). He's roughly 3-4 inches. Ammonia is 0ppm but nitrates are elevated at 40ppm. This tank was an invert/coral quarantine. I removed the sand/rocks 2 days ago, replaced ~5g salt lost while removing sand. Removed 10 gallons last night and replaced with RODI to get salinity down so it's been a ~40% turnover in the last two days. I'm wondering if removing the sand bed released trapped nutrients.

Any suggestions on food, QT treatments etc.?

Thanks!

 

[littlefoxx]

I put my regal through observational with paraguard only. I fed her clams on the half shell and different frozen foods with garlic, selcon and vitachem. Also banded nori to a rock. Observed her for 4 weeks and when she was eating consistently I moved her to the DT. Shes doing amazing now. I also now add angel elixor to her food with garlic, selcon, and vitachem as well as sponge rich foods. Shes been with me six months now clams are a huge hit with regals, they cant resist them. I soaked them in garlic for her too so she smelled the garlic in the food. Got her eating fully in 4 days with this, same with the regal I had before her who I lost in an electrical tank crash

 

[Thisisfine]

I put my regal through observational with paraguard only. I fed her clams on the half shell and different frozen foods with garlic, selcon and vitachem. Also banded nori to a rock. Observed her for 4 weeks and when she was eating consistently I moved her to the DT. Shes doing amazing now. I also now add angel elixor to her food with garlic, selcon, and vitachem as well as sponge rich foods. Shes been with me six months now clams are a huge hit with regals, they cant resist them. I soaked them in garlic for her too so she smelled the garlic in the food. Got her eating fully in 4 days with this, same with the regal I had before her who I lost in an electrical tank crash

Very cool, love hearing success stories on difficult fish.

Where do you get the clams and what type? I had read that as a good go for these guys and then read some horror stories (clams being harvested where waters are more likely to be polluted etc).

 

[littlefoxx]

Very cool, love hearing success stories on difficult fish.

Where do you get the clams and what type? I had read that as a good go for these guys and then read some horror stories (clams being harvested where waters are more likely to be polluted etc).

Oh I just get the frozen clams on the half shell my LfS sells. Hikiri brand I believe. She goes nuts for them still. Even got my french angel addicted to them!

 

[Thisisfine]

Oh I just get the frozen clams on the half shell my LfS sells. Hikiri brand I believe. She goes nuts for them still. Even got my french angel addicted to them!

Awesome, thanks for the info! May need to check out my local-ish fish store to see if one carries that. I'm sure that's far superior quality. Makes me wonder if the people with bad experiences were buying them at the grocery store.

 

[littlefoxx]

Awesome, thanks for the info! May need to check out my local-ish fish store to see if one carries that. I'm sure that's far superior quality. Makes me wonder if the people with bad experiences were buying them at the grocery store.

Maybe! Just looked its actually ocean nutrition brand. The fish love them!

 

[Thisisfine]

Maybe! Just looked its actually ocean nutrition brand. The fish love them!

Thanks! I had been looking online and the hikari brand was out of stock at most of the major marine retailers.

 

[littlefoxx]

Thanks! I had been looking online and the hikari brand was out of stock at most of the major marine retailers.

Yeah its pretty popular!

 

[Thisisfine]

Yeah its pretty popular!

many thanks! I'll try to find some tomorrow. I tried to feed frozen (carnivore treat for the trigger and angel/butterfly for the angel) as well as live brine. Didn't notice the angel eat but the trigger got through the janky divider the LFS sold me. Now they want to occupy the same space. Once the trigger came over it did make the angel come out more to explore his new neighbor.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do Not recommend paraguard which rarely works and is a tonic. You can run coppersafe at safe minimum of 2.0-2.25 with added aeration or even general cure which contains some prazi

 

[Thisisfine]

I do Not recommend paraguard which rarely works and is a tonic. You can run coppersafe at safe minimum of 2.0-2.25 with added aeration or even general cure which contains some prazi

Thanks! Would you recommend slow ramping the coppersafe with the angel? I have general cure and prazi; have a preference for one over the other? I should hold off on the copper until I see him eat correct? As mentioned earlier, going to look for clams on the half shell tomorrow. He's been in QT almost 24hrs. Shy so I can't say he isn't eating, just not in front of me.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks! Would you recommend slow ramping the coppersafe with the angel? I have general cure and prazi; have a preference for one over the other? I should hold off on the copper until I see him eat correct? As mentioned earlier, going to look for clams on the half shell tomorrow. He's been in QT almost 24hrs. Shy so I can't say he isn't eating, just not in front of me.

general cure and if copper, Do Not ramp it up but get to the level within 24 hours as ramping can allow a given disease to gain resistance making it harder to treat given disease. Add partial doses and get to the full treatment level as soon as possible.

