Calling all Sweetlips Clown Owners

Mastiffsrule · Jun 12, 2020

Hi gang,

I have to let you in to a dark and shady side of mastiffsrule. I am more about the fish than the coral. ;Nailbiting I love coral, but long ago I did not walk into a lfs and say “holy look at the polyps on that hammer”.

I purchased a sweetlips today. They are not often mentioned because they are not seen a lot in our community. I am looking for help with anyone who has long term experience with them. I have found very few over the years with long term success.

Those not familiar, they start off small and cute. They can grow 2+ feet easy. (I actually got mine as a way to break it to the wife we are getting a 400+). The biggest concerns I have are most are captured thru poising which will not show up until the 2 to 3 month mark.

My question right now, (and this goes across the board) Is there anything we can proactive we can do for cyanide poisonings caught fish real or imagined? I have the environment set up, he has already eaten, and there are no issues of dominance. This tank was made for him if he wasn’t poisoned before I got him.

Thanks everyone.

lion king · Jun 12, 2020

in regards to cyanide poisoning, I don't think there is anything that can be done. The damage to the nervous system and organs are already done, it just matters to what degree, as to the end result. Will he seize and die within days, go blind, or just drop dead at some point from organ failure. Lets just hope that's not the case. While some fish really don't seem right from the get go, others can seem completey normal, and just drop dead one day. I.ve cut fish open to find hemorrhaged organs, whether be from some chemical(cyanide) or other damage(meds). The blind thing I've seen several times and also don't know what the source, cyanide or copper.

While I don't have direct experience with this fish, on the subject of long term success. This can sometimes be nutritional, I know they are predatory, so the absence of live food may play a role. Limiting foods with thiaminese, which binds vitamin B1; krill and certain brands of silversides contain high amounts of thiaminese. Hikari silversides is a variety of smelt which does not contain thiaminese. Feeding fresh seafood, like sashimi grade seafood, still viable with complete nutrition. Shells on shrimp.