My experience with a flashing tilefish

[Adamantium]

I knew they needed a low stress environment, too. I should’ve considered what a bully that tang was. They’re just so different, in terms of body shape, that I never expected this.

All I can think is that because the tilefish and tang were both on the larger side, the tang saw the tilefish as a threat, for some reason. This really sucks :/

 

[i cant think]

I knew they needed a low stress environment, too. I should’ve considered what a bully that tang was. They’re just so different, in terms of body shape, that I never expected this.

All I can think is that because the tilefish and tang were both on the larger side, the tang saw the tilefish as a threat, for some reason. This really sucks :/

I have recently seen these guys to be more common and to me that’s due to them coming in season again. They’re sporadic in how they show up. Such a shame yours passed though, do you think you’ll try another one again if you find one?

 

[Adamantium]

I have recently seen these guys to be more common and to me that’s due to them coming in season again. They’re sporadic in how they show up. Such a shame yours passed though, do you think you’ll try another one again if you find one?

That’s good to hear. I will if I have the right environment ready to go. I needed a zero stress tank, is the sense I’m getting from all this.

 

[i cant think]

That’s good to hear. I will if I have the right environment ready to go. I needed a zero stress tank, is the sense I’m getting from all this.

Fingers crossed! It really is a shame you lost the other one. It’s not your fault though, Tangs are unpredictable. It’s hard to know if it will go alright or not.

It also helps this thread so much, with mine being alive it’s hard to really show what affects aggression can have on these fish. It also helps people to know what tangs will and won’t always go after this species. while yes a living specimen that thrives even after jumping out of a tank and after being added to an established tang, I find dead specimens to help learn about their care just as much. Trial and Error is a big part of this hobby and for good reason. Every error can be built on and used as a starting point to try and get around.

 

[Adamantium]

Fingers crossed! It really is a shame you lost the other one. It’s not your fault though, Tangs are unpredictable. It’s hard to know if it will go alright or not.

It also helps this thread so much, with mine being alive it’s hard to really show what affects aggression can have on these fish. It also helps people to know what tangs will and won’t always go after this species. while yes a living specimen that thrives even after jumping out of a tank and after being added to an established tang, I find dead specimens to help learn about their care just as much. Trial and Error is a big part of this hobby and for good reason. Every error can be built on and used as a starting point to try and get around.

Thanks for saying that. Well said.

 

[i cant think]

Thanks for saying that. Well said.

It’s alright! Looking forward to the future and seeing you build up around this fish if you do attempt it again.

 

[i cant think]

Mines still going strong! Wonder if a shy fish may bring him out more? He comes out for feeding, but mainly hides in his cave the whole day. I keep doing research on these fish and they’re deeper water from what I’ve found so possibly when I get more coral growth he may hang out a bit more in the open. Possibly going to try get monti caps growing over the cave he hides in and see if that helps with shaded areas.

Also had to add a couple tiles to the desk I’m drawing on haha
I’d love to have a replication of this in the future though.

 

[i cant think]

I may be on the look out for another Chlupatyi if I don’t go with a wrasse as the last fish. I saw an Oreni in person yesterday, possibly only the third ever Oreni to be sold in the UK. 2019 was the first ever pair sold in captivity and they were in the UK aswell.

 

[i cant think]

Well… Time for the update I was dreading this whole time…

I lost the tilefish today… No idea why but three-four days ago he jumped and never came out to eat. I tried to dig him out to get food in him but he was weak so I put him in a net, covered it with a towel and went out for a few minutes, came back home to check on him and he was unfortunately mouth wide open, not breathing and dead in the net.

I will be looking out for another one or two, but man I hate this. Even worse when you’re left with several ways he could’ve died but none of them adding up.

 

[Adamantium]

Sorry to hear that. I had actually found another one, but decided against it because these guys just seem tricky. Bummer. They’re so neat.

 

[Tamberav]

Well… Time for the update I was dreading this whole time…

I lost the tilefish today… No idea why but three-four days ago he jumped and never came out to eat. I tried to dig him out to get food in him but he was weak so I put him in a net, covered it with a towel and went out for a few minutes, came back home to check on him and he was unfortunately mouth wide open, not breathing and dead in the net.

I will be looking out for another one or two, but man I hate this. Even worse when you’re left with several ways he could’ve died but none of them adding up.

dang that sucks! He jumped a second time? Do you have a lid?

 

[i cant think]

dang that sucks! He jumped a second time? Do you have a lid?

I have a lid yep - Actually this was a third time. All three times it was during feeding when there was a small gap in the lid he could get his body out and three times he managed it.

 

[Tamberav]

I have a lid yep - Actually this was a third time. All three times it was during feeding when there was a small gap in the lid he could get his body out and three times he managed it.

my Midas Blenny did the same thing. It would come flying out the feed door when I opened it. Hit me in the face once even.

 

[i cant think]

my Midas Blenny did the same thing. It would come flying out the feed door when I opened it. Hit me in the face once even.

The tilefish did this the last time he jumped. Came right at me, wish I could’ve caught him instead of have him drop on the floor a 3rd time… I feel so guilty for his death.

 

[marinehead]

Well… Time for the update I was dreading this whole time…

I lost the tilefish today… No idea why but three-four days ago he jumped and never came out to eat. I tried to dig him out to get food in him but he was weak so I put him in a net, covered it with a towel and went out for a few minutes, came back home to check on him and he was unfortunately mouth wide open, not breathing and dead in the net.

I will be looking out for another one or two, but man I hate this. Even worse when you’re left with several ways he could’ve died but none of them adding up.

Hi,

Just wanted to share my experience on owning a chameleon tilefish. I bought two as a paid, hoping that they would be living together happily.

Unfortunately on the the first shipment day, one of the two was just laying down depressed and just extremely scared. Eventually it passed from just laying down and not eating. Tried every food imaginable, but no go. He did try to jump out multiple occasions, but was met with a mesh lid.

The second tilefish lasted me 4 months! It was a joy to keep. He found a cave under a frag rock, and always jumped out for food. He ate pellets and frozen. He would flash often when visitors are in and would be the center of attention! He was extremely fun to watch

Unfortunately, he passed away.

I will attribute this to two changes that I’ve made that hopefully I can learn from or someone else can. I am leaving for a 2 week trip and so I only fed pellets via an auto feeder, for the most part, everyone including the tilefish participated. One change I may attribute to the sudden death was that I moved his shallow frag rock that served as his cave slightly, which caused him to relocate to the far side of the tank. Then one day I saw him just laying flat on his side with a bristleworm and I knew he was gone. I confirmed it wasn’t a fireworm btw.

I will be trying these fish again in the future, but with a bit of reservation. Based of the two specimens I’ve had the luck to learn from, these fish get depressed really fast with 1. Sudden changes (Shipment for the first, cave/scape change for the second) or potentially not having a second tilefish can be lonely. When I do it will be a pair!