Multibar Angel

[spartanman22]

wanted to get some opinions on what to do with this guy. I received a captive bred multibar from Dr Reefs. He showed up looking great. I had requested a small, but this guy deserves to be in the “tiny” category.

I’ve got him in a good sized acclimation box. I’m reluctant to let him into the main display. It’s an 80 gallon mixed reef. Current occupants are a small/medium white tail bristletooth tang, pair of clowns, and a six line.

I also ordered a small royal gramma and candy hog with the multibar. All three are in the acclimation box.

Should I keep him in the box for a while and let him grow a bit or cut him loose?

 

[ndrwater]

Id keep him in the box for a bit longer. The 6-line and tang may take offense. But you know your fish better than I do. If the new additions have a good place to hide, and are obviously smaller and therefore not perceived as a threat, they may get along just fine..

Also note to self, almost always, captive bred fish will be small to very small. Medium is relative in terms size...

 

[slingfox]

I also got a captive bred Multibar two days ago. I tried to put him into an acclimation box but it was the first time I was using the box and it fell apart in the tank! When the Multibar got to the rockwork my Yellow Tang immediately interrogated him for a few seconds than swam away. All other fish ignored the Multibar except my Falcon Hawkfish who decided to chase the Multibar all around. Now my Multibar is hiding in a small cave area and ventures out a small distance. It picks at the rock a lot which is a good sign.

If I were you I would plan to keep the Multibar in the acclimation box for a few weeks (or more) and ensure it eats. Watch to see if the Six-Line is curious or not.

I have ordered a new acclimation box since my current one is junk. I am contemplating catching the Falco Hawkfish if the aggression gets out of hand but right now there is not much chasing. The thing I am worried about for my Multibar is whether it will get enough to eat or not since it is hiding in a cave most of the day.

Here is my Multibar in the open with the stalker Falco Hawkfish nearby:

 

[spartanman22]

Ya this is my first captive bred. I’ve had wild caught in the past. Was very unprepared for the size! He’s pretty fat for being tiny so he was certainly eating well. He hasn’t eaten much for me yet. Nibbled briefly on mysis. Going to grab some fresh clams later today. Always have luck with those and finicky centropyges.

 

[Michael Hughes]

Following along! This a beautiful species and one I'd love to add to our reef in the future.

 

[W31Olds]

I checked out you Pics and man you weren't kidding when you said you ordered small. My main concern is getting him eating as at such a small size he will go down hill fast.
You need a mature Reef with lots of stuff for him to pick at. I would be concerned with the Clowns and the 6-line.
One option is to put divider in but with rockwork it's often not possible.
@Jay Hemdal

 

[slingfox]

I’ll use this thread to document my Multibar process as well. I got a captive bred directly from Biota two days ago. These fish are super cute but small!

Here is a picture of the Multibar in the shipping bag.

The Multibar is hiding in the cave area in the back left side of this picture.

The stalker Falco Hawkfish is keeping watch out front!

 

[RobertK]

I would keep him in the box until he's eating well and the other fish are ignoring him. You might want to get some xtra small TDO pellets, mine ate them when he was that size. Mysis is probably too big for him.

 

[Waters]

He might be so small that the others will leave him alone. Keep us updated on how they do though. I have tried that species in the past with no luck....but they wern't captive bred.

 

[spartanman22]

I’m going to keep him in the box at least until he’s eating well. I’ve seen him pick at some of the tinier chunks of mysis but sparingly. I’m going to order the TDO pellets. I have another brand of extra small pellets but he hasn’t touched them.

I did release one of the fish that came with this order (royal gramma) and my six line got super aggressive. So definitely not letting the multibar out. Likely going to have to rehome the six line.

 

[slingfox]

My Multibar is starting to venture out of its small cave. If you look carefully you can see the Multibar exploring the rock. The Falco Hawkfish is in another rock structure nearby at the left of the picture. The Falco still chases the Multibar every once in a while.

 

[spartanman22]

Looks like yours did well. I released the rosy gramma today (who’s also small) and within 3 hours had to return him to the acclimation box. He was all beat up by the six line.

 

[slingfox]

Looks like yours did well. I released the rosy gramma today (who’s also small) and within 3 hours had to return him to the acclimation box. He was all beat up by the six line.

The only fish which harassed my Multibar is the Falco Hawkfish. I am prepared to catch the Falcon if needed but the aggression is sporadic and seems to be diminishing.

I hope you have good luck catching the six-line. I have had good luck using the Nyos fish trap. Some fish are more cautious though!

 

[spartanman22]

The only fish which harassed my Multibar is the Falco Hawkfish. I am prepared to catch the Falcon if needed but the aggression is sporadic and seems to be diminishing.

I hope you have good luck catching the six-line. I have had good luck using the Nyos fish trap. Some fish are more cautious though!

I’ll probably try the poor man’s inverted bottle trap. If that doesn’t work Nyos it is!

 

[slingfox]

I’ll probably try the poor man’s inverted bottle trap. If that doesn’t work Nyos it is!

I am pretty sure most traps work the same. Have a large enough opening. Put in some food. Wait. Sometimes it has taken a few days but if you reduce feeding temporarily eventually some fish will go into the trap . . .

 

[breathing underwater]

My captive bred multibar came in much larger, almost two inches, so not the same challenge as you on size. I will say it was a terrible eater and stayed on hunger strike for two weeks on arrival, then gradually learned to eat almost everything. I would definitely keep it in the box to train it on feeding if I got one that small.

Behavior wise, it is a bold fish that fights a tang almost twice it's size, chases my chromis and even takes pot shots (resulting in chases) at my majestic. Ignores my CB mandarins though even when they were super tiny!

Also nips coral, and inverts, but it's way too cute to get rid of.

Good luck and enjoy yours!

 

[maroun.c]

Wow thats a beautiful fish and having it coin size adds to its charm . I love getting fish the tiniest size i can and raiding them into adults. Have the three tiniest hippo tangs I ever saw in a quarantine tank. Saw them at lfs and couldn't resist them. Got them although I dont have a tank for them when they grow a bit. Feeding with a variety quality food and adding vitamins to the food helps them grow faster abd more colorful and healthy. Id keep him for few more weeks in the intro box to observe your fish behavior more before releasing. Hope he settles fine in ur tank.

 

[slingfox]

My captive bred multibar came in much larger, almost two inches, so not the same challenge as you on size. I will say it was a terrible eater and stayed on hunger strike for two weeks on arrival, then gradually learned to eat almost everything. I would definitely keep it in the box to train it on feeding if I got one that small.

Behavior wise, it is a bold fish that fights a tang almost twice it's size, chases my chromis and even takes pot shots (resulting in chases) at my majestic. Ignores my CB mandarins though even when they were super tiny!

Also nips coral, and inverts, but it's way too cute to get rid of.

Good luck and enjoy yours!

What kind of corals does your Multibar nip at? I largely don’t care but am hoping mine won’t nip at SPS polyps since SPS will make up most of my tank.

 

[breathing underwater]

Mostly SPS, which I have a lot of. But it's favorite thing is to bite the tube feet off of urchins and starfish.

Seen it pick at a hammer until my majestic ate it, leaves softies alone.

Eats near any meaty food, frozen or freeze dried, and flakes. Hates veggies or nori.

 

[slingfox]

Mostly SPS, which I have a lot of. But it's favorite thing is to bite the tube feet off of urchins and starfish.

Seen it pick at a hammer until my majestic ate it, leaves softies alone.

Eats near any meaty food, frozen or freeze dried, and flakes. Hates veggies or nori.

For SPS I assume the Multibar picks at the polyps or doesn’t chomp on the branches?