Scooter Blenny Starvation Mode Question

[SeaHorseQueen]

Hi, I know this is a long shot but has anyone had good experience with bringing a scooter back from starvation mode? I found one at the LFS without copepods and it's extremely skinny. I went ahead and brought it home not expecting it to make it over night. I do have it in quarantine and put some live copepods and canned cyclops in with it in case it decides to eat over night. But, it's literally just sitting in there just breathing and not moving. I figured it would at least have a chance to pass in peace from other pod eaters that it was with or make a turn around. When I first got it, it was active at least but now it's not. Not sure what it'll do over night. I believe it's a female because I don't see the spiked end even though the dorsal fin is clamped. I'm hoping for a miracle deep down and it'll start eating. I'll find out in the morning but does anyone have a few that turn around?

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I have had a pair of Scooter Blennies and have had several Ruby Red Dragonettes in the same shape as you’re describing and all except for one was able to make a comeback. It’s not easy and it will take time but if you can get them eating, that’s the biggest thing. I just recently lost a female Scooter Blenny who despite the fact that she was eating pods and mysis, never put on any weight and eventually passed.
I hope yours can make a comeback! I have done the same thing you did and I know how hard it is to watch them look so weak and skinny.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

I have had a pair of Scooter Blennies and have had several Ruby Red Dragonettes in the same shape as you’re describing and all except for one was able to make a comeback. It’s not easy and it will take time but if you can get them eating, that’s the biggest thing. I just recently lost a female Scooter Blenny who despite the fact that she was eating pods and mysis, never put on any weight and eventually passed.
I hope yours can make a comeback! I have done the same thing you did and I know how hard it is to watch them look so weak and skinny.

Did you try using live BBS? Or any frozen? He's just sitting at the bottom breathing and not even interested in the food I put in there. I even put some copepods in there.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Did you try using live BBS? Or any frozen? He's just sitting at the bottom breathing and not even interested in the food I put in there. I even put some copepods in there.

I have tried BBS but when they’re already lethargic, they haven’t been up for the chase in my experiences. I have used Reef Nutrition Tigger Feast or frozen Cyclopods and those have gotten a decent response. Otherwise, as they start to actually eat more, I’ve tried frozen Hikari Mysis because they’re smaller and easier for them to eat with their tiny mouths. Sometimes they’ve taken it right away as well but not always.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

I have tried BBS but when they’re already lethargic, they haven’t been up for the chase in my experiences. I have used Reef Nutrition Tigger Feast or frozen Cyclopods and those have gotten a decent response. Otherwise, as they start to actually eat more, I’ve tried frozen Hikari Mysis because they’re smaller and easier for them to eat with their tiny mouths. Sometimes they’ve taken it right away as well but not always.

I'm currently the RN tigger feast and canned cyclopods at the moment. How long did it take for yours to start eating?

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I'm currently the RN tigger feast and canned cyclopods at the moment. How long did it take for yours to start eating?

There have been times where it took a few days for them to finally start eating. It’s possible that the one you have is just getting settled and will start eating tomorrow. I do the exact same thing as you though… I try to feed them anything I think they might eat and just want them to eat in front of me so that I’ll be able to sleep without worrying all night. Give her the night to get used to her new surroundings and maybe she’ll feel comfy enough to start eating tomorrow.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

Unfortunately, he didn’t make it through the night.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Unfortunately, he didn’t make it through the night.

I’m so sorry to hear that! You gave him a nice, peaceful place to be in the end though.

 

[SeaHorseQueen]

I’m so sorry to hear that! You gave him a nice, peaceful place to be in the end though.

Thank you. I'm glad he was able to pass with food around him and nothing to bother him. I was hoping he'd make it but I just had a feeling he was done last night. I fell asleep and went to check on him. He quit breathing then jerked around starting to breathe again. I did replace him this afternoon with a mandarin who is much more lively and slightly thin. I didn't realize he was slightly thin until he was home and the bone is just starting to show. He's hunting though. I'm trying to figure out if my copepods were sucked into the filter or not because the next day there were far less than the night I let them go in the tank. I don't see them on the live rock or sand bed. Maybe they laid their eggs and passed away? Some were loaded with eggs. I didn't let the scooter in with the copepods directly and just siphoned them into the quarantine area.