Coral Beauty freak out

DmitryB · Aug 29, 2026

So I'm not sure what is going on. I have a Coral Beauty (Biota) that was my first fish. I had him in my 40 gallon but intended for 170. I've been trying to get him into a fish trap for a couple of weeks, unsuccessfully. He's been in the 40 gallon with Starry Blenny and a Royal Gramma for about two weeks, no issues. Yesterday I added 2 tiny aquacultured Perculas, who are minding their own business. Late last night as I was going to bed I heard odd splashing sounds in the 40 gallon but just thought water flow was doing something, so I ignored it. Just now woke up (like any good parent) to the same sound and thought it was just weird. Went to look - dark with tank moonlight- and see the Angel basically stuck to the overflow chamber. I picked him up with my bare hands. Running around in the dark like crazy trying to figure out what's going on. Grabbed an isolation box and put it with him into the 170. And he is just desperate to get out of it. It's a decent size box and I got 2 PVC to hide. He is trying to find any escape route. It's dark in the tank except moonlight. So not sure what to do. Do I release him into the 170 since he's freaking out? He's got a lot of energy trying to get out, not hiding in the PVC.

(Yesterday I added a few fish I to the 170, its first inhabitants, including a small Hippo, Briatletooth and Yellow Tang. There's a lot of rock there so he can hide. He is an extremely skittish fish, always hiding in rocks in the 40, which is what made him impossible to catch before. Just can't imagine why he was "powerless" in the 40 gallon.)

vetteguy53081 · Aug 29, 2026

DmitryB said:
So I'm not sure what is going on. I have a Coral Beauty (Biota) that was my first fish. I had him in my 40 gallon but intended for 170. I've been trying to get him into a fish trap for a couple of weeks, unsuccessfully. He's been in the 40 gallon with Starry Blenny and a Royal Gramma for about two weeks, no issues. Yesterday I added 2 tiny aquacultured Perculas, who are minding their own business. Late last night as I was going to bed I heard odd splashing sounds in the 40 gallon but just thought water flow was doing something, so I ignored it. Just now woke up (like any good parent) to the same sound and thought it was just weird. Went to look - dark with tank moonlight- and see the Angel basically stuck to the overflow chamber. I picked him up with my bare hands. Running around in the dark like crazy trying to figure out what's going on. Grabbed an isolation box and put it with him into the 170. And he is just desperate to get out of it. It's a decent size box and I got 2 PVC to hide. He is trying to find any escape route. It's dark in the tank except moonlight. So not sure what to do. Do I release him into the 170 since he's freaking out? He's got a lot of energy trying to get out, not hiding in the PVC.

(Yesterday I added a few fish I to the 170, its first inhabitants, including a small Hippo, Briatletooth and Yellow Tang. There's a lot of rock there so he can hide. He is an extremely skittish fish, always hiding in rocks in the 40, which is what made him impossible to catch before. Just can't imagine why he was "powerless" in the 40 gallon.)

It sounds like too many fish too soon ,,,, and in a sense overstocking. The fish to end up in the pump was likely weal or ill and I would hold off with any new additions for at least 6 weeks and keep a close eye on current stock for health.
Picture does not show up but try adding a you tube video using bright white light intensity, no blue added

mfinn · Aug 29, 2026

I can't say why the sudden issues with it in the 40, but it does sound like a move was needed.
The only issue I would have is, do you feel confident with the biosecurity of all the fish now involved?
Have they all be fully quarantined?
If so I would add him to the 170.
Sounds like multiple fish from different sources and tanks.

DmitryB · Aug 29, 2026

I released the Angel into the 170. And he's going from normal behavior - facing off the 3 Tangs - to freaking out at the surface. See the video. The flow is high as well, so it was hard to keep up with him. I have no idea what's going on.

All the fish were quarantined though not by me. They all came from Biota and Dr. Reef. As of right now, none are displaying any odd behavior (except the 3 juvenile Tangs are flaring their tails at each other because they all decided they liked one specific overhang.)

mfinn · Aug 29, 2026

I'd probably shut the lights off early and then maybe minimal lights tomorrow. See if that calms him down.

DmitryB · Aug 29, 2026

And here Coral Beauty is now with Yellow Tang (more Transparent Tang) and Bristletooth Tang. A few minutes later, the Angel was the only one left under the overhang.

