This is by far our favorite fish. After investing in a Purple tank and Yellow Tang - Hawaii the month prior, we had a really hard time talking ourselves into adding this guy. We do not regret it at all! It is almost majestic to watch. It has a myriad of colors that shimmer unlike any other fish we've ever owned. It started off incredibly shy and is now our most attentive and personable fish.
This wasn't the easiest fish to care for up front. It was extremely shy for the first three weeks after bringing it home. In fact, it was so rare to see it swimming around that we nicknamed "Nessy" due to our excitement when there was a sighting. After that initial acclimation period, we now see it a lot more often, and it comes up to me to take food at the surface at feeding times. It is extremely peaceful and integrated without any issues from our Purple Tang which tends to be a little territorial.
I would definitely characterize this as at least a Moderate, but more likely an Expert level fish for the following reasons:
#1. Ours took a long time to acclimate to its' new home, and we rarely saw it after it took possession of the diamond gobies borrow. It had to be hand fed for the first three weeks with a 27" target feeder at the opening to the borrow. I had to do it at just the right angle for the food to enter the borrow. It would not come out to feed.
#2. Ours was, and continues to be, a very picky eater! I feed our aquarium three types of frozen foods including Hikari mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and Reef Frenzy. It was pushing the food out of the borrow every time I tried to feed it. After three days, we returned to the store. Jen, the owner, recommended switching from Hikari to the Piscine Energetics Frozen Mysis. Worked great! It's the only food that Nessy will eat.
#3. The fish is a jumper, and a surface feeder. Be very meticulous about keeping a cover over this fish at all times. I use a Fluval Multi-Chamber Holding and Breeding Box to slow drip acclimate everything I add to the aquarium, which has a protective lid. The lid stopped him from escaping twice during the acclimation process. He also tried to make a break for it after introducing him to our tank. We have a two-piece Kraken lid. After he tried to escape twice, I only removed one piece when introducing him to the tank. The other piece stopped him from finding the floor.
