black cap basslet

[kaiserpup]

I just bought a black cap basslet and added him to my tank. He seemed fine, but he kept hiding in my live rock. I tried uncovering him the other day to make sure he got fed, but when I moved around the tank to see him he had dissapeared! I've looked through all my rock, the sand, the filter, even the floor. I can't find him anywhere! (He's bright pink, the same color as the frowny message icon, so he's kinda hard to miss.) I can only imagine he's in the live rock somewhere but I'm afraid he's stuck and will starve. My damsel doesn't seem to care about him either, he justs darts around the tank. Once he figured out which live rock the black cap liked he stayed away. Any suggestions?

 

[rockster]

If it's not there, it probably is gone. I mean, it might have perished and became dinner for the clean-up crew. Hope I am wrong. Some of my fishies, especially the small ones, disappear and I don't bother to look for them because it's futile for me. It's either they're there hiding and will come out if starved, or died and became dinner for my clean-up crew. This is the time my clean-up crew gets a lot of credit because my water parameters are pretty stable despite disppearing acts of some inhabitants.

 

[kaiserpup]

Ouch, I hope it hasn't died yet! That fish cost 48 dollars!! At least my crabs and damsel are still okay. It's only been a day or two, so . . .

 

[krusk]

black cab basslet often hide alot in his new environment
give him some time to adjust, he will show up on feeding time
what is your water parameters?
what is his tank mates? (this may cause hiding out)

 

[nacl-h2o]

Are you sure there are no holes in the rock he can hide in were you can't see him? If there are he is probably in one and will stay there until he feels better about coming out. Many small fish like that can get in very small holes and can stay there for quite awhile waiting to adjust to the new envornment. If he is dead you can't save him and if he is hiding he is best left alone until he get ues to your tank. Just give it some time.

 

[infinsable]

I have a Royal Gramma that did the same thing, found a hole in the rock and hid, I said "Oh Great ,I bought a fish that hides"but after a couple of days he came out. Now he rarely hides. Give him some time to adjust <a href="http://community.webshots.com/user/mike1013" target="_blank">http://community.webshots.com/user/mike1013</a>

 

[kaiserpup]

Thanks everyone. I hope he is alright. I'm pretty sure he is in the rock, I just hope he's not stuck. I will keep waiting, and hopefully he will show up at feeding soon. My stats were all 0 with a good PH level. All I have are a Blue Damsel, 2 crabs, and some snails. I think I might have something blooming on my rock too!

 

[stacy]

I went through this a while back. I went as far as pulling everything out of the tank. Still couldn't find him. I even looked in the holes in the LR as I was putting it back, and nothing. Then after putting a couple of peices back in I saw him swimming. They hide really well.

 

[von_rahvin]

friendly suggestion, searching for your fish right after you just put then inot the tank is generally not the best of ideas. maoving the entire enviroment around and adding all that deterious to the tank water is not good for you little fishies. I know we all want to sea our fish, but as with everything in the hobby it pays to be patient. when you buy a reclusive fish he is going to hide. put yourself in his shoes, you got ripped out of the ocean, put in a dark box and not fed for a while. Then a whole bunh of huge monsters started stairing at you and you had no place to hide. All your buddies start to just go away, and then you get caught put in a little bit of water, swung all around and then dumped into this other "small ocean" if i was a fish i would lose my faith in life and hide for a lot longer than a week or two. good thing for us that fish have small brains.

 

[krusk]

kairaiser
watch the Blue Damsel, Damsel is aggresive and territorial he will pinch point the black cab in no time.

 

[kaiserpup]

Well I was gettting really worried so I searched the tank again. Still no sign of the black cap, but I did see air bubbles coming from the lr I think he's in. So I will leave it alone. I don't smell anything yet, so I guess he's alright. I didn't know he would hide when I got him. This is the first I've heard about the Black Cap hiding. In the meantime my Blue Damsel and hermit crab are fun to watch. I just hope that the Blue Damsel isn't bothering him, I keep seeing him near the Black Cap's lr. <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />
This hobby has turned very interested!