Damage12 · Aug 29, 2026

Maybe turn down the flow a little too. I don’t see much in the way of coral so you could turn it down by at least 30%. He seems to be struggling in open water with that heavy flow and if already weak, that may make it worse.

DmitryB · Aug 29, 2026

Damage12 said:
Maybe turn down the flow a little too. I don’t see much in the way of coral so you could turn it down by at least 30%. He seems to be struggling in open water with that heavy flow and if already weak, that may make it worse.

I do have a lot of frags on the bottom of the tank, but it may be a good idea to turn it down for a few days.

EnterName · Aug 29, 2026

If you don't get a satisfying answer or are still unsure, I recommend using the hashtag # fishmedic. It will notify a few of the most knowledgeable people here on R2R about fish health. vetteguy53081 is one of them and already responded, but maybe a few others will chime in.

DmitryB · Aug 29, 2026

#fishmedic

Any ideas? He does it for a while and then acts normal. In two different tanks. No other fish show anything like this. And he only started doing it last night.

Jay Hemdal · Aug 30, 2026

DmitryB said:
#fishmedic

Any ideas? He does it for a while and then acts normal. In two different tanks. No other fish show anything like this. And he only started doing it last night.

Is it still doing that today?

DmitryB · Aug 30, 2026

Jay Hemdal said:
DmitryB said:

#fishmedic

Any ideas? He does it for a while and then acts normal. In two different tanks. No other fish show anything like this. And he only started doing it last night.

Click to expand...

Is it still doing that today?

Hi Jay, this morning as I was leaving for work at 7am he was.

DmitryB · Aug 30, 2026

Came home from work, Angel is still doing this.

I did notice something else odd. He was in the 40 gallon where there is a Royal Gramma. They've been in there for a couple of weeks, I never noticed any issues. Since the Angel started acting odd in the 40 - I've barely seen the Royal Gramma, who was active previously. I saw her just once yesterday and not at all today. (I did only just get home, but she was previously always out.) There could be a connection... But I have no idea what it is. In the 40 gallon, the other fish - Starry Blenny, Pigmy Filefish and 2 Clowns are all acting fine. Even the RBTA that had split and was hiding in the rocks has crawled out of the rocks yesterday.

I mean, this can't be normal behavior, right? Is he struggling for oxygen? I don't get it. If nothing else, he should be absolutely exhausted by now.

winxp_man · Aug 30, 2026

My CB Angel did this when in QT. During lights off or low light he did not. Now it’s in a tank with a flame, and a golden all all good. He was swimming kind of like this for a couple of days. Now he’s calmed down and picking at rocks like angels usually do.

Is your CB Angel eating?

DmitryB · Aug 30, 2026

winxp_man said:
My CB Angel did this when in QT. During lights off or low light he did not. Now it’s in a tank with a flame, and a golden all all good. He was swimming kind of like this for a couple of days. Now he’s calmed down and picking at rocks like angels usually do.

Is your CB Angel eating?

He was eating for weeks in the 40 gallon. He's grown quite a bit since I got him from Biota. This all started 2 nights ago. I'm at a loss. But I'm glad yours recovered. There's hope!

He wasn't doing it for about 30 mins and now started again.

Jay Hemdal · Aug 30, 2026

DmitryB said:
Came home from work, Angel is still doing this.

I did notice something else odd. He was in the 40 gallon where there is a Royal Gramma. They've been in there for a couple of weeks, I never noticed any issues. Since the Angel started acting odd in the 40 - I've barely seen the Royal Gramma, who was active previously. I saw her just once yesterday and not at all today. (I did only just get home, but she was previously always out.) There could be a connection... But I have no idea what it is. In the 40 gallon, the other fish - Starry Blenny, Pigmy Filefish and 2 Clowns are all acting fine. Even the RBTA that had split and was hiding in the rocks has crawled out of the rocks yesterday.

I mean, this can't be normal behavior, right? Is he struggling for oxygen? I don't get it. If nothing else, he should be absolutely exhausted by now.

That hyper activity will wear the fish down - lowering blood oxygen to begin with, but then, a calorie deficit as it continues. Either issue could become fatal.

