Biocube and custom 80 gal buildish build, Evo no more. There is some reef related content, sometimes.

[Sharkbait19]

Have you tried feeding mysis? Most fish can’t resist it.

 

[rmorris_14]

Have you tried feeding mysis? Most fish can’t resist it.

I have tried:
Small mysis
PE mysis
Frozen Brine shrimp
LRS reef Frenzy
ROD reef complete
frozen Blood worms
frozen shrimp
live brine babies
Krill
^ all of these foods I have tried plain, or soaked in selcon, or soaked in garlic

She went from thriving to one day not eating, laid eggs, and then her appetite has just diminished more and more from there. I try feeding several times through out the day and its hit or miss if she will get any food in her mouth. Before I got her moved over, I was lucky to get her to eat one bite that would be close to her head. After that one bite she will not eat anything else. It was never a specific kind of food. It's been random but the most successful seemed to be the blood worms, then maybe a mysis or frozen brine. There is no where to buy live food around me, which is why I am trying to get this brine bigger to maybe interest her. I'm really at a loss and aside from just saying she is old and has decided to give up on life, there really isn't anything else I can think of. I hate feeling like I'm not able to turn this around.

 

[Sharkbait19]

It only started after laying?

 

[rmorris_14]

It only started after laying?

Yes about two days before she laid eggs, I noticed she wasn't eating (it was March 18th). I got immediately concerned. Then that weekend she laid eggs, which is the only time she has ever done that and surprised me because there is no mate in the tank. The eggs stayed attached to her vent for a couple of days. Eventually they came off and I thought her appetite would return. It never did. That's when I started trying different foods as I know cardinals can be finicky eaters. She wasn't really interested in much. I thought we had turned a corner once when I got her to eat the small mysis. But after two meals, she started refusing that. I finally got her to go crazy over the frozen brine.. she had two great meals of that but then stopped eating again. I have never seen her eat with earnest after that. I didn't treat her because I was going out of town. I had my tank sitter feed the tank heavily with the various foods and just hoped for the best. When I got home she was in bad shape from the other fish now picking on her. So thats when I moved her to the evo. in the evo is when I could randomly get her to take a bite once here and there. I started watching her even more closely and suspected that she cant see well. She would bump into rocks, the walls and not really respond to me putting things in the tank. Her eyes however, look crystal clear. As I said in the early posts, the General cure was a hail mary....., and that brings us to today. Have any ideas? It's bizarre right?

edit to add this is a picture of her right before she laid eggs
And one the other day in the hospital tank

 

[Miami Reef]

Yes about two days before she laid eggs, I noticed she wasn't eating (it was March 18th). I got immediately concerned. Then that weekend she laid eggs, which is the only time she has ever done that and surprised me because there is no mate in the tank. The eggs stayed attached to her vent for a couple of days. Eventually they came off and I thought her appetite would return. It never did. That's when I started trying different foods as I know cardinals can be finicky eaters. She wasn't really interested in much. I thought we had turned a corner once when I got her to eat the small mysis. But after two meals, she started refusing that. I finally got her to go crazy over the frozen brine.. she had two great meals of that but then stopped eating again. I have never seen her eat with earnest after that. I didn't treat her because I was going out of town. I had my tank sitter feed the tank heavily with the various foods and just hoped for the best. When I got home she was in bad shape from the other fish now picking on her. So thats when I moved her to the evo. in the evo is when I could randomly get her to take a bite once here and there. I started watching her even more closely and suspected that she cant see well. She would bump into rocks, the walls and not really respond to me putting things in the tank. Her eyes however, look crystal clear. As I said in the early posts, the General cure was a hail mary....., and that brings us to today. Have any ideas? It's bizarre right?

edit to add this is a picture of her right before she laid eggs
And one the other day in the hospital tank

This stinks to hear.

I would love to send you some worms. I just don’t know if they’ll survive shipping in this weather.

 

[rmorris_14]

This stinks to hear.

I would love to send you some worms. I just don’t know if they’ll survive shipping in this weather.

