how long before fish eats

[steve r]

we bought a very small clown fish ( ocellaris ) on saturday. he seems to be doing good. very active swimmer mainly in the upper levels of the tank. he also picked the top of a 90 degree elbow i have for a pump intake as his home. he sleeps on top of it. we have tried to feed him a couple of small spectrum pellets. he ate a couple but he mainly grabs them and spits them out. i tried soaking and breaking them thinking they were too big. still the same thing. i also tried some frozen food. i forgot the name right now but it comes in a small pump and is red in color. he wont even bite that. does it just take some time for fish to become comfortable? any other food that clowns seem to really like? i am going to get some formula 2 flake and try a pinch of that

thanks
steve r

 

[quarryshark]

It can take as long as a week sometime for a fish to eat, I wouldn't worry yet. Yes try some flake, its what my clowns prefer.

 

[steve-s]

You'll more often have better luck with meaty foods with new fish than with prepared LFS offerings. At least in the beginning try mysis, if that doesn't work try brine. Once the fish starts eating it is much easier to switch them over to more nutritious foods once adjusted. Just be sure if it is brine you fortify it with a good vitamin and wean it onto something better as time passes.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve r]

thanks for the info. it is always appreciated

steve r

 

[darb2]

how small is small? maybe the food pieces are too large for him to eat? Just a thought

 

[steve r]

he is eating now. i did try breaking the food pieces because i though they were a little big. he still doesnt really like the pellets. today i fed a small amount of SF bay brine shrimp and a couple of pellets. i also saw him picking pods off of the glass. i have some formula 2 flake coming in the mail tomorrow. i think alternating between the spectrum pellet and formula 2 flake (every other day) and adding brine shrimp and liquid life marine plankton once a week he will have a good diet.

steve r