what's up with my mandarin???

[brandon p]

I've got a 29 gal mixed frag reef with one male mandarin. He's approximately 3 months old (got him at one month). He arrived very healthy looking and has stayed a very healthy pet and specimen since. Until about 2 days ago.
My water levels are fine and stable. I regularly overstock with pods and fresh-hatched baby brines and i feed all those and the corals with live phyto.. I dose nightly with Mg, Ca, strontium, iodine. I've done so on a rigid regimen far longer than the fish has been there so nothing's changed there. Water temp is fine. I did a 1st aid 20% water change last night.
Does ANYONE have ANY thoughts that may help? Thanks

 

[Crabs McJones]

Pictures and a description of what is wrong with the fish are needed. Also exact numbers for water parameters. Hopefully we can get this case solved for you

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Welcome to R2R and can we get a little more on what the issue with the mandarin is? Is it not moving much, breathing heavy, listing to one side, etc?

 

[brandon p]

o wow. i forgot to mention what's actually happened! Sorry. He's just stopped hunting the past couple days. Almost like I turned him fat and lazy because there are sooo many pods and baby brines in the tank. It just seems indicative of somethin g because dragonettes are typically CONSTANTLY on the move. You can't see anything wrong with him other than his lack of hunting.

 

[brandon p]

Pictures and a description of what is wrong with the fish are needed. Also exact numbers for water parameters. Hopefully we can get this case solved for you

Yeah. I was in a stupid frenzy. Just a moment and I'll get some 'real time' parameters

 

[Eagle_Steve]

o wow. i forgot to mention what's actually happened! Sorry. He's just stopped hunting the past couple days. Almost like I turned him fat and lazy because there are sooo many pods and baby brines in the tank. It just seems indicative of somethin g because dragonettes are typically CONSTANTLY on the move. You can't see anything wrong with him other than his lack of hunting.

I have a very fat mating pair. They have been with me for 3 years now, and have moved to only hunting at night. During the day they just chill out and slowly bounce from here to there.

As long as the mandy is breathing OK, your parameters are in check (have not seen those yet), it is not sunk in on the sides or its body or stomach, and is only just meandering around here or there, it should be fine. Also depending on your rock work, it might be bouncing behind the rocks and doing good hunting in low light areas back there. If I cannot spot mine, they have a spot where the flow brings thing to them lol.

But either way, keep an eye on it, and try to observe it about an hour or so after lights out. Also keep us updated with any changes.

 

[brandon p]

 

[HotRocks]

Have you tested ammonia?

Where are you getting the brine from?

Do you QT? Everything wet? Corals, fish, rock, etc.

No alot of info to go off of here. A fish that stops eating could be so many different things. Disease is possible. Something fouling the water from too much live brine is another possibility.

 

[brandon p]

Sorry. I'm Not real social-media savvy. There's my Boy. Looks good. I just did a basic run up of the water- 8.3, 1.025, 0 Po4 3, 0 NH3/NH4+, 0 NO2-, >5 NO3-, my Mg, Ca, and KH are all at the upper limits. (Fluval Sea).
I could just be worrying. Or it could be a sign that something is 'off''. Afterall, hunting is pretty much all they do so...

 

[brandon p]

Have you tested ammonia?

Where are you getting the brine from?

Do you QT? Everything wet? Corals, fish, rock, etc.

No alot of info to go off of here. A fish that stops eating could be so many different things. Disease is possible. Something fouling the water from too much live brine is another possibility.

I'm ordering the brine eggs from Marine Depot and the pods & phyto from Algae Barn.
But yeah... the water stats and pics should have appeared by now. The lack of information is just that- a lack of information, a lack of symptoms and causes. I guess I'll just keep an eye on him for a few days. Thanks

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Sorry. I'm Not real social-media savvy. There's my Boy. Looks good. I just did a basic run up of the water- 8.3, 1.025, 0 Po4 3, 0 NH3/NH4+, 0 NO2-, >5 NO3-, my Mg, Ca, and KH are all at the upper limits. (Fluval Sea).
I could just be worrying. Or it could be a sign that something is 'off''. Afterall, hunting is pretty much all they do so...

No worries on being social media savy. I am old lol. Took me a while to figure this stuff out. Just want to get as much info as possible from ya.

So, no heavy breathing?
Belly does not look sunk in or swollen?
No flashing or rubbing on the rocks?
Still hops about, but not as much? Or does not hop at all?
Any recent changes? lighting, salt used, or anything like that?
also as @HotRocks mentioned, was the fish QT'd? or just acclimated and added?
Also, what other fish are in the tank? Are there any competitors for pods and brine that are more active during the day?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I'm ordering the brine eggs from Marine Depot and the pods & phyto from Algae Barn.
But yeah... the water stats and pics should have appeared by now. The lack of information is just that- a lack of information, a lack of symptoms and causes. I guess I'll just keep an eye on him for a few days. Thanks

Even the littlest thing can help out when trying to "remotly" assist lol. @HotRocks is a guru when it comes to fish and issues, so him being here is a huge help. I have had mandys for a long time now, and will help if I can.

For now, the easiest thing to do is to step back for a minute and take a breath. The little critters of the sea can put a big knot in your chest when ya think something is wrong. Once you get a good deep breath, think of any changes that were made, if no changes were made, then has anything else looked off in the tank.