Majestic Angelfish

[NC2WA]

Well, updated report on the majestic angelfish I got from SharkReef last Saturday. It is still eating well and mixture of mysis, brine and angel formula II. I have been training it to eat from my hand, and low and behold it ate from my hand this morning !!!!! I am stoked !!!!!!!!!!!!


One more week in the QT and I will evaluate whether or not it is going in the main display tank.

 

[leebca]

If I understand properly, this fish was acquired last Saturday, December 15th and you'll be taking it out of quarantine and into the display tank on December 27th (a week from now)? This is not long enough in quarantine. If you are really going to do that, you will lose some of the best benefits of using a quarantine process. The fish must remain in quarantine for observation no less than 6 total weeks.

 

[edwing206]

Post pics!

 

[NC2WA]

Lee,
Then more time it is.

Luis, I will try and post some pics later today.

Kirk

 

[Jobiwan]

Of course there are opinions advocating shorter QT periods out there, I have a pretty extensive library, can't find anyone in print advocating 6 weeks as an absolute limit, I'd be interested in knowing if there is something out there I have missed.

Paletta. The New Marine Aquarium, 1999, p. 114
"Every new fish, whether given a dip treatment or not, should be placed in the quarantine tank for 3 to 4 weeks"

Dakin, The Book of the Marine Aquarium, 2003, p. 147
"When the fish has been quarantined for the full 3 week period, and you are entirely satisfied with its health, introduce it into the main aquarium"

Fenner, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, 2001, p. 154
"A proper interval (generally a minimum of 2 weeks) must go by in which the specimen in the quarantine tank shows no ill effects of transport or disease. Some public aquariums wait 4 weeks for additional security"

Delbeek & Sprung, The Reef Aquarium, vol 3, 2005. p. 646
"Three to six weeks is usually a sufficient quarantine at this salinity level"---(referencing hyposalinity QT...JC)

Spotte, Fish and Invertebrate Culture, 1979, p. 123
"New stocks of animals should not be added to the main water systems until they have been isolated (quarantined) and have proved to be free of infections (microorganisms)or infestations (macroorganisms) for 4 weeks"

And last but not least, the ultimate authority:

Skomal, Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies, 2002, p. 185
"Serious aquarists establish a quarantine tank for their new fishes to inhabit for a few days to evaluate the health of the fish".







.

 

[NC2WA]

Joe,

Once again you haven given us copious amounts of information. Although the word, copious is not as awestruck as prophylactic, it does serve its purpose.
<Insert a whole bunch of sarcasm>

I am going to keep it in QT for longer than two weeks. I purchased some Cupramine and a copper test kit (Salifert) and added it to my QT kit. I am not going to dose until there is a need to.

here are some pics, I believe this fish to be in good health (as it is a voracious eater, eating copious amounts of mysis shrimp, there is that word again, copious. ), but would like to get other opinions.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7329275@N05

thanks
Kirk

 

[edwing206]

He looks great!

 

[Snowboarda42]

How have you been training it to eat from your hand?

 

[NC2WA]

When I initially started to feed the majestic, I would only take a small amount of frozen mysis in my hand, and just let it thaw out in the tank. Once I knew he accepted this type of food, I kept doing the same routine until one day he found out where the source of food was coming from. Now, I make sure the food is properly thawed and soaked with selcon and vitamins. I take a small amount of my finger and let him take it from my hand.
I love the fact that the majestic is doing this as it is a great way to "check out" the fish up, close and personal (for disease, look at fins, eyes, etc..)

 

[Jobiwan]

I think you've got a retarded fish, you wouldn't catch me eating out of your hand.....

 

[NC2WA]

Why not? I wash my hands before I feed it? LOL..

 

[jedimike]

My buddy, wgchristman bought the other majestic angel from Eric that came in with yours. It's a gorgeous fish. His also took a few days to start eating, but eats good now. I know he feeds a variety of foods including mysis, rod's food, and one of the marine cuisines... not sure which one the angel prefers. Maybe he'll chime in.

 

[NC2WA]

Thanks for the reply. I hope he does too.

So far any food that enters the tank is eaten. I make sure I soak it with selcon and vitamins.

 

[Snowboarda42]

Nice I will have to try that method of feeding.

On the other site (RC) there's a guy who's blenny would sit in his hand at feeding time. I'd like to find out how to train him to do that.

 

[NC2WA]

I believe this is a perfect use of a QT tank. You are able to observe their behavior to find out what foods they will and will not eat. Once you find a food they will eat readily, it is a matter of repetition of you standing in front of the tank at the same spot to feed day after day. Hopefully, they will learn that this is where the food come from.

I had a pinktail trigger once that had a personality of a dog. I'm not kidding. As soon as I would enter the room, he would swim to the front of the tank and wait to be fed. He would spit water on me as he would wait (and grunt from time to time). (OK, maybe I need some therapy here) LOL. I would like to own another PT trigger, but don't know if it fits into my large angelfish style tank.

 

[NC2WA]

HOLD THE PHONE !!! Bad news to report.

I found my majestic angelfish DEAD this morning in the QT tank for no apparent reason. Eyes, fins, and body were clear and it was eating. However, I did noticed when I tried to feed it in the night time, it did not eat anything.

I am very stunned, shocked, and depressed right now.

Parameters of QT tank were: pH 8.1, temp 76-77 degrees, and salinity 1.024. I check them daily.

 

[jedimike]

I'm very sorry to hear about the loss. It's tough to swallow... especially when you think everything is going well.

I can't think of any solid reason for the sudden death. Here is a couple "known" problems with QT's. I'm not sure if they apply to you though. QT's can quickly build up pollutants because of the limited denitrification abilities... you have to do more frequent and usually larger water changes. Most fish also get stressed without places to hide, make sure there is some PVC or something for fish to escape to.

 

[Damsel13]

:lol:That is very entertaining NC2WA:lol:

 

[NC2WA]

That my fish is dead??

or the description on how I feed them??

Hopefully it is the latter.

 

[azgard1]

Kirk, this is really sad. This is just to abrupt and unreal.

Something must have happened.
Any possibility of a contaminant, household products, something dropped in, check ammonia maybe the fish overcame the good bacteria, do you clean your glass with Windex, just try and think of any possible contaminant.

Again so sorry my friend, I know how you love the art of this hobby.