I think I am driving myself crazy. I have this Ruby Red Scooter/Dragonet for 3 months. 32.5 gallon (long) tank. Lots of pods in there before adding him (live phyto in there too to help with pods). I also have Marine pure spheres (biomedia) for them to hide in and I am trying to grow a small piece of red macro algae in my display. He has always looked healthy. I bought a male and female. But I stupidly didn't get 2 that were in the same tank, and the male would always try and prove his dominance (TOO much) around the female and stressed her out, he always scared her off. She ate a lot and even had frozen, but I think one day she just got way too stressed, and did not make it (so she only made it about 2 weeks).
But the male dragonet has looked good since then, and I spot feed live Baby Brine Shrimp from my hatchery consistently and spot feed him. I try and give frozen too. He likes frozen cyclopods, and is so so with mysis and brine shrimp, and he doesn't like frozen fish eggs!!! For some reason. Maybe since he is pretty small, and they might be too large. But he is a hunter, I put in a hairy mushroom coral on a small piece of live rock (which I dipped). And a weakened hitchhiker worm about 3/4 of an inch emerged barely, and the little guy ENGULFED HIM since I guess the worm was skinny enough for him to gobble it up.
But the last couple days I have been spot feeding Live BBS several times a day with a couple drops of Amino Acids, and he IS STILL SKINNY! I bought more pods too, and am slowly adding them in the tank. OH. And I got some Seachem Metroplex just in case there is some internal issue. It is reef safe medication, but I was cautious and soaked it with the frozen cyclopod food, and so only a small amount of the medication then enters the tank (plus I have carbon). I medicated and spot fed the food 3 times last week (I started the dose small). And he definitely was eating the food it was soaked in.
BUT. There seems to not really be any change to the stomach. Still skinny. Is it definitely internal and I just gotta medicate the food more and do it every day for a short period? The dragonet doesn't rub against anything, or show signs of distress whatsoever. If anyone is taking the time to read this and has any input that would be phenomenal, and I would thank you for trying to help my sanity.
He is pretty small. But I don't think him being a juvenile has to do with him being this skinny. Right?
But the male dragonet has looked good since then, and I spot feed live Baby Brine Shrimp from my hatchery consistently and spot feed him. I try and give frozen too. He likes frozen cyclopods, and is so so with mysis and brine shrimp, and he doesn't like frozen fish eggs!!! For some reason. Maybe since he is pretty small, and they might be too large. But he is a hunter, I put in a hairy mushroom coral on a small piece of live rock (which I dipped). And a weakened hitchhiker worm about 3/4 of an inch emerged barely, and the little guy ENGULFED HIM since I guess the worm was skinny enough for him to gobble it up.
But the last couple days I have been spot feeding Live BBS several times a day with a couple drops of Amino Acids, and he IS STILL SKINNY! I bought more pods too, and am slowly adding them in the tank. OH. And I got some Seachem Metroplex just in case there is some internal issue. It is reef safe medication, but I was cautious and soaked it with the frozen cyclopod food, and so only a small amount of the medication then enters the tank (plus I have carbon). I medicated and spot fed the food 3 times last week (I started the dose small). And he definitely was eating the food it was soaked in.
BUT. There seems to not really be any change to the stomach. Still skinny. Is it definitely internal and I just gotta medicate the food more and do it every day for a short period? The dragonet doesn't rub against anything, or show signs of distress whatsoever. If anyone is taking the time to read this and has any input that would be phenomenal, and I would thank you for trying to help my sanity.
He is pretty small. But I don't think him being a juvenile has to do with him being this skinny. Right?