Barbonias Problem

Breakthecycle2 · Dec 30, 2015

I have another thread going in a different forum, but I think it's time to ask here. I bought a seemingly healthy Barbonias anthias one week ago. He was in a tank with two others, all seemed fine and swimming normally. When I put him in QT for the first three days, he would hide either behind the top of the heater or HOB upside down. I got him to move, but he has glued himself either to side or underneath a rock. He is not eating or swimming at all. If I stick my hand in the tank to move the rock, he goes into my hand and won't leave. Any ideas? Others have said it could be swim bladder issue.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 30, 2015

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-12/rhf/
hydrogen sulfide ?

Latino277 · Dec 30, 2015

sounds like he is stressed. I would let him maintain water quality, feed and keep the lighting low until he comes around. Try to stay way from the tank as well.

Jlobes · Dec 30, 2015

Latino277 said:
sounds like he is stressed. I would let him maintain water quality, feed and keep the lighting low until he comes around. Try to stay way from the tank as well.

only one problem, hes also not eating or very interested in food.

HiddenUser · Dec 30, 2015

When I got my Blotched Anthias he spent the first week in the corner of the tank in a vertical position. I have seen him perched upside down within the rocks. So maybe it's swim bladder, maybe not? Not sure what you feed, but mine LOVES PE Mysis. He's a pig now.

I agree that he's definitely stressed. Dim the lights and maybe try some different foods to see if you can get it to eat. Once you get him eating I bet he'll be a big piggy like mine.

Breakthecycle2 · Dec 30, 2015

ChukeeR said:
When I got my Blotched Anthias he spent the first week in the corner of the tank in a vertical position. I have seen him perched upside down within the rocks. So maybe it's swim bladder, maybe not? Not sure what you feed, but mine LOVES PE Mysis. He's a pig now.

I agree that he's definitely stressed. Dim the lights and maybe try some different foods to see if you can get it to eat. Once you get him eating I bet he'll be a big piggy like mine.

I normally only use blue lights on the tank. I feed mysis, oyster eggs, spiralina and I tried live brine shrimp. In the tank with him is an Eightline Flasher wrasse that eats everything. The water quality should be OK. The QT has been up and running since August.

HiddenUser · Dec 30, 2015

Sounds like you're doing all the right things...Just keep trying to get him to eat? Otherwise you can have mine, haha...He's becoming the jerk of the tank.

Jlobes · Dec 30, 2015

ChukeeR said:
Sounds like you're doing all the right things...Just keep trying to get him to eat? Otherwise you can have mine, haha...He's becoming the jerk of the tank.

hah. every tank has to have at least one!

jerk that is, not borbonius.

Breakthecycle2 · Dec 30, 2015

ChukeeR said:
Sounds like you're doing all the right things...Just keep trying to get him to eat? Otherwise you can have mine, haha...He's becoming the jerk of the tank.

I'll take him. lol.

Humblefish · Dec 30, 2015

ChukeeR said:
When I got my Blotched Anthias he spent the first week in the corner of the tank in a vertical position. I have seen him perched upside down within the rocks. So maybe it's swim bladder, maybe not? Not sure what you feed, but mine LOVES PE Mysis. He's a pig now.

I agree that he's definitely stressed. Dim the lights and maybe try some different foods to see if you can get it to eat. Once you get him eating I bet he'll be a big piggy like mine.

^^I agree with this. In a perfect world, every fish acts normal/eats right away... but this doesn't always happen. I've QT'd fish that have hidden & gone a week or longer without eating (sometimes happens even when I transfer them into the DT.) Sometimes these fish bounce back, sometimes they die for no apparent reason. I think certain individual fish just aren't meant for captivity.

Are you treating with any meds in the QT? Did you see the fish eat at the LFS before you bought it (never take the LFS word for it

)?

gtdjsuresh · Mar 11, 2016

Hey I'm having issues with one on mine also but mine is eating like normal but he's seem to always struggling to swim to the top of the tank and chills at the bottom of tank