Given the flow rate that I can see, I don't *think* it is a lack of oxygen. Does the tank have a protein skimmer? If so, it isn't low dissolved oxygen. If you don't have bubbles breaking the water's surface somewhere, it *could* be low oxygen, adding an air stone is an easy way to resolve the issue if that's it.

I still think there is some aggression issue (possibly hidden) that is causing the angel to be stressed. Of the treatable diseases, none really show this sort of symptom. The shy gramma could be a symptom of flukes.
Are both the angel and gramma still eating normally?

Flukes do sometimes get through a quarantine protocol, but are rare in Biota fish - unless they spent any time at a dealer's with wild caught fish, then all bets are off. Dr. Reef, fully quarantined fish should also be fluke-free, but their conditioned fish may not be fully treated for flukes.

DmitryB · Aug 30, 2026

Jay Hemdal said:
That hyper activity will wear the fish down - lowering blood oxygen to begin with, but then, a calorie deficit as it continues. Either issue could become fatal.

Given the flow rate that I can see, I don't *think* it is a lack of oxygen. Does the tank have a protein skimmer? If so, it isn't low dissolved oxygen. If you don't have bubbles breaking the water's surface somewhere, it *could* be low oxygen, adding an air stone is an easy way to resolve the issue if that's it.

I still think there is some aggression issue (possibly hidden) that is causing the angel to be stressed. Of the treatable diseases, none really show this sort of symptom. The shy gramma could be a symptom of flukes.
Are both the angel and gramma still eating normally?

Flukes do sometimes get through a quarantine protocol, but are rare in Biota fish - unless they spent any time at a dealer's with wild caught fish, then all bets are off. Dr. Reef, fully quarantined fish should also be fluke-free, but their conditioned fish may not be fully treated for flukes.

There is a protein skimmer and I have a ReefWave 45 sending water across the surface, so you're right on the oxygen. Something happened in that 40 gallon and I just can't imagine. Unless it's a coincidence, Royal Gramma going into hiding is too suspicious. I did not see the Gramma today at all; it did not come out during feeding. The Coral Beauty also did not eat - although none of the fish seemed to eat, likely because this is only their 2nd day in the tank. (The 3 Tangs, all same size, are in a stand-off over one specific overhang. They just flick their tails at each other. The only fish I've sene eat was the Two Spot Bristletooth and it was eating hair algae. (Yay on that point!)) So I'm home all day tomorrow so I'll be able to observe everyone. I just wish there was something I could do, it's upsetting to watch him struggle like that and having no idea why.

With Dr. Reef, all the fish were quarantined. And with Biota - they shipped all the fish directly. So no middleman there. I'm just going to hope for the best... Cross your fingers everyone! And thank you!!

winxp_man · Aug 30, 2026

@DmitryB have to say stress over all disease issues. And this can be a psychological issues. And only time will tell if it recovers. With stress cameras on the tank can be of help. To see if the new fish are now possibly picking on the angel.

In another tank I have a pair of Darwin Ocy clowns. One of the nems got out and decided to set itself on one of the rocks where my white tail bristletooth decided to pick at algae from and so does the Shepard angel. The clowns are now claiming the territory. But the algae eaters want to pick at the algae and they go at it something furious. Especially when I’m not around. I’m breaking them up today. When I’m around it more mild. But when I’m not they have at it.

Point and case, aggression or chasing happens most often when we are not around. This is why I said tank cams are a really good thing.

DmitryB · Aug 30, 2026

winxp_man said:
@DmitryB have to say stress over all disease issues. And this can be a psychological issues. And only time will tell if it recovers. With stress cameras on the tank can be of help. To see if the new fish are now possibly picking on the angel.

In another tank I have a pair of Darwin Ocy clowns. One of the nems got out and decided to set itself on one of the rocks where my white tail bristletooth decided to pick at algae from and so does the Shepard angel. The clowns are now claiming the territory. But the algae eaters want to pick at the algae and they go at it something furious. Especially when I’m not around. I’m breaking them up today. When I’m around it more mild. But when I’m not they have at it.

Point and case, aggression or chasing happens most often when we are not around. This is why I said tank cams are a really good thing.

Hmmm yeah I gotta figure out a camera - and quick! Thanks for that tip!