a beautiful fish sunburst anthias

[nissanrs]

i got this fish, lfs didnt say anything except need like 50g for it. my bad for not doing research... i talked to a buddy, he said my tank prob wasnt ready for anthias because of the care lvlv. he i think its a he is diong good, but looks lonely.. its swimming but most of the time is chilling in between rocks. doesnt seem to eat, not in front of me
i read these fish do better in groups is that true
i want this fish to be happy its a beautiful fish

 

[fenderguy1]

What size tank is it in? Was it eating at the lfs? My advise........ whatever your lfs tells you post here and verify.

 

[reefer357]

Good looking fish but they are notorious hiders you will not see this fish to much.

 

[nissanrs]

he is in a 72G tank... they said flakes.. but i also read it takes about 3 weeks for the fish to get comfy, very shy. i got some frozen cyc cubes, i tried live brine once also.
doesnt go in a frenzy like the damsels, green 2' chromis and a small damsel

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

That fish was introduced into a tank with veracious eaters that is in no manner ready to be tossed into a situation like that. They're a shy fish, that can sometimes take a bit before accepting prepared foods. They also commonly come in with flukes, and sometimes other internal parasites (should've been QT'd for all the above reasons). They should not be kept in groups unless it's an extremely large tank, otherwise it will not end well :crossedlips:

Do you have an established QT set-up?

Generally speaking as mentioned by a previous poster they are always a pretty shy fish. I've had my current sunburst for nearly a year and he still is pretty standoff-ish when it comes to feeding time, mostly hangs out under an overhang or back by the overflow vertically (he thinks I can't see him ).

If you have an established QT, pull him, ween him onto prepared foods and observe closely. I would also do a FW dip and watch for flukes.

If not, feed often and try various foods. Personally mine will ONLY eat Mysis, P.E. (chopped) and Hikari small. I also feed Rod's Food O.N. cubes and NLS pellets, none of which he'll touch. It will take him quite a while before accepting pellets/flake if he ever will.

 

[nissanrs]

the only Qt is my refugium built from a cooler it has caulerpa and chaeto in it...
a little live rock nothing for hiding, but i dont think i can catch the fish from my main.
the chromis swims around i think is trying to bring the sunburst out.. it does come out here n ther, the other day it was spying on me.
im just worried about it not eating, he hasnt eaten in front of me in like a weak

 

[nissanrs]

wat should i do about the feeding if anything

 

[hounddog01]

I always think that most fish will eat brine shrimp. not much nutrition but if you start to add things like selcon or other suplements then it would be better. I have been told brine shrimp is like potato chips to us LOL

 

[CoralBandit]

Mine is out more than anything else, hes awesome. I got him to eat mysis it took nearly a week though. I was ecstatic the day he was swimming with a fat mysis shrimp hanging out of his mouth. Now he gobbles it up like a champ. I have much more aggresive eaters and he does fine. Also FYI the Sunburst anthias is a loner and will do ok solo it is not like other anthias that live in huge packs. Here is an article I found for you
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.advancedaquarist.com/images/july2002/fathead-3-webthumb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/Fish.htm&usg=__ad2ABdKgoc2fI3sLUqwOCCNDPJE=&h=163&w=250&sz=20&hl=en&start=8&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yHOP69gBQQjfkM:&tbnh=72&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfathead%2Banthias%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-USfficial%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

 

[Fish Finder]

I had one for 2 years in my old reef. They need to be in a tank that has no aggressive fish or eaters. Got mine eating myssis shrimp after a few days. What other fish do you have in the tank??

 

[CoralBandit]

Marine betta, fu man chu lion (small), Lg Male Square back anthias, Mystery wrasse, Copper band butterfly, Mandarin, Blue throat trigger male, and of course the little sunburst who holds his own and eats among the pack

 

[droblack]

Mine is doing great in a tank with several large wrasses and a huge bully borbonius.

 

[jiml]

i have a sunburst and he is out all the time. He is with a blue throat trigger, maroon clown, fairy wrasse, and a kole tang no problems at all.

 

[Reeferdood]

Try Cyclopeze if it won't eat, almost every Anthias I have seen will eat cyclops...

 

[Acroholic]

I have three, and they come out often when they get confortable in the tank. Pretty fish.

 

[wicked demon]

+1 on the PE mysis, I have yet to see a healthy fish who wont eat it.

 

[nissanrs]

ive tried freezed dried cyclopeeze, cyclo cubes, flakes, pellets, just wont eat in front of me. i took a turkey baster n squirt it next to him too. he must be eating right its benn 3 -4 weeks since his new home. i put in 2 nemos came home one day and he was hanging out, seen me and went into hiding, still very shy, i wont see him in the opeing.. im gona try PE mysis see how that goes

 

[CoralBandit]

PE mysis always works for me

 

[nissanrs]

is hikari any good

 

[nissanrs]

well the anthias spit the mysyis out.. it was the closest to eating he went...
he has to be picking at something its been 3-4 weeks in the new home. looks healthy
but im afraid hes not gonna be leaning over to frozen, nd if he eats all the pods i have im in trouble. i really do like this fish