While I don't believe this is a true emergency, I've posted here as I believe it is where the problem will get the most attention. My apologies in advance for the long post, but I want to be as thorough as possible in providing information.
The tank in question is a 33 long with dual overflows and a 1 inch return. Additionally, there are two HOB AquaClear 70s that I've added for additional flow and easy access for feeding and other things such as adding carbon when necessary. The sump has an Reef Octopus 110 and a refugium along with 25 pounds of live rock.
The first inhabitant to the tank is the Valentini Puffer in question. He has been in the tank 488 days, and acclimated nicely. He has been very happy, engaging me every time I approach the tank, not only when feeding.
There is a Nem in the tank for 451 days and noticed that it split in June. Both Nems are thriving.
Also in the tank are a pair of Ocellaris clowns, present in the tank for 316 days. Each of which occupies a different Nem.
They have all been getting along swimmingly (pun intended), so much so that the puffer and what has become the female of the two clowns, have become very close, swimming together throughout the tank. In fact, early on, I even witnessed the female clown staying between the male clown and the Valentini, chasing him away if he got too close. Eventually, this behavior stopped.
Over the last 3 weeks, I have been observing behavior by the Valentini, which isn't of itself strange, but strange for him.
I have been noticing that when the lights come down and during the moon phase of lighting, he has been settling in the substrate to sleep when he usually settles in on one of two spots on a rock. And during the day phase, he swims about the entire area of the tank.
Today (during the day phase), I found him in an upright position on the substrate under a rocky overhang. This is unusual because during this phase of the light schedule, he's swimming about the tank. And when I put my face to the tank, he looked at me but didn't approach.
He is currently isolated in the tank inside an netted isolation box. He is alive, but just laying on the bottom, upright. He shows no interest in eating, not even his favorite; brine shrimp.
He doesn't seem to have any injuries, although I do need to get a better look as it is hard to examine him in detail through the netting.
I don't believe that this is a water quality issue. I use RODI water whose output reads ZERO. My water changes are faithful weekly changes at about 15% using Reef Crystals blended with a scoop of Red Sea Coral Pro for a small boost in elements necessary for corals.
Calcium - 440
Alk - 9 dKH
Mag - 1325
Nitrates - 15
Phosphates - .05
It should be noted that these are approximations based on test result history 24 hours after a water change. At the time of this post, a water change was completed about 24 hours ago (weekly on Sundays... yep... Sunday is water change day).
I'm thinking a long term isolation to see if he bounces back. Of course, there is a life expectancy of 5-10 years. And while I have him over 1 year, I don't know how old he was when I got him.
Also note worthy is that I found him in the overflow box about 4 weeks ago, so, there may have been some aggression. But why would there be aggression between them when they have been getting along for so long?
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Dom
The tank in question is a 33 long with dual overflows and a 1 inch return. Additionally, there are two HOB AquaClear 70s that I've added for additional flow and easy access for feeding and other things such as adding carbon when necessary. The sump has an Reef Octopus 110 and a refugium along with 25 pounds of live rock.
The first inhabitant to the tank is the Valentini Puffer in question. He has been in the tank 488 days, and acclimated nicely. He has been very happy, engaging me every time I approach the tank, not only when feeding.
There is a Nem in the tank for 451 days and noticed that it split in June. Both Nems are thriving.
Also in the tank are a pair of Ocellaris clowns, present in the tank for 316 days. Each of which occupies a different Nem.
They have all been getting along swimmingly (pun intended), so much so that the puffer and what has become the female of the two clowns, have become very close, swimming together throughout the tank. In fact, early on, I even witnessed the female clown staying between the male clown and the Valentini, chasing him away if he got too close. Eventually, this behavior stopped.
Over the last 3 weeks, I have been observing behavior by the Valentini, which isn't of itself strange, but strange for him.
I have been noticing that when the lights come down and during the moon phase of lighting, he has been settling in the substrate to sleep when he usually settles in on one of two spots on a rock. And during the day phase, he swims about the entire area of the tank.
Today (during the day phase), I found him in an upright position on the substrate under a rocky overhang. This is unusual because during this phase of the light schedule, he's swimming about the tank. And when I put my face to the tank, he looked at me but didn't approach.
He is currently isolated in the tank inside an netted isolation box. He is alive, but just laying on the bottom, upright. He shows no interest in eating, not even his favorite; brine shrimp.
He doesn't seem to have any injuries, although I do need to get a better look as it is hard to examine him in detail through the netting.
I don't believe that this is a water quality issue. I use RODI water whose output reads ZERO. My water changes are faithful weekly changes at about 15% using Reef Crystals blended with a scoop of Red Sea Coral Pro for a small boost in elements necessary for corals.
Calcium - 440
Alk - 9 dKH
Mag - 1325
Nitrates - 15
Phosphates - .05
It should be noted that these are approximations based on test result history 24 hours after a water change. At the time of this post, a water change was completed about 24 hours ago (weekly on Sundays... yep... Sunday is water change day).
I'm thinking a long term isolation to see if he bounces back. Of course, there is a life expectancy of 5-10 years. And while I have him over 1 year, I don't know how old he was when I got him.
Also note worthy is that I found him in the overflow box about 4 weeks ago, so, there may have been some aggression. But why would there be aggression between them when they have been getting along for so long?
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Dom