Anthias suffering from unknown problem

[Dysprosium]

I recently added 4 Anthias, 3 are doing totally fine, eating, all that, one decided to go hide under some rocks. After a couple of days of this I removed it to a QT tank for observation and it's not doing well, but it's quite unclear as to what the cause might be.

Observations:

-not eating

-unable to maintain position well (see attached video)

-color seems fine

-no bloating or swelling

-no spots of any kind.

I also lost a Purple tang with similar symptoms, also no clear cause, hence my concern that it might be something spreading.

No other fish seem affected in any way.

FOWLR Tank, parameters are fine, 2 year old tank.

Any ideas what to do to further diagnose? I don't think much can be done for this fish, but I'd like to address anything before I lose more.

@Jay Hemdal based on another answer of yours, I expect this might be a mysterious viral thing? I'm not sure what can be done if so.

 

[LeftyReefer]

do you have any General Cure or Metro on hand?

When I QT'd some anthias recently, one of them wouldn't eat for several days. I dosed metro to the tank and the following day he started eating like a champ.

your fish looks very very thin and looks to be in pretty rough shape. getting him to eat is paramount to getting him to recover. if it won't eat, it won't get any better.

what are you feeding it? try calanus or brine shrimp. That's what my anthias seem to prefer.

 

[Dysprosium]

I'm feeding them mysis, and pellets. The other ones are eating great and having no problems, he was also eating up until he didn't.

I've put metro in the 5 gallon QT tank for now since I had it on hand, but that's more of a "what I have" solution than a targeted treatment.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I recently added 4 Anthias, 3 are doing totally fine, eating, all that, one decided to go hide under some rocks. After a couple of days of this I removed it to a QT tank for observation and it's not doing well, but it's quite unclear as to what the cause might be.

Observations:

-not eating

-unable to maintain position well (see attached video)

-color seems fine

-no bloating or swelling

-no spots of any kind.

I also lost a Purple tang with similar symptoms, also no clear cause, hence my concern that it might be something spreading.

No other fish seem affected in any way.

FOWLR Tank, parameters are fine, 2 year old tank.

Any ideas what to do to further diagnose? I don't think much can be done for this fish, but I'd like to address anything before I lose more.

@Jay Hemdal based on another answer of yours, I expect this might be a mysterious viral thing? I'm not sure what can be done if so.

Pictures under white lighting will be helpful with assessment. Also, inadequate diet beig fed. Requiring regular feedings and meaty foods, add :
LRS reef fremzt
Rods original formula
small plankton
SFB marine cuisine

 

[Dysprosium]

The picture is under white light.

Their diet is fine for the species, this isn’t a diet issue.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I recently added 4 Anthias, 3 are doing totally fine, eating, all that, one decided to go hide under some rocks. After a couple of days of this I removed it to a QT tank for observation and it's not doing well, but it's quite unclear as to what the cause might be.

Observations:

-not eating

-unable to maintain position well (see attached video)

-color seems fine

-no bloating or swelling

-no spots of any kind.

I also lost a Purple tang with similar symptoms, also no clear cause, hence my concern that it might be something spreading.

No other fish seem affected in any way.

FOWLR Tank, parameters are fine, 2 year old tank.

Any ideas what to do to further diagnose? I don't think much can be done for this fish, but I'd like to address anything before I lose more.

@Jay Hemdal based on another answer of yours, I expect this might be a mysterious viral thing? I'm not sure what can be done if so.

Hi, I couldn’t see the video. The suspected viral problem only seems to affect certain wrasses.
Is the anthias breathing deep/fast?
Jay

 

[Dysprosium]

Hi, I couldn’t see the video. The suspected viral problem only seems to affect certain wrasses.
Is the anthias breathing deep/fast?
Jay

As I suspected the fish is dead this morning.

Try this, I'm not sure why the video got stripped out it was there when I checked last night.

If that doesn't work here is an Imgur link:

imgur

 

[LeftyReefer]

that sucks. losing fish stinks.
hope the other ones all do good for you!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

As I suspected the fish is dead this morning.

Try this, I'm not sure why the video got stripped out it was there when I checked last night.

