How long can Majestic Angel go without eating?

falconut · 11/22/2017, 06:54 AM

Finally was able to pickup the 4" guy on Sunday (11/19). He didn't eat at the LFS the morning I got him, but he did eat during the month the LFS had him. They feed all their fish a mixture of everything they have, so it's kind of hard to tell which food he was eating at the store.

He did eat a little frozen mysis on Sunday night, but hasn't touched anything since. I've tried frozen mysis, frozen brine, NLS pellets, Hikari S pellets, live blackworms, small pieces of nori and a frozen clam. He really doesn't even look at the food. He is acting normal and swims around the tank.

He's in my 20 gal QT with a 3" Naso and small clown, both of which are eating with gusto. I was going to wait for him to eat before medicating, but didn't want to wait too long, so I added PraziPro last night.

Any idea how long these guys can safely go without eating or any ideas on what's worked for others?

DaReefTank · 11/22/2017, 06:57 AM

Mine took about 5 days until it started eating nls pellets. But it was past its juvenile stage. I saw it just picking on the rocks and hiding when I first added it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

alton · 11/22/2017, 06:59 AM

If your LFS had him for a month the fish should of been eating like a champ. Do they keep copper in there tanks? Do they do any kind of QT regiment? I do a 5 to 20 minute FW bath on all of my angels. I have had a Chrysurus and a Red Sea Regal that went a month before eating, the fact your fish was at a LFS for a month I would hope by today he is eating? Do you have hiding places for the fish in the QT?

falconut · 11/22/2017, 10:01 AM

I haven't really noticed him picking at anything, just hanging in the corner then swimming to the other side then back.

Yes, they ran copersafe and then slowly removed it from their system. That's when he was ready to go. I have a PVC tee, but he doesn't even go near it, he seams to like the one corner above the single small piece of live rock. I was hoping after seeing him eat some mysis that he'd be eating great by now.

alton · 11/22/2017, 10:50 AM

Since you have not added any meds, do you have any liverock you could add to this tank?

falconut · 11/22/2017, 11:05 AM

I did add PraziPro yesterday and there is a small piece of LR in the tank. But I haven't noticed him nipping at it.

carrots · 11/22/2017, 12:30 PM

Any chance the Tang is stressing the Angel. My Majestic hated the Powder Blue Tang it was with. The speed of the Tang made the Angel hide all of the time. Once the Tang was removed the Angel quickly settled down and was out in the open much more. You may want to try separating the two.

falconut · 11/22/2017, 01:15 PM

The tang was actually hiding in the tee because the angel was actually cornering him a little on day 1. Now he comes out a eats like a pig and I don't notice either even acknowledging the other. Unfortunately I don't have place to move him to. I'll just keep an eye on them. They're in my basement, so I only go down for a little to check on them.

pinnatus · 11/22/2017, 06:38 PM

Majestics are shy. Give it many hiding places and maybe it will become more comfortable

ca1ore · 11/22/2017, 07:48 PM

As long as it is at a healthy body weight, a fish can go weeks without eating. If it is already thin, much less.

falconut · 11/23/2017, 11:38 AM

Finally he started nipping at the thawed clam. Not sure how much he's eaten, been he's picking at it a lot. At least it's a start.

OrionN · 11/23/2017, 03:47 PM

They do need a lot of hiding places. Initially they are very shy. If you can put a lot of LR in the tank, it would be helpful.

falconut · 11/24/2017, 05:44 PM

Now the Naso is also nipping the clams, so I'm really not sure how much the angel is getting. He shows no interest in floating food, is this normal for them?

carrots · 11/25/2017, 08:08 AM

How is the color on his head? When the Majestic is stressed the dark area above and behind the eyes gets blotchy looking. I can notice this on mine when water quality drops or when Purple Tang was showing dominance.

falconut · 11/25/2017, 11:17 AM

His coloring on top of head is palish, but it's always been this way. I was told that's pretty normal. I'm thinking I may do some shifting to free up a tank to move the Naso into, to leave the angel with just the tiny clown.

