Extremely Shy Sunburst Anthers

[Baronen]

I've got a sunburst anthias in QT for about ten days now and it might be the shyest fish I've ever had. It stays in the same spot day and night and hasn't ate much besides live brine. Maybe it eats when I leave but I'm not sure. It still has good color and actively swims around if I disturb the rocks so I think he is still healthy. Anything I can do to make this guy feel more comfortable?

 

[Tired]

Post a pic of the QT, let's see what the hiding spot situation is like.

It's probably just freaked out. Try dimming the lights and/or shading the part of the tank it hides in to help it feel slightly more secure, and make sure there isn't a lot of thumping and noise going on outside the tank that could scare it.

 

[Baronen]

Just a basic 20 gallon all to himself. No other fish. Long cycled reef rock from sump

 

[Baronen]

Also no light besides ambient

 

[Baronen]

He just kinda grabs brine shrimp as they float by. Doesn’t really leave his spot for it. Not sure how this guy could survive in the dt

 

[MrGisonni]

My Sunburst was very shy at first. Now he is all over. Keep up with the feeding.

 

[Baronen]

My Sunburst was very shy at first. Now he is all over. Keep up with the feeding.

What should I feed? It only likes live brine so far. just dumped the whole bag in and put some cyclops in there to try and gut load them.

 

[MrGisonni]

I weaned mine from live brine to frozen PE mysis shrimp. He won't eat flake or pellets.

 

[Baronen]

O

I weaned mine from live brine to frozen PE mysis shrimp. He won't eat flake or pellets

Okay thanks. The fish is now able to compete in the dt with more boisterous fish? How long before it was at least swimming out in the open?

 

[Baronen]

Don’t mean to pester ya but it’s been two weeks now and I have yet to see this guy swim out in the open.

 

[Baronen]

I am not sure how this fish is still alive. Just hides in the same spot and haven’t seen it eat. Should I add to dt to try and provide a more natural environment? Might make it more comfortable is my thinking

 

[mauraii]

mine hid for three weeks never became bold and died eventually. unfortunate

 

[Baronen]

Update: never saw this guy eat besides lazily pick at live brine for nearly 2 months. Released him last week into the DT as a last ditch effort. Immediately got harassed by my tomini. Never saw him until last night and was actually out swimming, sort of defending his little cave. Threw in a bunch of frozen food and he ate like a pig. Doesn’t even look skinny so maybe he was eating when I wasn’t looking. I am beginning to think these guys do not fair well in QT unless you have a lot of rock for it to hide in.