If that doesn't work here is an Imgur link:

imgur

Sorry to hear. The anthias in the video is really skinny, more than a few days of not eating would cause. I suspect this fish had an issue from before you got it (assuming less than a week ago?).

I don't see any overt signs of disease on this fish. "Failure to thrive" is a catch-all term that is sometimes used in cases like this. These fish go through a LOT before you get them; some are collected with cyanide, then they spend a week or more living in plastic bags from the collecting areas to the staging export areas. They then arrive at the destination country and get shipped at least one more time. It's a miracle that any make it at all. Covid reduced the number of flights and increased the shipping charges, so the fish are in boxes longer, and they are packed tighter to try and save on costs.

How do the other three look? Are they all eating?

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

The picture is under white light.

Their diet is fine for the species, this isn’t a diet issue.

Having 7 anthias 4+ years not saying its a dietary issue but lack of needed fats and aminos for INadequate diet and suspected even before seeing pics. Diet is not fine for the species as they have dietary needs and will lead to thiining, virus issues and lethargic behavior

 

[Dysprosium]

Sorry to hear. The anthias in the video is really skinny, more than a few days of not eating would cause. I suspect this fish had an issue from before you got it (assuming less than a week ago?).

I don't see any overt signs of disease on this fish. "Failure to thrive" is a catch-all term that is sometimes used in cases like this. These fish go through a LOT before you get them; some are collected with cyanide, then they spend a week or more living in plastic bags from the collecting areas to the staging export areas. They then arrive at the destination country and get shipped at least one more time. It's a miracle that any make it at all. Covid reduced the number of flights and increased the shipping charges, so the fish are in boxes longer, and they are packed tighter to try and save on costs.

How do the other three look? Are they all eating?

Jay

They are all eating great and being what you would expect from Anthias. He was eating...then just stopped and hid. The more worrisome thing is that the purple tang did the same thing a few days before, and he was with me for a few months and thriving.

Losing fish just comes with the hobby, it's the unknown aspect, I'm concerned about my tank getting wiped out by some unknown thing and not knowing what to do.

Here's a video of them:

I haven't even had them for a week yet, so still working on fattening them up. My system is geared up to feed a lot (I have waste removal over-sized for the tank.) They are getting fed frozen foods 3-5 times a day, mostly mysis, but mussel and whatever else I can get them to take. There is a refugium which produces copious amounts of pods attached to the tank, I don't think food will be an issue.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

They are all eating great and being what you would expect from Anthias. He was eating...then just stopped and hid. The more worrisome thing is that the purple tang did the same thing a few days before, and he was with me for a few months and thriving.

Losing fish just comes with the hobby, it's the unknown aspect, I'm concerned about my tank getting wiped out by some unknown thing and not knowing what to do.

Here's a video of them:

I haven't even had them for a week yet, so still working on fattening them up. My system is geared up to feed a lot (I have waste removal over-sized for the tank.) They are getting fed frozen foods 3-5 times a day, mostly mysis, but mussel and whatever else I can get them to take. There is a refugium which produces copious amounts of pods attached to the tank, I don't think food will be an issue.

I can’t say if the purple tang issue is related or not. Purple tangs are often handled better than these anthias are.

Sorry, I don’t see a specific treatable issue here.

You could try adding small pelleted food to the mix, I like NLS. It may be too soon, but I like getting them onto that as soon as I can.

Jay

 

[jabberwock]

What is the tank size?

 

[Dysprosium]

I can’t say if the purple tang issue is related or not. Purple tangs are often handled better than these anthias are.

Sorry, I don’t see a specific treatable issue here.

You could try adding small pelleted food to the mix, I like NLS. It may be too soon, but I like getting them onto that as soon as I can.

Jay

Thanks for verifying that, I don’t see anything either. I think the best we have is mystery death, which does happen. I just didn’t want to not take action if it was warranted.

 

[Dysprosium]

What is the tank size?

It is an Aqueon 210 gallon reef ready with a 40 gallon sump. Not strictly a FOWLR because I have a few inverts present, a couple of urchins, hermit crabs and a pistol shrimp.

 

[jabberwock]

It is an Aqueon 210 gallon reef ready with a 40 gallon sump. Not strictly a FOWLR because I have a few inverts present, a couple of urchins, hermit crabs and a pistol shrimp.

Plenty of tank...