Help, my mandarin is almost dead!

[alki]

I am up early this morning and my mandarin looks REALLY bleached out. I thought he was dead, he had sand all over him. I then saw he is alive and he even swam a little.

He looks horrible, like totally faded coler. I will post a pic if I can before he dies.

I recently added a flame angel to this tank that I had in QT for about 3 weeks or so and is healthy.

I also just checked nitrates, and potasium last night because a red algae problem, but both were at zero.

Should I try and get him out? I think I might do more damage than good, especially since hes under alot of rock.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Need more tank info.
Size tank, refugium, pounds live rock, how long had him, what does it eat, fitration, water changes, type test kits salinity, etc.

 

[alki]

Wow, I turned on my lights and a half hour later he looks totally normal.
Is this normal to lose color during the night? He looked so bleached out. I just saw him and hes cruisin for food like normal.

He was covered with sand and looked dead. Maybe these things play dead at night?? I have a little turkey baster and I blew some water on him and he didnt move. This was after I already thought he was dead, It wasnt until I turned on the light and about a half hour that I can tell hes ok.

 

[alki]

Heres a pic. This was after he started swimming so the pic is bad but you can still see how wierd he looks.

 

[alki]

Here him now.


Does anyone know if this is normal, or something I should be worried about?

My nice gorgonian in the background showing off!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Very pretty fish/ They often can get a mucus covering when sleeping.
How big is your tank and how many pounds of rock?

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~delbeek/delb15.html

 

[ashton]

When i had my Red Scooter Blenny he used to do the same thing, he would hid in the sand at night and the first half hour or so after lights came on he would still be waking up and acted as you described.

 

[alki]

I just found this.

http://www.archaster.net/tank-sw-mandarin1.html scroll to the bottom for a pale pic.

It seems its normal enough. Its wierd because he looked exactly like a dead fish looks all pale and stuff. Hes totally fine now.. Thank god he my fav fish!

I think I never saw this before because he usually sleeps hidden in my tank. Last night he was right in front of the glass. And I woke him by squirting water at him. I dont think he will sleep there agian. DOH!!

 

[as1720]

My yellow watcheman goby is white in the mornings takes him about an hour after the lights go on to get his color back.

 

[noonesname124]

He looks starved to me

 

[soyadrink]

My mandarin always does it. When I had a scooter blenny all I would be able t see were the eyes. Dont worry, pretty fish!

 

[baseballkid5]

With those Pics i cant see how you could think he was starving. Especially knowing none of the tank Params.JMO My Mandarin changes color at night when Lights come on hes out and color returns quickly.

 

[alki]

Yes he is NOT starving. Nice and fat.

 

[brandyrb]

I had a mandarin do the same thing in the front of the glass at night. Her color faded and she was covered with sand. I actually thought she was dead and grabbed her with a net, then she started moving. I put her in our larger tank and she has been a happy fat fishy since.