Regal Rescue

[Ben jammin]

Looking for some practical solutions from those with experience here.

My buddy owns an LFS near me. Last week he received a trans-shipment of livestock that included two regal angels that he did not order. The manifest says they're from the Red Sea and they do have a yellow belly. My buddy never orders regals because after ordering a few shortly after he opened that never ate, he doesn't want to be responsible for losing any more. I always wanted a regal myself, but after purchasing one from him (also from the Red Sea) that I could not get to eat, I likewise decided I would not order/purchase anymore.

Anyway, since has no success with regals and doesn't want to sell a fish that isn't eating, he told me to take one of them to see if I could get it eating (and I get to keep it if I can - nice deal). My tank is a 260 FOWLR and I don't have a separate QT, but I have a large (30" x 12" x 8") social acclimation box that I made that is great for housing larger fish within my main tank until tank mates get used to them and I can get them eating. The regal, which is about 5", is in there now and has been since yesterday.

So far, not surprisingly, I have not gotten him to eat. I tried clam on the half shell last night plus a cube of Mega Marine Angel which has high sponge content. As of this morning he hadn't touched either, so I removed them. Knowing that these fish are natural grazers, this morning put in some green nori on a clip plus a New Era Marine Grazer ring (with a few drops of garlic extreme) on a suction cup. Six hours later, still no interest.

The fish came in to the store about 3-5 days ago. Both of them were hiding by the overflow in the LFS display and breathing fairly quickly - clearly stressed. The one I brought him is still breathing heavy but not as bad. He is moving around a little but not like you'd expect or want to see.

I do not want to release him from the acclimation box until he is eating as my other fish are boisterous eaters and he isn't likely to get anything. I think he'll be much less stressed in the box, but maybe I'm wrong.

I'll post some pics shortly so folks can see the set up. Any advice on getting him comfortable and enticing him to eat would be appreciated!

 

[kschweer]

There's some good info in this thread:
http://reef2reef.com/threads/having-trouble-getting-regal-angel-or-other-fish-to-eat.201581/

Best of luck!

 

[Ben jammin]

Here is a pic of the regal and of the box in my tank, in case that helps. Not sure what the white things are on his forehead, but not I have. I do have a about .25 ppm copper (cupramine) in my system left over for a recent ich treatment that should help deal with any parasites.

 

[sc50964]

How big is the acclimation box? Looks huge. And where did you get it from?

 

[eatbreakfast]

If you can get more cover in the social acclimation box, perhaps a pvc fitting with a large enough diameter that it can comfortably seek cover within, this may help as feeling safe has a positive effect on getting them to eat.

Also I have found new regals more likely to eat in diffused lighting, such as when main tank lights go out. Throw a clam in the half shell in the box, near the pvc and leave it until morning as the regal may get comfortable enough to eat in darker less busy conditions.

 

[Ben jammin]

I made the acclimation box myself. It's about 30x12x8 IIRC. I wanted something big enough for tangs and angels to stay in for a week or more and couldn't find anything on the market so I went the DIY route.

I don't have any PVC fittings that big, but I'll try to find a large plastic souvenir cup and cut the bottom off. Maybe that will make him more comfortable as eatbreakfast suggested. I did leave a clam in there overnight last night and he didn't touch it, but I'll try it again tonight.

 

[4FordFamily]

I wrote the thread linked above - my regal is now eating anything I throw in there... Except clam on a half shell and the commonly referenced ideas. None of them work. Eats anything frozen other than clam.

Live black worms are an absolute must. Mine would have died long ago if not for them. Order them online http://www.aquaticfoods.com/worms.html

Just PayPal them the amount corresponding to the amount you want, they last up to two weeks with daily through rinses in very cold water, and in the description when you pay via PayPal put in your address. It's a needed dietary requirement for all fish because nothing we offer them has fish oil.

Good luck! Keep us posted

 

[4FordFamily]

Also, if any of your live rock has little sponges (mine ate pineapple sponges) that works well also. Few can ignore them for too long.

They like to pick at rocks, if she hadn't started eating, the next trick up my sleeve I heard from another experienced hobbyist who has owned many regal Angels was to microwave a few pieces of angel formula frozen foods, just enough so that you can stick it to a piece of live rock. Stick it on there or smear it in so it stays. Then leave out to try, or even refrigerate overnight. Then put that in with them.

He says they love it.

I've still not seen my regal eat nori, despite being with 8 tangs and 3 other Angels that devour it. I feed red nori rubber banded to one rock and green nori on another.

She's finally starting to lose the thin and "boney" look she has historically exhibited.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Your acclimation box is rad! Good job on that and best of luck with your regal!

~ CI

 

[Ben jammin]

So, brief update. The regal still is not eating. I stopped by the LFS on Tuesday and picked up a small live rock with some red sponge on it, as well as a few random polyps, and some live brine and put it all in the acclimation box with him. I also got a large PVC elbow big enough for him to hide in. He has taken to the PVC, but no interest in any food I provide. He also has some white nodules on his head that look like large pimples. Fearing flukes I did a 10 minute freshwater dip on Tuesday which he handled well but it didn't seem to "pop" the pimples.

