Wish me luck..Purple Queen Anthias

[MIKE NY]

I have a number of different anthias in my tank, Lyretails,Disbars, Squarebacks,Bartletts and all are doing well. After many years in this hobby I have to try to challange myself in order to keep an interest. I always new they are hard to keep, but after reading Sanjay's and Matt's articles and a few others they inspired me to try them. I got a good deal on few and had to acclimate them for about six hours because the PH was very low 7.0 in theirs bags. They took the acclimation and are doing well, but they are very skiddish hiding all the time and haven't been able to coax them into eating yet ( only been a day).....if anyone has had them long term I would like to hear about your success...TIA

 

[prattreef]

Good luck with them. As you know, they are very tough to keep. Dom had luck recently with a large group eating cyclopeeze. I'd try that for sure.

 

[aznt1217]

Just ease them in. Seems like you have a good first step in terms of aquascaping with places to hide. I got one eating mysis voraciously but I was a stupid man and left the tank uncovered.

If you have Arcti Pods or an equivalent that finicky fish will eat you should definitely use it for a few days. Then gradually mix other things in such as Mysis. After that works, I would infuse the mysis with garlic to generally get the appetite going. I usually try to ween anthias on pellets (I've done it with Pink Square, Sunburst, and Borbonius so far). It just took an extremely long time and I had to bomb the tank with food for the first few weeks. Good luck man. I'd do it again but... the rest of the fish in my tank are monsters and would scare any sensitive fish like that at feeding time.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

live foods are also good w/ skiddish fish maybe even some live brine or something. Obviously and I'm sure you know there is not much nutritional value in brine but it's better than nothing. Good luck to you man I wish you all the best. Keep us posted

 

[MIKE NY]

thanks guys..well it's the second day and at least they are poking their heads out to see the foods floating by....LOL I'm trying to tempt them with rodifers, cylopeeze, chopped mysis and a few different types of reef planktons...

 

[MIKE NY]

look who decided to come out today after four days and started picking at cyclopeeze..hopefully the other will follow...

 

[MIKE NY]

only six days later the male finally came out and is eating cyclopeeze and prawn roe (Nutra Mar Ova)

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

nice to know they like prawn roa

 

[MIKE NY]

yep thats the stuff I just bought with you today..it worked got him out.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Wow MA knows there stuff....

 

[Chris Jury]

Crossing my fingers for you!

 

[MIKE NY]

thanks....I just have to wean them onto more substantial meals so I don't have to fed them 3-4 times a day...

 

[prattreef]

good news. keep us posted.

 

[ed4]

Good luck

 

[MIKE NY]

thanks guys...they are a real challange to fed..they only seem to actively fed under low lights..morning and after the main lights go off and the other problem is they are very skiddish. I have a PBT and some other anthais that are larger then themselves and even though they don't flare or chase them if they get close the PQs dive for corners and the rocks....so getting food into them is tough.

 

[sanjay]

Good news. They like small particles of food. Nutramar Ova works well, and so does cyclopeeze. The only problem with such small foods is that you have feed frequently in a day. They definately love live brine shrimp and you can start mixing frozen with the live to get them weened onto frozen.

Keep us posted.

 

[Chris Jury]

Sanjay--live adult brine or baby brine (or both)?

 

[MIKE NY]

thanks Sanjay....thats what I have been feeding them...NutraMAr Ova and cyclopeeze about 4 times a day,....they haven't touched anything larger like brine etc...

 

[straightjiggy10]

lets see some new pics!

 

[REEF ADDICT]

Hey mike told ya the nutra would work next time you come back to the shop hopefully we will have the frozen cyclopeeze bar...How are the anthias you picked up sunday..