 

[Thisisfine]

general cure and if copper, Do Not ramp it up but get to the level within 24 hours as ramping can allow a given disease to gain resistance making it harder to treat given disease. Add partial doses and get to the full treatment level as soon as possible.

Thanks! General Cure, then Copper after raising in steps to ~2.25 within 24hrs. Got it!

 

[Brymac1]

I’ve never had problems putting regals in a qt with full strength copper right away with no ramp up. I also agree that clams on the half shell are a good food to get them started. I’ve also had success with nori rubberbanded to a rock as well as Easyreefs masstick.

 

[Thisisfine]

I’ve never had problems putting regals in a qt with full strength copper right away with no ramp up. I also agree that clams on the half shell are a good food to get them started. I’ve also had success with nori rubberbanded to a rock as well as Easyreefs masstick.

Thanks! Much appreciated! I tried Nori this morning but had to leave for a family Christmas thing so I'm unsure if he touched it. Tossed it once I got back. I'll check on the Masstick when I hit up a LFS tomorrow a well.

 

[Thisisfine]

So I still can't confirm he's not eating but he doesn't show any response when I add food. Just the typical hiding behavior. Maybe I'm just one of the larger percentage of the pop that ends up with one on permanent hunger strike be it from collection/shipment stress or stress of a QT tank. Has some PVC elbows but it's a far reach from a natural reef they're accustomed to. Some have recommended masstick but no local stores carry it. I can order it but I'm sure it would be several days out. Any other recommendations? Nitrates were a little elevated at 40 a few days ago. Did a 25% water change yesterday and will likely do another tomorrow. Ammonia was 0 at last read.

*EDIT* - I put a Blink mini cam next to the tank to observe after I drop food in (still didn't see a response). Blue Throat hides but after room is vacant a few minutes is out and seems to be eating.

I've tried:
Hikari clams on a half shell (added garlic extreme)
TDO chromaboost pellets (added garlic extreme)
New Life Spectrum pellets (added garlic extreme)
Nori sheets presaturated in garlic
PE Mysis
Lifeline herbivore minced frozen cubes
San Francisco Bay Brand Angel & Butterfly frozen cubes (added garlic extreme)

 

[Thisisfine]

@vetteguy53081

I've tried not to disturb the fish much since I'm trying to get it to eat and disturb it enough with water changes etc. I just noticed one eye is buldged, other appears to be fine. Should I just begin general cure? I still have not seen it eat.

Attaching video. Bulging eye best seen in last few seconds of video.

 

[littlefoxx]

My first one had the same reactions for a few days but I put the clams close to her space and walked away. Eventually I came to find them eaten. I cant see the video but hopefully vetteguy can help with its eye! Keep us updated

 

[Thisisfine]

My first one had the same reactions for a few days but I put the clams close to her space and walked away. Eventually I came to find them eaten. I cant see the video but hopefully vetteguy can help with its eye! Keep us updated

Many thanks! Hopefully it's just an injury rather than bacterial/viral with respect to the eye.

On the food - It's only been about 3 days so maybe it'll get too hungry and end the strike. The first time I tossed two (clams) in soaked in garlic extreme thinking the trigger might end up hoarding if it was only one but I didn't see either touch it. I tried just one today and didn't see anyone mess with it. I think the package says to leave no more than 30 minutes so I stuck with that both times (maybe longer today). Both times I place them in the right side of the tank. They both generally stay in that area. The trigger ventures more now that I have that mini cam in there to see when no ones in the room. The angel stays pretty much in the same two places that aren't more than 6-8 inches apart.

 

[littlefoxx]

Many thanks! Hopefully it's just an injury rather than bacterial/viral with respect to the eye.

On the food - It's only been about 3 days so maybe it'll get too hungry and end the strike. The first time I tossed two (clams) in soaked in garlic extreme thinking the trigger might end up hoarding if it was only one but I didn't see either touch it. I tried just one today and didn't see anyone mess with it. I think the package says to leave no more than 30 minutes so I stuck with that both times (maybe longer today). Both times I place them in the right side of the tank. They both generally stay in that area. The trigger ventures more now that I have that mini cam in there to see when no ones in the room. The angel stays pretty much in the same two places that aren't more than 6-8 inches apart.

Oh I left the clams until they were eaten with no issues. Now they are gone in the first 30 seconds of being in the tank. Regal loves them!