Thanks! I know they don't ship well other wise you could just order them right?!?!? I think if I start another live food project, my husband might loose his mind. HAHAHA Nothing about my set ups are pretty or fancy. I've got 5 gallon buckets taking over our house. Some for water changes and some now for the brine. I'm gonna see how this plays out before my next venture. I think my husband's sanity depends on it. He has been very patient with how time consuming all of this has been, but I can tell its starting to wear on him a little. I'm definitely going to hit you up with some questions if I do make a go for it with the wormies though.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Hey Sam! Thanks for stopping in to check out my build thread. It is pretty puny compared to the work you have done with yours. I've enjoyed following your journey. I think the Arrow crabs are so cool looking. A lot of people dont like them because of their spidery legs. But as I said in The Miami reef thread, there isnt a crab I have seen, that I don't like. Right now my flatworms are staying super low numbers ( I have only seen a few since I cleared them out. If that remains the case, I've got my heart set on a pom pom crab for this evo.

wow thanks! don't know why I'm not getting notifications on updates to my watched threads but I've totally missed peoples updates! pom pom crabs are the little cheerleaders of aquaria!

 

[Miami Reef]

Thanks! I know they don't ship well other wise you could just order them right?!?!? I think if I start another live food project, my husband might loose his mind. HAHAHA Nothing about my set ups are pretty or fancy. I've got 5 gallon buckets taking over our house. Some for water changes and some now for the brine. I'm gonna see how this plays out before my next venture. I think my husband's sanity depends on it. He has been very patient with how time consuming all of this has been, but I can tell its starting to wear on him a little. I'm definitely going to hit you up with some questions if I do make a go for it with the wormies though.

Let me know when you’re ready. I checked and it appears to be around 50F in Indiana. I can put extra ice packs and send you a nice sized culture. Mine are 100% mite free as well.

I am considering making a whiteworm culture article.

The worms do ship well so long as you purchase them at the right time. The first time I purchased my worms online was in Summer and they all arrived dead without me realizing.

I gave it another shot and ordered them from Amazon last Fall and they arrived alive and I still have them today.

 

[rmorris_14]

wow thanks! don't know why I'm not getting notifications on updates to my watched threads but I've totally missed peoples updates! pom pom crabs are the little cheerleaders of aquaria!

They are!... I want a whole squad.

Sadly, they are a little hard to come by unless they get stocked on line.

 

[rmorris_14]

Let me know when you’re ready. I checked and it appears to be around 50F in Indiana. I can put extra ice packs and send you a nice sized culture. Mine are 100% mite free as well.

I am considering making a whiteworm culture article.

The worms do ship well so long as you purchase them at the right time. The first time I purchased my worms online was in Summer and they all arrived dead without me realizing.

I gave it another shot and ordered them from Amazon last Fall and they arrived alive and I still have them today.

Of course I would start considering the white worms more seriously once summer is upon us HAHAHA. I'll keep an eye on the weather and my husband's temperament and take you up on that offer if we get some more mild weather in the coming weeks and I decide to pull the trigger. Of course I will pay you for whatever it costs to ship.

Make that article in the meantime!

 

[Miami Reef]

Of course I would start considering the white worms more seriously once summer is upon us HAHAHA. I'll keep an eye on the weather and my husband's temperament and take you up on that offer if we get some more mild weather in the coming weeks and I decide to pull the trigger. Of course I will pay you for whatever it costs to ship.

Make that article in the meantime!

No payment needed. I like to help out my friends.

 

[rmorris_14]

No payment needed. I like to help out my friends.

Thats so kind! If I have become the Miyagi of brine shrimp, I'll find a way to return the favor .

 

[Sharkbait19]

Yes about two days before she laid eggs, I noticed she wasn't eating (it was March 18th). I got immediately concerned. Then that weekend she laid eggs, which is the only time she has ever done that and surprised me because there is no mate in the tank. The eggs stayed attached to her vent for a couple of days. Eventually they came off and I thought her appetite would return. It never did. That's when I started trying different foods as I know cardinals can be finicky eaters. She wasn't really interested in much. I thought we had turned a corner once when I got her to eat the small mysis. But after two meals, she started refusing that. I finally got her to go crazy over the frozen brine.. she had two great meals of that but then stopped eating again. I have never seen her eat with earnest after that. I didn't treat her because I was going out of town. I had my tank sitter feed the tank heavily with the various foods and just hoped for the best. When I got home she was in bad shape from the other fish now picking on her. So thats when I moved her to the evo. in the evo is when I could randomly get her to take a bite once here and there. I started watching her even more closely and suspected that she cant see well. She would bump into rocks, the walls and not really respond to me putting things in the tank. Her eyes however, look crystal clear. As I said in the early posts, the General cure was a hail mary....., and that brings us to today. Have any ideas? It's bizarre right?

edit to add this is a picture of her right before she laid eggs
And one the other day in the hospital tank

Seems like some reproductive trouble then, with something screwed up internally.
@Jay Hemdal have you seen anything like this before?

