cdw79
Well-Known Member
So let me first say that I've kept this species before and know their behavior is far from usual. I had one from ORA right as they first got released to the public and had him for years. The little guy was basically indestructible and survived several huge mistakes my middle school age self made. So when I saw one for sale, for the first time in years, at my LFS, I pulled the trigger. He has been quarantined for 3 weeks there and was out and about, albeit a little skittish from time to time. It's a price fish, so I watched him for a good 20 minutes or so, and he ate when I asked the guy at the LFS to feed him a bit. All signs pointed toward the indestructible fish I knew well.
After a long drip acclimation I released him into the display with lights off, let it sit that way for about an hour, and slowly brought the light back on at. The only other tank mate is a longnose hawkfish, as I'm starting my new Reefer xl300 now that it's finished cycling, and I was watching for any aggression from the former since it was added first. Literally couldn't have a care in the world. I watched for about a hour, the assessor swam within an inch of him 5 or 6 times when he wasn't splitting his time in caves, and no aggression to be seen. Great signs.
Come day 2, he's nowhere to be found. I finally find the guy wedged between a rock and the sand in this tiny little opening, the opening's maybe 1/2 inch tall and an inch or so long. He proper wedges himself in there. I let him be and he came out for maybe a minute or two a couple times through the day, but much less than before. I watched his little hole the I fed, and he popped out for 2 pieces of miss, then went back in.
Today, day 3, more of the same. Today I only saw him right when I woke up hanging out near his hole, I tried to grad some pellets (closest thing to me) to feed while he was out but went right back in the hole. I work from home and my desk looks at the tank, and you can't miss the bright yellow- for 10 hours of workday, he did not come out a single time. I know they are cave dwellers, but this is far different behavior than I've ever heard of (no other forums online I could find with similar experience) . My previous specimen became incredibly outgoing almost off the bat, and while this one is wild caught as far as I know, it's making me anxious. I'd hate for it to starve, I'm going to try and target feed with a turkey baster tonight if I can still see him in that hole, but I'm really not sure what to do. The 180 in behavior, from hanging out in the open for the first few hours to literally nothing, has made me anxious. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
After a long drip acclimation I released him into the display with lights off, let it sit that way for about an hour, and slowly brought the light back on at. The only other tank mate is a longnose hawkfish, as I'm starting my new Reefer xl300 now that it's finished cycling, and I was watching for any aggression from the former since it was added first. Literally couldn't have a care in the world. I watched for about a hour, the assessor swam within an inch of him 5 or 6 times when he wasn't splitting his time in caves, and no aggression to be seen. Great signs.
Come day 2, he's nowhere to be found. I finally find the guy wedged between a rock and the sand in this tiny little opening, the opening's maybe 1/2 inch tall and an inch or so long. He proper wedges himself in there. I let him be and he came out for maybe a minute or two a couple times through the day, but much less than before. I watched his little hole the I fed, and he popped out for 2 pieces of miss, then went back in.
Today, day 3, more of the same. Today I only saw him right when I woke up hanging out near his hole, I tried to grad some pellets (closest thing to me) to feed while he was out but went right back in the hole. I work from home and my desk looks at the tank, and you can't miss the bright yellow- for 10 hours of workday, he did not come out a single time. I know they are cave dwellers, but this is far different behavior than I've ever heard of (no other forums online I could find with similar experience) . My previous specimen became incredibly outgoing almost off the bat, and while this one is wild caught as far as I know, it's making me anxious. I'd hate for it to starve, I'm going to try and target feed with a turkey baster tonight if I can still see him in that hole, but I'm really not sure what to do. The 180 in behavior, from hanging out in the open for the first few hours to literally nothing, has made me anxious. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
