Reef Discussion

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
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Perth
Anampses Lennardi Picky Eater
Hi Guy's,
So i picked up a juvenile one of these on Saturday
https://reefs.com/magazine/anampses-lennardi-78/
Is a little over an inch long.
Currently have him in QT with 3 Lyretail Anthias and i cant tell if he is eating or not.
He definitely isn't taking frozen brine but i cant tell if she is taking plankton or cyclops as her mouth is so small and these foods are tiny i cant tell if she is consuming any.
Is very active and not shy at all and seems to be constantly picking at the glass and PVC within the tank.
Any ideas?
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
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Hobart, Tasmania
It's not going to eat if one minute you call it a 'he' and the next a 'she' :rolleyes

At that size you might want to consider hatching out some brine shrimp - do you know anyone that still has some frozen lobster eggs?
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
It's not going to eat if one minute you call it a 'he' and the next a 'she' :rolleyes

At that size you might want to consider hatching out some brine shrimp - do you know anyone that still has some frozen lobster eggs?
Well i was having a bet each way :) but i suppose (as i understand it) they are all female and turn into males so ill go with she from now on.
Imagine if i called her an "it" :eek
Might pop into Ocean Reefs Marine today to see if they have any. They told me a while back they were getting some (lobster eggs) back in around xmas.
 

Wrangy

Member
May 7, 2013
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Make sure you have sand in the qt as they sleep and hide in the sandbed :)

Keep pumping the tank with a variety of small foods and pellets until you're confident, live foods will help a great deal as well.
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Make sure you have sand in the qt as they sleep and hide in the sandbed :)

Keep pumping the tank with a variety of small foods and pellets until you're confident, live foods will help a great deal as well.
Yeah know they like a sandbed but is a QT with sand ok?
I'm using hypo treatment.
Going to try and raise some brine for live food. Not done it before but will give it a try
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Yeah know they like a sandbed but is a QT with sand ok?
I'm using hypo treatment.
Going to try and raise some brine for live food. Not done it before but will give it a try
Most definitely :) you'll have a much easier time with even just a container of sand in there! Just don't put it in the DT :)
See if your lfs offers anything of the sort
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
I can send you some eggs if you don't want to buy a pack - I assume that WA quarantine wouldn't have a problem with brine shrimp eggs??
It's all good, thanks for the offer though.
I brought a packet online when i set this tank up 12 months ago for this exact situation (did my research).
I also got some fish eggs yesterday from LFS (didn't have any lobster eggs). Didn't seem to go after them though.

But the good news is i definitely saw him take in some red plankton this morning :) (WOOHOO such a relief)
He doesn't go after it like the Anthias do but he did take a some in as it went by his mouth.
Saw him take some in right in front of me so am a bit more at ease knowing he is consuming something.
The past few days i hadn't seen him do this, that's not to say he wasn't doing it behind any of the PVC etc
Still going to try the Brine shrimp as i have the eggs anyways.

Thanks for the advice guy's
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Good news about the eating - hopefully it continues.
Yup, he is definitely continuing. Is a very timid eater compared to the Lyretails but i can see him eating some.
I sit the frozen plankton behind the heater and with the flow it is wedged behind it and slowly disperses through the tank as it defrosts. Fish can't get at it as i also have the canister filter inlet protecting it so only way to get to it is from the top where i put it in.

Couple of times the Wrasse has gone up to where the defrosted plankton comes out and can see him pluck some.
Can see some Brine has hatched today, do i feed it straight away or wait a day or two?
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
9,650
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Hobart, Tasmania
Apologies for not replying earlier ...

Brine shrimp is at its most nutritious state in the (roughly) 6 hours after hatching - after that the shrimp has used up the contents of the egg sack.

So, if the size is OK, feed within that 6 hour time frame.

if the larval shrimp is too small then you will want to grow it out for a few days - but you will need to gut load the shrimp with a beneficial algae - something like this - http://www.reefculture.com.au/Copepod-Diet-p/copdie.htm
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Apologies for not replying earlier ...

Brine shrimp is at its most nutritious state in the (roughly) 6 hours after hatching - after that the shrimp has used up the contents of the egg sack.

