Pale Hawkfish

[findingAqua]

Hi,

My hawkfish has always looked like this at first i put it down to stress, occasionally he brightens back up to red, but ive had him months now and still the same?

Any ideas if hes sick or i just got unlucky with the colouring?

Others ive seen area vivid red all over

 

[blaxsun]

Is it possible it's your lighting? What all do you supplement his food with, ie: aminos, garlic, selcon?

 

[findingAqua]

Is it possible it's your lighting? What all do you supplement his food with, ie: aminos, garlic, selcon?

I did have a fluval 3.0 and then just upgraded to x2 maxspect jump led blues, and he was pretty similar, im just feeding ocean flake, food 55 pellets, and some frozen mysis with the occasional live feeder shrimp from time to time when i go by my local fish shop if thats what you mean?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi,

My hawkfish has always looked like this at first i put it down to stress, occasionally he brightens back up to red, but ive had him months now and still the same?

Any ideas if hes sick or i just got unlucky with the colouring?

Others ive seen area vivid red all over

Not sure on lighting. Theyre generally bright red.
What is age of tank and what foods are you feeding this fish?
Is fish breathing heavy or normal?
What is ammonia, ph and salinity levels?

 

[findingAqua]

Not sure on lighting. Theyre generally bright red.
What is age of tank and what foods are you feeding this fish?
Is fish breathing heavy or normal?
What is ammonia, ph and salinity levels?

The tank is around 6 months now, other than the colour hes acting and eating fine, I guess you could say he breathes heavy compared to other fish, but I read that they were just like that?

I feed him ocean flake, food 55 pellets, frozen mysis, and the occasional live feeder shrimps.

Ammonia is 0, ph is 8.1, nitrites are 0ppm, nitrates are 10-20ppm, salinity in 1.024. I am usually getting very consistent tests, I test every Monday. The biggest swing ive had is i didnt top it off in a while and went to 1.027 but was a while ago now and didnt seem to affect anyone

 

[Uncle99]

Who does he share the tank with?
Anyone harass him?
Is that possible?

 

[findingAqua]

Who does he share the tank with?
Anyone harass him?
Is that possible?

A foxface, 5 yellow tail damsels, a coral beauty, watchmen goby/pistol shrimp, 2 nemos, a baby dory, and a royal gamma. I've seen the coral beauty have a little pop at him if he goes into "her cave" she likes to sleep in and hang around, but other than that hes left alone. I wfh so do get a good amount of time with my tank to observe

 

[Uncle99]

A foxface, 5 yellow tail damsels, a coral beauty, watchmen goby/pistol shrimp, 2 nemos, a baby dory, and a royal gamma. I've seen the coral beauty have a little pop at him if he goes into "her cave" she likes to sleep in and hang around, but other than that hes left alone. I wfh so do get a good amount of time with my tank to observe

Very strange that “stuff” on the shrimp.
It looks stuck to him.
Following

 

[bushdoc]

I think that key here is nutrition and unfortunately it looks to me as he was malnourished before you got him, so his colors may stay like that.
I recently saw “ bleached” yellow tang in LFS, which was rescued from some jerks tank, where he was underfed. Guy from LFS told me that although his colors improved, he never got really deep yellow color.

 

[findingAqua]

Very strange that “stuff” on the shrimp.
It looks stuck to him.
Following

What stuff? If you are looking at the 2nd photo that is just my seaweed clip

 

[findingAqua]

I think that key here is nutrition and unfortunately it looks to me as he was malnourished before you got him, so his colors may stay like that.
I recently saw “ bleached” yellow tang in LFS, which was rescued from some jerks tank, where he was underfed. Guy from LFS told me that although his colors improved, he never got really deep yellow color.

Hes still a great fish, will come up to the side of the tank if you sit down on the sofa next to it, i just want to make sure im not unknowingly causing him any discomfort, I'm guessing the foods I listed before are enough for him?

Its a shame to hear about the tang, I did get this guy when I was fairly new to the hobby and him and another hawkfish came in together and they both had pale bellies.

 

[blaxsun]

He's not exactly unattractive (if he's otherwise healthy, active and eating that's the main thing). This was our guy before he sadly passed away. When we got him (rehome) he was paler like yours, but after a year or so on a steady diet of calanus, brine and mysis (along with aminos and selcon) he did pickup some redder hues.

 

[Uncle99]

What stuff? If you are looking at the 2nd photo that is just my seaweed clip

Sorry, not clear on my end.
He looks submissive.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The tank is around 6 months now, other than the colour hes acting and eating fine, I guess you could say he breathes heavy compared to other fish, but I read that they were just like that?

I feed him ocean flake, food 55 pellets, frozen mysis, and the occasional live feeder shrimps.

Ammonia is 0, ph is 8.1, nitrites are 0ppm, nitrates are 10-20ppm, salinity in 1.024. I am usually getting very consistent tests, I test every Monday. The biggest swing ive had is i didnt top it off in a while and went to 1.027 but was a while ago now and didnt seem to affect anyone

Diet needs to be changed as its inadequate for this fish. This fish is a carnivore and needs meaty foods. TDO pellets are higher in nutrition, but fish needs meats such as small plankton, LRS fish frenzy, formula 2 , chopped shrimp, spirulina brine shrimp as examples and add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally. 1.027 should not have adverse effects as will high temp- ammonia and ph.

 

[vetteguy53081]

He's not exactly unattractive (if he's otherwise healthy, active and eating that's the main thing). This was our guy before he sadly passed away. When we got him (rehome) he was paler like yours, but after a year or so on a steady diet of calanus, brine and mysis (along with aminos and selcon) he did pickup some redder hues.

Can you post a pic just like this again, but under bright white lighting?

 

[findingAqua]

Diet needs to be changed as its inadequate for this fish. This fish is a carnivore and needs meaty foods. TDO pellets are higher in nutrition, but fish needs meats such as small plankton, LRS fish frenzy, formula 2 , chopped shrimp, spirulina brine shrimp as examples and add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally. 1.027 should not have adverse effects as will high temp- ammonia and ph.

Thank you thats really helpful, ill go get some of that and hopefully he darkens up, or at the very least is happier!

 

[findingAqua]

This is a very strange one, a couple days ago he turned BRIGHT red like perfect red, but was really lethargic, was not eating, i could even pick him up by hand he was so slow, no interest in food.. Under 48 hours later he went from perfect red to pale as a ghost, and has now settled doen to his usual red/pale colour and is eating again??