new midas blenny help

[fergy]

generally how long does it take for a midas blenny to start acting normal?
I just got a midas blenny last friday he was very stressed when I got him home but assumed everything was okay his color was yellow almost brown I acclimated him for 1 hour and he swam to the nearest rock when I put him in my 29 gallon reef. the next day the first thing I did was lookin my tank for him he found a new place to hide but his color wasn't improved at all. I fed him before work and he ate a couple small pieces of mysis shrimp that came close to his hiding spot. the next couple days he wouldn't eat at all. It is now tuesday and I am worried about him he has only eaten 2 times (both when I gave him mysis he wont touch anything else) he doesnt move from his hiding spot by the side of my tank and everytime I think his color is getting better he gets dark again as soon as I feed the tank. the only other fish I have in there is a banggai cardinal. is this normal for a midas blenny? or is something wrong? my nitrates are at 15 with 0 ammonia and nitrites. could the nitrates be affecting him? any help would be appriciated

 

[mony97]

I just got one myself, it took him about 3 days to start swimming around and swimming out in the open. He would mainly just hide any time before especially when I was close. So give him some time hopefully he'll come around. I also tried to keep movement and sound in the room to a minimum that seemed to help.
As far as feeding I fed twice a day when I first got mine he seemed to be much less shy during feeding, and also loves the mysis I feed so pack on the mysis and try feeding twice a day.
The color changes are normal, he will be as stated almost brown when stressed, and bright orange to yellow pink when fine. So if he is pink etc he should be feeling okay, and even now mine will still want to hang around his hiding spot even though he does not seem stressed.
Good luck, and hope he does well they are a great addition.

 

[fergy]

thank you for the reply I was just starting to get worried because it has been 5 days since I got him I will give him another few days and see if he does better thanks again

 

[mony97]

How's the little guy doing? Any better?

 

[fergy]

he is much better than he was he still stays in the same area of the tank but he will come out for food clear to the other side of the tank. but his colors are not yellow he is still like a dirty yellow color almost brown will that ever change? when I clean the tank he gets really dark but that doesnt last long. but I have never seen him turn all yellow yet.

 

[mony97]

Glad to hear he is doing better, and mine will also hang out in his little area off and on for most of the day, and will sometimes try and school with my clowns (silly fish). As for the color it may turn bright yellow but that just may be his or her color variation I know my LFS has one right now that always seems to be a light brownish yellow, so I wouldnt worry. He also may grow into his color, as I believe they will slightly change as they get older, you can always try adding vitamins to his diet to help boost his natural color as well.

 

[fergy]

is yours a pig too mine eats anything I put in there now

 

[stanlalee]

yeah thats normal for midas to find a hole to hide in normally with just the head sticking out until they get comfortable and they can change from yellow to a brownish color instantaniously when stressed or nervous. african midas are a little tanner/browner than maldives but it should still be yellowish when relaxed/comfortable.

 

[fergy]

I would say he is a really dirty yellow color but his fins are very yellow but maybe he's the african kind cause I have yet to see him all bright yellow like in most pictures of them. but I love to watch him swim its so cool. I was worried when I first got him cause after almost a week and he was still freaked out. he still gets freaked out really easy. like every time I feed him he gets all blotchy for about 5 seconds then swims around getting all the food. but he is getting better every day.
also I was wondering one of my cats loves to bat at the glass as the fish swim by do you think that has something to do with him being freaked out alot? the other fish don't seem to even notice my cat so do you think he will eventually get use to this? or are midas blennies just very skittish? just trying to figure out why he's so skittish

 

[mony97]

Yeah haha mine loves to eat, so yes he is a pig just the same. And not sure but the cat is probally the culprit of the midas being skittish.. Like I stated mine will swim out in the open but will still be very cautious when I'm too near.