manderin fuge rescue?

[Wiz]

Hey guys,
Little background first.I have a female manderin which I've had for some time now and is fat and happy. I have a 30 gallon refugium with macros and a deep sand bed That has a thriving population of pods and worms. I don't see the female eating the food slurry very often So I'm assuming she's finding food in the tank. I had gotten a male when I first started up the refugium before the population of pods was good. I watched him Get skinny then started hatching brine and feeding that every day. The female kept getting fatter but the male passed.:-(
So, a got a new male in trade a month ago. I thought it was going well. But he too is thinning. I can see his bones on top and sides. I bought live blackworms thinking that might help. But he does not seem interrested at all. I see him pickin at the baby brine feeder, but not enough apparently. :-( so as I sat there in front of my tank all upset, my wife suggested I catch him and give him a few days in my fuge to fatten up. At first i though no becau se I don't want to kill my pod population. But I really don't want to kill another of such a beautiful fish. What should I do?

 

[Naiad]

Was he wild caught? Does he swim with his body straight or is his tail drooping downwards?

 

[steve&mari]

I'd guess wild caught because even ora has stopped breading them. I'd say the fuge would only help him out.

 

[Naiad]

He said he got in trade so I wasn't sure how old the fish is. It is likely suffering from intestinal damage due to poor collection methods. Putting him in the fuge won't hurt but it is unlikely he will survive. I tried this before and he just wasted away. Female is still living.

 

[Wiz]

I don't know if he's wild caught or bread. I do know the store owner insisted that he had been eating. I tried the same foods and still nothing. I'm guessing the store owner was lying. I haven't noticed about the tail What is that an indication of?

Was he wild caught? Does he swim with his body straight or is his tail drooping downwards?

 

[Naiad]

It is an indication of damage caused by being collected via spear. My first male had this. It was a nightmare trying to keep him alive. In the end he just stopped eating all foods

 

[Wiz]

Oh no I'll have to check that out. Guess I'll start trying to catch him and give the fuge shot

 

[Naiad]

Give it a shot. If he does go that route I would look for a hand collected male.

 

[Rybren]

I'd put him in the fuge. I once had one that was getting thinner and thinner in the DT. I eventually moved him to the fuge and he started putting on weight. after a few months, I moved him back to the DT where he survived for about two years before jumping to his death.