11/22/2017, 06:54 AM	#1
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	How long can Majestic Angel go without eating? Finally was able to pickup the 4" guy on Sunday (11/19). He didn't eat at the LFS the morning I got him, but he did eat during the month the LFS had him. They feed all their fish a mixture of everything they have, so it's kind of hard to tell which food he was eating at the store. He did eat a little frozen mysis on Sunday night, but hasn't touched anything since. I've tried frozen mysis, frozen brine, NLS pellets, Hikari S pellets, live blackworms, small pieces of nori and a frozen clam. He really doesn't even look at the food. He is acting normal and swims around the tank. He's in my 20 gal QT with a 3" Naso and small clown, both of which are eating with gusto. I was going to wait for him to eat before medicating, but didn't want to wait too long, so I added PraziPro last night. Any idea how long these guys can safely go without eating or any ideas on what's worked for others? __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

11/22/2017, 10:01 AM	#4
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	I haven't really noticed him picking at anything, just hanging in the corner then swimming to the other side then back. Yes, they ran copersafe and then slowly removed it from their system. That's when he was ready to go. I have a PVC tee, but he doesn't even go near it, he seams to like the one corner above the single small piece of live rock. I was hoping after seeing him eat some mysis that he'd be eating great by now. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

11/22/2017, 11:05 AM	#6
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	I did add PraziPro yesterday and there is a small piece of LR in the tank. But I haven't noticed him nipping at it. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

11/22/2017, 01:15 PM	#8
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	The tang was actually hiding in the tee because the angel was actually cornering him a little on day 1. Now he comes out a eats like a pig and I don't notice either even acknowledging the other. Unfortunately I don't have place to move him to. I'll just keep an eye on them. They're in my basement, so I only go down for a little to check on them. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

11/22/2017, 06:38 PM	#9
pinnatus RIP Ludinano Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 1,572	Majestics are shy. Give it many hiding places and maybe it will become more comfortable __________________ - Ken Current Tank Info: 240 gal Fish-Only, 13-gal w/ clowns Last edited by pinnatus; 11/23/2017 at 05:57 PM.

11/22/2017, 06:57 AM	#2
DaReefTank Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 68	Mine took about 5 days until it started eating nls pellets. But it was past its juvenile stage. I saw it just picking on the rocks and hiding when I first added it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11/22/2017, 06:59 AM	#3
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	If your LFS had him for a month the fish should of been eating like a champ. Do they keep copper in there tanks? Do they do any kind of QT regiment? I do a 5 to 20 minute FW bath on all of my angels. I have had a Chrysurus and a Red Sea Regal that went a month before eating, the fact your fish was at a LFS for a month I would hope by today he is eating? Do you have hiding places for the fish in the QT?

11/22/2017, 10:50 AM	#5
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	Since you have not added any meds, do you have any liverock you could add to this tank?

11/22/2017, 12:30 PM	#7
carrots Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Mendham, NJ USA Posts: 395	Any chance the Tang is stressing the Angel. My Majestic hated the Powder Blue Tang it was with. The speed of the Tang made the Angel hide all of the time. Once the Tang was removed the Angel quickly settled down and was out in the open much more. You may want to try separating the two.

11/22/2017, 07:48 PM	#10
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	As long as it is at a healthy body weight, a fish can go weeks without eating. If it is already thin, much less. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

11/23/2017, 11:38 AM	#11
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	Finally he started nipping at the thawed clam. Not sure how much he's eaten, been he's picking at it a lot. At least it's a start. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

11/23/2017, 03:47 PM	#12
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	They do need a lot of hiding places. Initially they are very shy. If you can put a lot of LR in the tank, it would be helpful. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

11/24/2017, 05:44 PM	#13
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	Now the Naso is also nipping the clams, so I'm really not sure how much the angel is getting. He shows no interest in floating food, is this normal for them? __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

11/25/2017, 08:08 AM	#14
carrots Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Mendham, NJ USA Posts: 395	How is the color on his head? When the Majestic is stressed the dark area above and behind the eyes gets blotchy looking. I can notice this on mine when water quality drops or when Purple Tang was showing dominance.

11/25/2017, 11:17 AM	#15
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	His coloring on top of head is palish, but it's always been this way. I was told that's pretty normal. I'm thinking I may do some shifting to free up a tank to move the Naso into, to leave the angel with just the tiny clown. __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.