Another LFS in my area is supposed to have some live black worms tomorrow. I will stop by and get some. If those don't work, I am at a loss. Any other ideas?

 

[Humblefish]

They won't eat colored sponges; I believe some even contain toxins. They will only eat pineapple sponges.

Live blackworms are probably going to be your best bet. However, you can also try "Hikari Mega-Marine Angel" (which contains sponge) and/or "San Francisco Bay Brand Angel & Butterfly Diet". A clam, mussel or raw oyster on the half shell would be other options.

If no white specks fell off/out of him during the FW dip, then he doesn't have flukes. I'm betting it's just Lymphocystis.

 

[Ben jammin]

Interesting info on the sponges. I will see if I can find some pineapple sponges locally but I don't believe I've ever seen them.

I have tried mega-marine angel, including putting it in a mesh clip so he could graze, but no interest. Have also tried clams on the half shell. I will stop by Whole Foods and get some fresh oyster or other shellfish tomorrow, along with the black worms.

 

[4FordFamily]

Interesting info on the sponges. I will see if I can find some pineapple sponges locally but I don't believe I've ever seen them.

I have tried mega-marine angel, including putting it in a mesh clip so he could graze, but no interest. Have also tried clams on the half shell. I will stop by Whole Foods and get some fresh oyster or other shellfish tomorrow, along with the black worms.

My bet is on Blackworms.

Pineapple sponges are very common, they're a small light yellow sponge similar in color and texture to a pineapple. Many people have them, they're just often overlooked. They're a lighter yellow at times than pineapples.

Just keep offering different foods. It can take awhile. Keep stress down as best you can and keep trying several times per day. Mine wouldn't eat in the morning sometimes but ate before the lights turned off.

Try feeding and stepping far away just close enough that you can see if it eats. They're quite cryptic especially at first and it may be too scared to eat.

Just try everything. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Ben jammin]

Well. I picked up some live black worms today and dropped a bunch in his box this evening. He never came out of his pipe or showed any interest, and apparently they die or at least go motionless pretty quick in saltwater. Maybe he'll pick at them when I'm not watching tonight but I'm not optimistic. One of his pimples is also turning into an open sore, which has me very worried. [emoji22]

I'll keep offering black worms tomorrow. Only other thing left to try is fresh chopped shrimp or clams. I will pick some up tomorrow as well.

 

[Humblefish]

Open sore doesn't sound good. Can you post a pic of it?

 

[Ben jammin]

I will do so tomorrow. Lights were already dim when I saw it.

 

[Pieces of the Ocean Verified Sponsor]

The white "things" look like lymphocystis. It's caused not by a parasite but a virus, so copper is not effective. Not usually fatal but if it leaves the fish prematurely, it can expose the flesh underneath and cause an infection, which could be what the open sores be. But that only happens if you manually remove it from the fish or it scrapes it against a surface really hard. Not sure how it would have left prematurely otherwise.

The regal will not eat in an acclimation box hung on the side of a tank, regardless of size, sorry to say. To understand this, we have to consider the fish's natural behavior. Unlike wrasses and anthias, which swim and feed in the water column, the box is very unnatural for a large angel, which are primarily benthic feeders. So it thinks it's trapped in mid water column - some place it doesn't usually go - and it can't get out of it. Its instinct is to seek comfort, and eating will not occur due to the stress this causes.

I would like to suggest putting the regal in its own tank (a 40g breeder is perfect), with established LR and even sand so that it feels natural and comfortable first. Keep water pristine to help the fish recover. A UV would help reduce chances of re-infection, and control parasite and virus concentration, which is key in assisting the fish to build a strong immune system. Once it's healthy and feels comfortable, it will start to develop the urge to feed. A regal that does not feel comfortable and safe is a regal that does not eat. Good luck!

 

[4FordFamily]

I felt the same way about an acclimation box.

Also, I found that dumping lots of food in with the regal angel actually deterred it from feeding (maybe overwhelmed it).

However, a few black worms enticed feeding.

I do agree though the biggest factor is to reduce stress

 

[dankreef]

Hes not eating because he probably has flukes or something else. You have to QT to make sure they have nothing first. Parasites and disease are the highest factor for fish not eating because they are stressed imo.

My tank is a 260 FOWLR and I don't have a separate QT, but I have a large (30" x 12" x 8") social acclimation box that I made - Your whole tank is probably infected now.

 

[Ben jammin]

Appreciate the conments about the acclimation box and stress. I don't have the ability right now to set up a new tank for him unfortunately. If I can find a way to do that here shortly though I will.

Meanwhile, things might possibly have taken a turn for the better overnight. The red sores appear to have subsided and the lymph or whatever it is seems to be getting a little better. In addition, the blackworms I left in the box with him are gone. Its possible they simply got washed out of the box (its just ziptied together not siliconed, to allow more water flow), but I think he may have eaten them. I put some more in there this morning and will check later to see if they are gone. Fingers crossed.