Genicanthus watanabei, any tips?

ReeferBen · Feb 23, 2014

So I picked up a female Genicanthus watanabei today at my LFS. Was a trade in fish that was well established and adjusted. While at the store some one mentioned I should get a male and pair them up. I found a male online but was reading my Angelfish and Butterfly fish book from Scott Michael and see he says the these females can turn male and sometimes even when another male is present, in which the male would pick on the changing female to get it to revert.

Does this sex changing happen just like that? Should I get a male to pair them up? (I would be fine with another fish.) I am feeding LPS Reef frenzy, hikari mysis, and PE mysis several times a day. If you've kept these fish what do you think about them?

ReeferBen · Feb 24, 2014

No ideas?

revhtree · Feb 24, 2014

No experience with this fish but I would love to have them!

falconut · Feb 24, 2014

I've had them a few times along with other genicanthus. The watanabe's I could never keep more than 6 months, they just stopped eating one day and died the next day. I had a pair doing fine until a 12+ hour power outage, but it was only a few months. I did have a Genicanthus melanospilos for a few years that did fine. I think the genicanthus do better with multiple feedings, I usually only fed once a day.

They do like to swim, so the more room the better. A pair or harem does require a larger tank, probably 6' long.

ReeferBen · Feb 24, 2014

I read they suffer from bladder issues, hopefully since I am feeding heavy for my other fish the wanatabe will get enough. Thanks for the advice, guys. Anyone else with experience I'd love to hear it.

ravi197699 · Feb 24, 2014

+1 with bladder issue and besides this they are very hard to get them to eat, Once they start to eat then they have better chances to live... I had one in my last system and I kept them in my fish holding tank which is full of algae like culerpa, cheato, pods etc and slowly start feeding the tank with brine shrimps and cope pods. Its slow process but better chance for this beautiful fish to survive..... JMO

falconut · Feb 24, 2014

All the ones I had seemed easy to feed, just believe they need multiple feedings like anthias. Usually you can tell if they have bladder issue by the way they're swimming, have trouble staying down.