So, if the size is OK, feed within that 6 hour time frame.

if the larval shrimp is too small then you will want to grow it out for a few days - but you will need to gut load the shrimp with a beneficial algae - something like this - http://www.reefculture.com.au/Copepod-Diet-p/copdie.htm
No need to apologize, thanks for the reply.
Found a thread that said yeast could be fed in the early stages and threw a few grains of yeast in yesterday. We had some left over from bread making activities in the past. Went to throw another grain or 2 in tonight an blow and behold .. the wife has cleaned the fridge out of all surplus materials :banghead now ... now ... it has to be now???
Will be a bit to late to order this stuff in but i'll keep it in mind for next time
BTW the Lenardi is taking some frozen brine now too :D
The little bugger had me all concerned after not appearing to eat for 3-4 days, the moment i post this he has slowly started to pick at stuff.
I think initially the Anthias overwhelmed him at feeding time as they are veracious. Now the Lenardi seems a little more comfortable to inspect the menu :)
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
9,650
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Hobart, Tasmania
Yes, yeast can be used but I generally found it to be very messy and I struggled to keep the shrimp alive for any length of time. I grow my own Nannochloropsis sp. which is, in my opinion. much easier to use.

But, it's great to hear that the fish is starting to eat, even if it is only frozen brine shrimp :)
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Sad sad day as i'm sorry to say the little Lennardi doesnt look like he is going to make it. :cry:(
Woke this morning to him not swimming well, more like floating with the odd effort to stay upright and didn't feed with the other fish.
I had to go out and pick up some stuff for my mother in law first thing so have only just go back and he is still hanging on on top of the heater.
He was fine last night and still eating frozen brine and red plankton, not in large amounts but eating all the same.

I have noticed over the past week he has started having split fins nothing to bad but this morning is a bit worse.
One of the Lyretails must have been picking on him, the male of the 3 chases the 2 females relentlessly but i haven't seen any aggression towards the Lennardi.

I'm going to segregate him with a little suction cup box shaped net covered breeder thingy i have and cross all my fingers (even if it breaks a couple)

One other thing i can see this morning is a slight swelling on his anus, the reason i mention this is that i lost a Lyretail in my 1st batch in this quarantine tank to a similar episode (about 3 months ago). That is that it developed a large red swelled anus and completely stopped eating, this Lennardi was still feeding though and i haven't noticed the swelling until this morning.
 

ReeferRob

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Oct 22, 2014
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Bel Air
Do you have access to blackworms down there? I haven't found a wrasse yet that would turn them down. I don't know where you are in relation to the ocean, but you could go collect some pods from there to feed it as well. Clumps of algae are good places to look as well as dragging a dipnet through any grassy areas.
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Do you have access to blackworms down there? I haven't found a wrasse yet that would turn them down. I don't know where you are in relation to the ocean, but you could go collect some pods from there to feed it as well. Clumps of algae are good places to look as well as dragging a dipnet through any grassy areas.
Cheers @ReeferRob
I live in Perth so the ocean is very accessible. Will check out the LFS for blackworms as well.

FWIW im not sure he is going to make it, i have isolated him in a little fish hatchery and he is sinking to the bottom of it on his side not showing much sign of life until i try to move him.
It's a shame as after the initial 5 days of not seeing him eating he was active and taking the Red plankton and frozen Brine twice a day right up until the night of the 30th and then the next day he wasn't looking too good. Was a very sudden change :(
Maybe i needed to feed more than twice a day for him
It's a 75L QT and i was doing 20L water changes on a weekly basis, no Ammonia or Nitrite registering on test kits before water changes.
3 Lyretails still doing fine.
 

ReeferRob

Solidarité
Oct 22, 2014
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Bel Air
Wrasses are notoriously BAD shippers and they are quite shy. It sounds to me like the Anthias beat him up. If you can get him eating again, you have a chance. I hate shipping them because I know at best I'll have 20% DOA and worst 50-60%. I don't think I've ever gotten a shipment where I didn't lose a wrasse.

If you can get a picture of him that would help some.
 

Wazza22

Member
Oct 3, 2015
116
50
Perth
Wrasses are notoriously BAD shippers and they are quite shy. It sounds to me like the Anthias beat him up. If you can get him eating again, you have a chance. I hate shipping them because I know at best I'll have 20% DOA and worst 50-60%. I don't think I've ever gotten a shipment where I didn't lose a wrasse.

If you can get a picture of him that would help some.
Sorry was doing a Water change in the DT and had a mishap.
Here is a pic of the little guy
Lennardi.JPG

Not to good a pic but you can see the nipped fins at the bottom and the dorsal is worse.
He is currently going from this position to upside down and back.
Have tried putting some thawed brine right in front of him with no response