I always have bad luck with Anthias

[coweyes298]

I had bad luck with several batch of anthias before. First batch was purple anthias. It was year and a half before and I didn't QT anything going to main DT. Two weeks later the trio purple died one by one by starving them self.

Second batch still trio Lyretail was a year ago and I did TTM. Lost two in the 12 days TTM course and final one made it out of TTM to separate QT. This final one died in that QT the same day I put her in. This trio all showed red sore mark before they died.

Today is my third try for anthias. I bought 5 small to medium Randall's Anthias from LiveAquaria and it delivered this morning. Prio to anthias arrival I had this 30 gallon QT which I just treated all my 7 fish for 30 days coppersafe followed by 2 rounds of Prazipro and then observation period. The total treatment last for 83 days. These 7 fish were all moved to my main tank yesterday (the day before I receive anthias). I did a 50% water change and cleaned the glass wall of the QT yesterday. This morning I did the same routine by matching the temperature and salinity of my QT to the arrived anthias and I introduced them into the 30 gallon. Several of them chased pellet after 30 minutes in the QT which told me it is a good sign. One anthias has white stringy poo so I mixed some metro with focus + Reef Nutrition Arctic Pods and feed them in one hour interval started from 4 PM till the light turns off (6 30PM). All 5 showed feeding response and chased & gobbled the food from what my observation. At close to 8 PM I notice one anthias was laying underneath my PVC so I flashlight her with no reaction. That nerves me and when I dip my hand into the water to move the PVC...bam that anthias was already dead. No sign of red sore or other form. And I just saw them swimming an hour before I found this casualty. Hope the rest of them can make it through the QT period. (finger crossed)

 

[Capital J]

Honestly it sounds like you're off to a good start with the QT. Don't know if I would medicate right after putting them in your QT unless you absolutely have to, otherwise let them settle in before medicating. I've kept Anthias in all the tanks I've had over the years and I learned to quarantine them not just for possible parasites, but to get them eating before dropping them in the DT. I also buy a couple more than what I really want because one or two always seem to die in QT for no apparent reason.

I recently bought and QT 5 Carberryi and I found one dead the following morning the day after purchase. The other 4 survived and are doing great here 2 months later.

 

[leahfiish]

Anthias are really prone to bacterial infections, unfortunately.

 

[coweyes298]

Yea. I targeted to have a trio this time and I know there will be casualty so I purchased 5.

@Capital J I usually don't do any med as the QT started as I know it will be harsh for the new arrival. But what I thought is food with metro might not be harsh at all since it's an anti bacteria treatment (not that harsh compared to copper/prazi). So I mixed with food and treat it right away. By the way the one died is not the one with the stringy poo.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Anthias have been coming in pretty crappy the past few years. I tried a group of 8 ignitus last year and all died within a few days. My next group I try will go straight into nitrofuracin green QT after a formalin dip.

 

[Humblefish]

Anthias are really prone to bacterial infections, unfortunately.

And there is some anecdotal evidence that they are susceptible to uronema: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/uronema-marinum.247940/

A LFS I advise kept losing anthias, so we performed a necropsy on 6 dead specimens. 5 had intestinal worms (expected), but surprisingly 3 also had uronema lesions growing over their internal organs. This same LFS has had a number of fish die and the only explanation is Lymphocystis growing internally. So, I wonder if that virus is a bigger deal if it's on the inside of a fish than on the outside. So much left to learn...

The good news here is that the OP is already offering food soaked with metronidazole for internal parasites, and that also treats internal infections of uronema.