Coral Beauty Question

[mcquillian]

I recently purchased a Coral Beauty from my LFS and have a few questions:

1) I have read that it is not uncommon for fish to NOT feed right away as they are becoming acclimated to their new environment, but how long is too long before I become concerned?

2) I noticed a small thin white mark towards on the mouth of this fish. Should I be concerned?

Other than that, fish seems quite active. All of my water parameters are good (I even had the LFS do a secondary check) This is a fish only tank with biosand.

Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[fishfreek]

1) I have read that it is not uncommon for fish to NOT feed right away as they are becoming acclimated to their new environment, but how long is too long before I become concerned?

If the fish is not eating reguarly after a week then I would start to be concerned. Expecially if the fish looks thin in bodymass. If the fish is still not eating well after 2 weeks then there would be cause for concern. After 1 week try to entice the fish by offering frozen or live brine shrimp. Also coral beauties are very skiddish so when you feed try to to away from the tank right after adding the food to the tank. When I first got mine the fish would not come out even if I sat on the other side of the room in a chair.

2) I noticed a small thin white mark towards on the mouth of this fish. Should I be concerned?

Only if the mark grows would I be concerned. This could be from rubbing up aganst something in your tank or the stores tank or even during collection. It shoudl heal up if its an injury. If it starts to grow in size then I would be concerened.

[robocop]

I would never buy a fish from the LFS with out first seeing it eat…especially angels. I’ve had a few starve them selves and then die of a bacterial infection due to their lowered immune system. Keep an eye out for Fin Rot….those things are notorious for that in my experience. Are you QT the fish? If not please do. Not eating is definitely not a good sign considering fish usually feed multiple times a day. Try to soak the food in Garlic….that worked for me. What are you feeding it? You may want to try some dried brine shrimp soaked in garlic. They usually like that because it breaks up in smaller pieces for them when you throw it in the tank. Also, a seaweed would be good. Get you a seaweed clip and leave a small portion in the tank for it to nibble at. Angels usually require established environments which make them harder for folks just starting out to keep. Is the fish twitching or scratching? The white mark could be a scare. Some one advise using a tsp of Epson every 3days salt to 10gal to help heal the scar. I had a fish with a bruised eye and it cleared it right up. Also, you have to watch those orange tail damsels….those things are small but very very mean. I actually added a large Bird Wrasse to one of my tanks and the damsel went after it, but because the wrasse is some what aggressive itself, after it got established it beat the damsel up and it never bothered it again. Just be careful.

[mcquillian]

Thanks foy your help. I did notice that me Coral Beauty is a bit skittish. I wil follow your recomendations.

[mcquillian]

FYI - I did see the fish eat the day I bought it. That might be why he did not eat later that night when I attempted . . .

Oh, and if my Yellow Tail Damsel lays a finger on my Coral Beauty, he will be moved . . . to my "other" tank . . . . (flush)

[robocop]

Good luck! I hope everything works out. Those Coral Beauty are some great looking fish.

[quarryshark]

Mine took about a week in qt before she started eating. She finally started picking at the nori (on a clip) and evertually started trying some frozen.
Now in the main she is out battling for food with the rest of the pack.
Try a little nori, you can clip it or even break it up into very small pieces.

[mcquillian]

Good News !!!

I fed my Coral Beauty tonight and she pigged out on the frozen food. Thanks for everyones support and advice. Sure is a beautiful fish . . .

[fishfreek]

Oh, and if my Yellow Tail Damsel lays a finger on my Coral Beauty, he will be moved . . . to my "other" tank . . . . (flush)

If you was just kidding or not im sorry but I cant avocate this. If you do need to get rid of a fish see if your LFS will take the fish back or try to find another home.

Its good to hear the coral beauty is eating and I hope she finds her appitite back for the good stuff like nori. Once things are settled the angel will give the damsel something to think about.

[quarryshark]

Quote:
Oh, and if my Yellow Tail Damsel lays a finger on my Coral Beauty, he will be moved . . . to my "other" tank . . . . (flush)


If you was just kidding or not im sorry but I cant avocate this.

Second this, I hope your are kidding.

Once things are settled the angel will give the damsel something to think about.

I'll second this also, my coral beauty takes crap from no one, not even my Maculosus, and she is 5 times here size.

[mcquillian]

Yes, I was just kidding . . . I don't practice that type of behavior.

Sorry for the insult. Won't happen again.

I have been in a rather sarcastic mood ever since my Hawkfish made his "great escape" and jumped out of my tank through a hole that would make Houdini tremble.

Just a bit of bad luck, that's all.