My First Quarantine Tank

[Dentoid]

He's going to stake out that Gorgonian in your display as his favorite haunt when he gets there. He looks really healthy!

[goldenmean]

I hope so. That Brown Gorgonian really could use some color

[Woodstock]

Beautiful fish! He is lucky to have such a devoted daddy Keep up the great work Jeff!

[goldenmean]

Durante is doing very well and he is a very big eater.
He has been in QT for 2 weeks now.
I have had to do a lot of large 50% WC especially during the first week (almost daily.) I have been testing every day (twice a day for the first week) but I have not been posting that here. Since i lost Opus I have probably been overly cautious. I know I have done some WC even when the test results did not call for it.

Durante is a very photogenic fish.

[goldenmean]

I have been feeding Durante twice a day as I have read that is best for LNHF.
He loves the mysis and fresh squid when I cut the pieces small enough.
He has eaten a little bit of some meaty flakes but only a couple of bits each time then he spits it out. No intrest at all in meaty pellets or in cyclopese.

He ate a few mysis this morning but then stopped after just 3 or 4 shrimp.
He has not been eating the rest of the day. He comes up to me like he is interested then he just watches the mysis fall. So now I am a bit worried and I think he might be breathing just a little harder than before. Or may I am just seeing that cuz I am worried. im not sure.

He has been in the pvc a couple of times today which he has done before but not to often. I have kept the lights off today since he has not been eating

Here are a couple of close ups of him that I just took.
I dont see anything yet.
Can you?

[goldenmean]

This morning I went to see how Durante is doing.
I turned on the light and he came up like he does to feed.
I thawed a cube of mysis and offered him some. He just watched it float to the bottom. He was not breathing any different than yesterday.

Even thought the test of the water parameters did not call for it I did a 50% WC. When I came back with the WC equipement he was on the bottom with the mysis but I don't know if he ate one or not. I did not see it.

There was poop on the bottom as yesterday and it looked normal.
I clean that up daily.

[goldenmean]

Any advice? suggestions??? Help???

[BarbMazz]

I don't have any, but I sure wish I did! I've been sending good vibes your way, Jeff. I've been hoping Lee would throw her .02 in.

Your kitties don't have a way to dip their paws when you're not home?

[goldenmean]

Thanks Barb!
No the cats have not been bothering the LN at all.
I thinks they were mesmerized by the yellow eel like movements of the Midas Blenny.

[BarbMazz]

Okay... since the thing you've noticed is heavier breathing.. can there be something going on with the oxygen level in the tank? I'm just throwing anything I can think of out there!

I looked at all the pictures you've posted to compare and I don't believe I see anything different in the latest ones.

[Dentoid]

Jeff, when I had my LNHF in QT I would feed him small pieces of raw deli shrimp on the end of a wooden skewer that I could wave around in the water. I have noticed that they are visual feeders and tend to go for foods that move. So food laying on the bottom does not appeal to them. Do you have a small PH in the tank to get the food moving and keep it in the water column?

[Woodstock]

Humm... When my fish in QT stop eating it is usually due to medications I may be using. I don't think you're medicating so the lack of appetite could be from a stressor... keep a close eye on PH and be sure it is not getting too low (below 7.9). With all the water changes you're doing I would think the water is perfect. Make sure you're matching the temp and salinity...
I suppose he could be bored of the mysis? Try switching to a different food. Also, soak all foods in garlic which will stimulate his appetite.
You should deworm him once he is eating again. I used prazipro.
Also, try doing a large water change which normally perks up the appetite.

As always, keep a close eye on the ph, salinity, and temp. Keep them as constant as possible.

After acclimation is complete, I always try to keep the lighting schedule constant. You may want to use a timer to have them come off/on at the same time daily.

HTH~

[goldenmean]

Barb.
I have an air stone going in the QT. plus my PH and alk levels are good so I dont think that is the problem.

Scott I have seen that with my guy too but what he misses in the water column he will go pick up off the bottom after he realizes no fresh mysis is going to fall from the sky. This morning he went right up the the mysis at I added it to the tank and he treated it like it was pellets. He had no interest.

[goldenmean]

Thanks Doni.

I didnt test PH this am but it was 8.1 yesterday. You are right I am not medicating at all. Temp is a stable 77.5-78.5 WC water is always 77.5 and at the proper SG.

Bored with the mysis? could be. I did kind of get that impression from him this morning. But He has always done cartwheels for the mysis.
Maybe he is holding out for some more squid.

I'll try soaking in garlic. That always works for my appetite!

[Woodstock]

Another thing you can do is get some vita-chem and selcon. Alternate using these when feeding. They not only provide important nutrition to the fish but I also think the smell entices feeding. Just put a few drops on the food several minutes prior to feeding.