Lyretail anthias not eating

[SebM]

We have three. Didn’t touch anything in the first two weeks. I ordered all types of different food for them. No luck. Frozen copepods made them look at least semi interested but nothing else.

Two weeks later, from one feeding to the next they were suddenly as crazy as all other fish about the normal pellets I feed!

Total change in behaviour too. They are not scared of anything. Swim with the chromis as much as they swim with the tangs and clowns. They even let the cleaner wrasse clean them.

One of my favourite fish.

 

[cdemoss01]

We have three. Didn’t touch anything in the first two weeks. I ordered all types of different food for them. No luck. Frozen copepods made them look at least semi interested but nothing else.

Two weeks later, from one feeding to the next they were suddenly as crazy as all other fish about the normal pellets I feed!

Total change in behaviour too. They are not scared of anything. Swim with the chromis as much as they swim with the tangs and clowns. They even let the cleaner wrasse clean them.

One of my favourite fish.

So it must take a bit more time then?

 

[vetteguy53081]

So it must take a bit more time then?

What is your specific Gravity?
You dont want it too high or too low (1.024- 1.025) and are any fish intimidating it or havering around fish?

 

[cdemoss01]

What is your specific Gravity?
You dont want it too high or too low (1.024- 1.025) and are any fish intimidating it or havering around fish?

I feel like my long nose could be. She sticks up her top fin when he comes around but no harassment.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I feel like my long nose could be. She sticks up her top fin when he comes around but no harassment.

Something to keep an eye on OR even next time you go to feed, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a bully at feeding time.

 

[SebM]

So it must take a bit more time then?

It did with ours. There were points when I th

So it must take a bit more time then?

was the case with mine, hopefully the same with you!

 

[cdemoss01]

It did with ours. There were points when I th

was the case with mine, hopefully the same with you!

She did the same thing today. But this time she ate extremely small pieces.

 

[Tcook]

She did the same thing today. But this time she ate extremely small pieces.

The whole PE mysis is typically too large for most small to medium anthias. Try chopping it. Also see if you lfs can source PE Calanus.

 

[cdemoss01]

The whole PE mysis is typically too large for most small to medium anthias. Try chopping it. Also see if you lfs can source PE Calanus.

I chop it up. It's the frozen cube kind.

 

[Tcook]

I chop it up. It's the frozen cube kind.

They’ll eventually get aggressive towards mysis. The calanus is a more natural food for them and is only about 1 mm in size.

 

[mcarroll]

Hatching baby brine shrimp from eggs, or getting some Ocean Nutrition Instant Baby Brine Shrimp would be good options too.

 

[cdemoss01]

Something to keep an eye on OR even next time you go to feed, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a bully at feeding time.

I will do this.

 

[cdemoss01]

We have three. Didn’t touch anything in the first two weeks. I ordered all types of different food for them. No luck. Frozen copepods made them look at least semi interested but nothing else.

Two weeks later, from one feeding to the next they were suddenly as crazy as all other fish about the normal pellets I feed!

Total change in behaviour too. They are not scared of anything. Swim with the chromis as much as they swim with the tangs and clowns. They even let the cleaner wrasse clean them.

One of my favourite fish.

Did you almost lose yours? How long does it take for these fish to starve?

 

[SebM]

Did you almost lose yours? How long does it take for these fish to starve?

It never got to the point where I was really worried. They were fine, just not interested in food. Buying lots of different options was probably an overreaction.

How is yours now?

 

[cdemoss01]

Did you almost lose yours? How long does it take for these fish to starve?

It never got to the point where I was really worried. They were fine, just not interested in food. Buying lots of different options was probably an overreaction.

How is yours now?

I forgot to update due to site mantinence. But this morning she ate a large chunk of mysis and didn't spit it out!

 

[cdemoss01]

Alright so we got it to eat. However now all it does it just hide? What is going on?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Alright so we got it to eat. However now all it does it just hide? What is going on?

Circling back - what other fish are in with it? (I’m on my phone in my car and I can’t easily scan back to see if you posted that already).

 

[cdemoss01]

Circling back - what other fish are in with it? (I’m on my phone in my car and I can’t easily scan back to see if you posted that already).

All good
Long nose hawk
Marble wrasse
Only two suspects that might be the problem but I've observed from a distance. The hawkfish either just sits on a rock and the wrasse just does circles around the tank. When I walk up to the glass they just come right to me.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

All good
Long nose hawk
Marble wrasse
Only two suspects that might be the problem but I've observed from a distance. The hawkfish either just sits on a rock and the wrasse just does circles around the tank. When I walk up to the glass they just come right to me.

Probably worth trying the phone trick - set your phone up to video the whole tank. Then, come back and scan the video for any odd behavior. You may not see an actual strike, but watch for things like the anthias coming out, but then diving back into hiding when a certain fish gets near. This trick will also tell you if the anthias is just hiding due to your presence.

 

[cdemoss01]

What is happening dude. My long nose started hiding out of nowhere today with my anthias. Are they sick and I don't know it?