Watanabei Angelfish QT Treatment

[jda]

I don't know too much about diseases and I do not QT like most people think of QT. However, I have had lots of Watanabei angelfish. Most issues stem from too quick of rise dealing with all kinds of stress from swim bladder damage and subsequent infection.

In general, these are hardy fish that stand as good of a chance as any if you can get them to eat. Mysis, capelin roe and other fine meaty chunks are good. These are planktivores, so you have to have enough flow to keep the food in the water column, but not wear out the fish - so a bit more flow during feeding can be good. They have never wanted to pick around the rocks for food, at least when new - picking is an acquired skill for them. All of mine quickly took to NLS pellets if 1). they were soaked and soft and 2), some other fish in the tank showed them that it was food. I do not QT in a traditional sense and each of my introduction tanks has live rock, sand and a few really nice fish that help the new ones come to the top when they see me, eat pellets and all of that. I have a smaller female now and it loves to hang out with a purple tang and orange lined rabbitfish that are kinda my welcome wagon until they get larger. They seem to like tank mates, at least at my house. I have this one in a 40 breeder at about 3 inches and it is totally fine.

With the larger "chin" and size, that looks like a terminal male to me. However, if you lose the female, I would get another female Genicanthus in there ASAP... any kind usually works. I had a Watanabei female change to a male with a female bellus, among other types... including a female bellus change (BOO!) with a few swallowtail females. If it is indeed terminal, then you are good without another.

 

[jda]

Additionally, with planktivores, including Genicanthus and Xanthichthys Triggers, it is best to feed them small amounts quite rapidly so the fish can eat the food as it falls. Since most fish are terrified of you when new, this is another reason to have a friendly fish show them that I am cool and to come out and eat. I pour in small amounts about 8-10 times over a minute or two so that the fish can eat out of the water column, while being conscious of waste. After that, more flow to keep the tiny bit of extra suspended for as long as possible.

This is another reason why I like my introduction tanks to be like mini reefs and I do have some cleaners in there for the excess. I have found this type of treatment much more successful than medication or dips, except for flukes, which I do take a direct approach with, but only after the fish is well acclimated and adjusted well to captivity. I have never had fluke issues with Genicanthus, though. Perhaps I am lucky, but they might be less of an issue since I have not been so lucky with other large angelfish.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Additionally, with planktivores, including Genicanthus and Xanthichthys Triggers, it is best to feed them small amounts quite rapidly so the fish can eat the food as it falls. Since most fish are terrified of you when new, this is another reason to have a friendly fish show them that I am cool and to come out and eat. I pour in small amounts about 8-10 times over a minute or two so that the fish can eat out of the water column, while being conscious of waste. After that, more flow to keep the tiny bit of extra suspended for as long as possible.

This is another reason why I like my introduction tanks to be like mini reefs and I do have some cleaners in there for the excess. I have found this type of treatment much more successful than medication or dips, except for flukes, which I do take a direct approach with, but only after the fish is well acclimated and adjusted well to captivity. I have never had fluke issues with Genicanthus, though. Perhaps I am lucky, but they might be less of an issue since I have not been so lucky with other large angelfish.

I once had a male that would take flake food from the surface meant for other fish. It would swallow air at the same time and then bob around for half a day or so until it “passed gas”. We stopped feeding that system floating food since he wouldn’t stop doing that.
Jay

 

[jda]

They like to eat, for sure. I do feed some flake, but I put it under the water with my fingers to get it into the water column. I will be sure and not let it float now that I saw this... that would scare me. I would immediately freak out and fear a swim bladder issue.

I will also mention that with picker type of fish, like Ctenochaetus tangs, they don't like to eat out of the water column for me at first, so I have to turn pumps off and let food settle on the bottom for them to pick at. I am not much of a nori sheet guy, but having another fish eat off of a sheet will help them almost instantly. I try and avoid introducing planktivores and pickers at the same time and space them out over a week or two which is usually enough time for either to get with the program.

When I used to get potters wrasses all of the time (my favorite fish), I would always make sure that a piece of real live rock was in the tank with lots of pods in it. This made success near 100% and worked with other hunting type wrasses too. They had the fat bellies all of the time and they could eat at their pleasure since their time zone and ours takes sometimes a few weeks to sync up... and I don't get up at 04:00 to feed wrasses.

I guess what I am saying is that knowing your fish type and feeding in a way to help them and also having buddies to show then the ropes is a good idea, at least for me.

 

[jacksoje00]

Thanks so much again for your wonderful advice!

 

[jacksoje00]

Hi All. A few days ago, the male stopped eating and became lethargic in QT again. I made an executive decision to move the pair to my DT after 2 weeks in QT. The DT only has a pair of clowns and fully cycled.

The pair have been in the DT for two days now. The male is swimming all over the tank and very active. He's made his sleeping spot by fanning some sand out from under a cave and seems to be behaving naturally. BUT, he still will not eat! I've tried frozen mysis, brine shrimp, Rod's Food, and garlic-soaked pellets with no luck. He gets even more active, swimming all over the place, when I drop food in, but will not eat. Do you have any thoughts or food recommendations I could try? I'll keep trying with the food I have.

FYI, the female is eating like a pig and the lesion is almost completely gone from her side.

 

[Troylee]

I was reading the other day about someone using fresh clams to get their angel to eat.. any fresh seafood might work.,

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi All. A few days ago, the male stopped eating and became lethargic in QT again. I made an executive decision to move the pair to my DT after 2 weeks in QT. The DT only has a pair of clowns and fully cycled.

The pair have been in the DT for two days now. The male is swimming all over the tank and very active. He's made his sleeping spot by fanning some sand out from under a cave and seems to be behaving naturally. BUT, he still will not eat! I've tried frozen mysis, brine shrimp, Rod's Food, and garlic-soaked pellets with no luck. He gets even more active, swimming all over the place, when I drop food in, but will not eat. Do you have any thoughts or food recommendations I could try? I'll keep trying with the food I have.

FYI, the female is eating like a pig and the lesion is almost completely gone from her side.

Have you tried live brine shrimp? Enticing a fish to feed is tough unless you can determine and resolve the underlying issue.

Jay

 

[jacksoje00]

Thanks for the feeding ideas. I think I recall my LFS having frozen clams on a halfshell for picky fish such as Copperbands.

I'll have to research where I can get live brine shrimp. Also a good idea, but will have to try and find some.

 

[jacksoje00]

Today I tried Ocean Nutrition frozen clams on a half shell with no luck. BUT, I removed the the clams from the shell and copped them up finely. And the male loves them! So happy the male is now eating and will hopefully start eating other foods.

Today I also noticed the male "shaking" it's body at the female such as I've seen clownfish do when pairing. I'm assuming this is normal behavior and the first steps of the male and female bonding?