Orchid dotty back weird behavior

MyLady · Jan 16, 2011

We added an orchid a few weeks ago. our previous orchid was eaten by our brittle star so the star went back to the store and we had to have them order another orchid. If we hadn't have seen the brittle star eat the fish we would not have believed it, but I digress.
Our current orchid is a pretty timid fish, nothing like the last one who kept the McKoskers in check. Hubby says he and our daughter have observed the orchid rubbing itself against the rocks. Now I am a dog and cat person, in fact it's how I make my living, so the first thing I think of is marking territory LOL, but I don't think fish have scent marking glands the way dogs and cats do. We haven't observed any kind of parasite on the fish or any other abnormal markings of any kind. Kind of wondering what might be going on. I think hubby is going to be moving him back to the QT tank but I'm not sure, we haven't really discussed what to do with him yet. I know he checked all the water paramaters and everything is good. The nitrates are hovering around 15 but other than that he said water is good. We're thinking of adding some cleaner clams to help with the nitrates.

Pizzapro83 · Jan 16, 2011

How long was it in qt. I have heard they rub on the rocks when they have ick. Not sure if thats true. Where in ny are you?

_Alex_ · Jan 16, 2011

Mine was very timid for the first month or so, now he thinks he runs the tank.

If he is rubbing on rocks that is a sign of the start of ick. is He eating when you feed? If so feed good quality food soaked in garlic. If wont eat or isnt getting much from the other fish chasing, move him to qt and feed him 2x a day. Just keep an eye on him. Should be able to fight it off if healthy and not stressed.

MyLady · Jan 25, 2011

Well, he is not rubbing rocks anymore. I havent ever seen spots on him. He appears to be in good health. The wrasse we have, a McCroskers, continues to pick on him, but it is with less frequincy every day. I soaked mysis in garlic, but I think i did it wrong. They ate the mysis the first few feedings, but then stopped eating it. Is it possible that the shrimp is too "garlicy?" I have asked my LFS to order in a garlic soak for the food. Anyone have a recomendation?

sohal tang · Jan 27, 2011

I would not get to worried about it at all...Just feed mysis often ....the orchid will be fine....np.

I would feed mysis every day to him.

Tim

MyLady · Jan 27, 2011

S/he gets mysis every day, twice a day. sometimes it is complimented with meatier foods and others it is complimented with vitamin soaked brine. It has no problems eating. Been a long while since I have seen it rubbing the rocks.

Jcr's Reef · Jan 27, 2011

My Lady- Brittle stars are scavengers so I wouldn't worry about it eating your fish. The previous Orchid probably died from (?) and the starfish was just there cleaning up. The green serpent star is about the only one I know of that devours live fish. If your new fish is scratching on the rock, the chances for parasites (ich) is pretty high. Since it's already in your display tank the best you can do is keep high water quality and feed garlic soaked foods like you have been doing. The only way to make your tank ich free is to put all fish in Qt and treat for ich (if your positive that's what they have) and leave your main display tank fish-less for 6 weeks.

MyLady · Jan 29, 2011

Jcr's Reef said:
My Lady- Brittle stars are scavengers so I wouldn't worry about it eating your fish. The previous Orchid probably died from (?) and the starfish was just there cleaning up. The green serpent star is about the only one I know of that devours live fish. If your new fish is scratching on the rock, the chances for parasites (ich) is pretty high. Since it's already in your display tank the best you can do is keep high water quality and feed garlic soaked foods like you have been doing. The only way to make your tank ich free is to put all fish in Qt and treat for ich (if your positive that's what they have) and leave your main display tank fish-less for 6 weeks.

We watched the yellow brittle star eat the orchid and that orchid was just fine and showed absolutely no signs of ill health. Upon further reasearch, yellow brittle stars, when larger actively seek out fish to eat. Primarily they go after sleeping fish, but apparently the orchid got tangled up in the legs and the starfish did what comes naturally to it. We are also fairly certain, about 95% sure, that the yellow brittle star also ate the sleeping purple firefish that we had as well. At no time prior to the current orchid has any of our fish shown signs of ill health.

For all you brittle star keepers, if you have yellow ones, and they are getting big, more than a foot from leg end to leg end, keep a close eye on them.

btkrausen · Jan 29, 2011

I had a brittle star when I first starting in SW, but after my green one grew like a weed, and became super aggressive during feeding time, I had no choice but to bring him back to the LFS. When the first are scared to come eat cause of the star, somethings wrong. haha.

Sorry for your loss on the Orchid. Thats one fish I've wanted to try in the past, just never have. I actually saw a gorgeous one in the LFS last night while I was wasting time to pick up my new wrasses.

MyLady · Feb 1, 2011

Our second orchid is doing just fine now. He had a problem with the dorsal fin (that the one on top?) but that has healed. He eats like a fish, horse, and has no problem picking on the wrasse back. This could be due to the new addition of a Purple Firefish. It seems all the "get out of my space" picking has been transfered to the PFF. Things will get interesting when the one spot blenny is introduced.