Clowns not eating as much as before

[apinkmanatee]

My two false perculas have changed their eating habits recently. I have had them in the tank for a little over a month. At first, the ate all the food that I offerred them. I have been feeding them flakes and mysis shrimp. About a week ago they skipped breakfast one morning, but went back to eating normally until 3 days ago. They have been acting totally normal, swimming up to the top of the tank when I walk by, waiting for food. Swimming around normally. Etc. But when I feed them, they take a few bites, and then go back down to the bottom and they don't eat anymore. They probably get two bites each. Is this normal for them to not eat as much from time to time?

More info about my tank...
65 gal fowlr
They are the only inhabitants.
temp 77
SG 1.024 (measured with refractometer)
Ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 5, ph 8.4 (using API liquid test kit)
They are tank raised.
No other signs of disease. I have noticed the smaller one doing his little mating dance lately though.
No meds or additives in the tank.
Filter- Emperor 400 biowheel, octopus reef protein skimmer.

Also...they have always been very slow eaters, a lot of times they will eat and then spit out the food three times before they actually ingest it. Is that normal?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Oceansaway]

I wouldn't be too worried about it. As long as they don't look thin or show any signs of disease they should be fine. Clowns in a reef tank can survive with 2-3 feedings a week if the rock is healthy. They may be eating off of your live rock in between feedings especially since you have no other fish in the tank, your live rock is probably producing a ton of copepods and other micro fauna that become a natural food source for fish and corals. Your parameters are spot right on the money so it makes sense that rock would produce crustaceous morsels for your clowns

 

[Oceansaway]

Also if they keep spitting out their food you may be giving them too large of pieces, try breaking up the mysis really good next time. And wait a day or two before you feed again, let them get hungry and I'm sure their feeding response will be more aggressive

 

[apinkmanatee]

Also if they keep spitting out their food you may be giving them too large of pieces, try breaking up the mysis really good next time. And wait a day or two before you feed again, let them get hungry and I'm sure their feeding response will be more aggressive

Thanks for the advice Oceansaway. It offered me some relief! I skipped a few of their meals to see if they would get hungry. They did both eat then when I did feed them, still not as much as before but for sure more than two bites. Do you think I should just feed them once a day instead of twice? Maybe I've just been feeding them too much.

 

[Schism]

Switch up what you are feeding. Mysis everyday is not recommended. Good nutrition will come from many sources, often my clowns prefer flake or pellets instead of frozen.

Also you can try soaking the food in garlic to entice feeding behavior. However as stated i would not worry unless you notice fish behaving oddly, and becoming emaciated.