 

[Projects with Sam]

They are!... I want a whole squad.

Sadly, they are a little hard to come by unless they get stocked on line.

hip, hip, swish.... wa? we were talking about fish?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Seems like some reproductive trouble then, with something screwed up internally.
@Jay Hemdal have you seen anything like this before?

Other than this species is prone to reproductive issues (probably due to their large egg size). I do see dystocia (egg binding) in these. I can't say for sure if that is what's going on here though.

Jay

 

[rmorris_14]

Other than this species is prone to reproductive issues (probably due to their large egg size). I do see dystocia (egg binding) in these. I can't say for sure if that is what's going on here though.

Jay

Thanks for the input Jay!

Aside from the general cure, which we just went through... is there anything else you recommend?

 

[Miami Reef]

Thats so kind! If I have become the Miyagi of brine shrimp, I'll find a way to return the favor .

You already returned the favor! You showed me how interesting inverts can be! I bought my Sea Hare because you inspired me and it’s giving me so much joy. I’m thinking of adding some Pom Pom and other inverts.

Do you recommend any inverts for my tank? I’m looking for inverts that will make kids interested. The most interesting ones! I’m thinking of adding skunk cleaner shrimp.

Bare bottom tank.

 

[rmorris_14]

You already returned the favor! You showed me how interesting inverts can be! I bought my Sea Hare because you inspired me and it’s giving me so much joy. I’m thinking of adding some Pom Pom and other inverts.

Do you recommend any inverts for my tank? I’m looking for inverts that will make kids interested. The most interesting ones! I’m thinking of adding skunk cleaner shrimp.

Bare bottom tank.

You know how I feel about the skunk cleaner. They are super fun and my kids love ours. I fully endorse that decision.
I'm on a rock flower kick right now, which will host sexy shrimp ( would get a few) or Porcelain crabs. I think those would be really cool to watch. They are small and might be better suited for a nano to see though . If and when I have them, I'm considering getting one of those mountable magnifying glass for the side of the tank, so the kiddos could view better.

The same goes for the pom pom being hard to see in larger tanks. I've heard people say they rarely get to see theirs in a large tank If you can get your hands on some, I would get a few to up your chances.

I know you mentioned starfish. I think some banded brittle stars would be cool. These are nocturnal though so you wont really see them much, unless you try to catch them after lights out. Which is a bummer.

I love my emerald crab, may he rest in peace . Still stings to type that. I keep searching the rock work hoping that I was wrong and fooled by another molt (even though I know in my heart, I wasn't). I just loved how he would wave his little claw like an angry grandpa trying to get the kids of his lawn if another fish got to close. A lot of people recommend getting a female instead of a male because their opinion is, they are less likely to go after corals. I never had that problem with my dude and I kept him well fed. I would get another one of those in a heart beat. My son asked me where he was the other day and I didn't have the heart to tell him he was probably gone for good.
I'm not 100% which inverts can peacefully or not peacefully cohabitate with others, so I would always check that before I decided on one.

 

[Projects with Sam]

You already returned the favor! You showed me how interesting inverts can be! I bought my Sea Hare because you inspired me and it’s giving me so much joy. I’m thinking of adding some Pom Pom and other inverts.

Do you recommend any inverts for my tank? I’m looking for inverts that will make kids interested. The most interesting ones! I’m thinking of adding skunk cleaner shrimp.

Bare bottom tank.

Skunk cleaner shrimp are awesome! mine hangs out under a rockwork overhang and the fish get in line for cleanings.
The other day the shrimp jumped onto an Anthias and rode him around a little bit like a jockey. The fish kind of freaked out but the shrimp seemed to have fun and got the morsal he was after.

 

[Miami Reef]

I will get a few skunk cleaner shrimp. As for starfish, I’m really into the Fromia:

They have a much better track record than Linkias. And they have the red color that I’m after.

Edit: and I will get a banded brittle star. I do have a male emerald crab in my QT. He is so personable, but he killed my other male emerald. So it’s just him. He’s really funny.

Can you get another emerald without telling your son the other one died? Or maybe get a girl and tell your son the truth.