Shark help!

[TBK]

Ok so I have this little guy in a 220g tank but currently isolated because I cannot get him to eat! He was born on 2/10/2016. What can I do to make this happen id hate to see him die. He is by far the best thing I've ever owned and was super stoked to purchase him. Please help I've tried feeding Shrimp/Squid/Frozen Mysis and still achieved nothing!


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[Beej1254]

Was he born in your tank? Or at the store? What are you trying to feed it? It's probably still adjusting but definitely try and feed any chance you get until it starts eating regularly.


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[TBK]

He was born at the store. I've tried cutting up store bought shrimp. I've tried frozen squid and frozen Mysis as well.


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[Beej1254]

Did you try any straight up Raw food? I know you can get frozen raw food but I'm wondering if his response will be different. Maybe try garlic guard? If he hasn't been in the tank long give him time to acclimate to his surroundings and watch for stress.


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[TBK]

No signs of stress since I've contained him. He kept burrowing underneath my LR and it was hard for me to gain access to him.


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[54seaweed]

I would try live feeder shrimp or feeder fish the movement should entice him to eat

 

[melosu58]

per liveaquaria

Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Cat Shark, Black Banded

 

[TBK]

UPDATE: Still has not eaten anything just yet.


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[Autumnsky]

Not sure of issues with hitch hikers or parasites but large Asian food markets will often have fresh/live shell mussels and clams and live foods like that which are consumed by humans. I do think the feeder shrimp and the garlic are hopeful ideas. What about using a wire or tongs with a fresh food chunk and jiggling it around (may have already tried that).

 

[Sniperhank]

It sounds like a mixture of hard to get these sharks to eat in captivity and it being newly born along with the stress of a move all tied into one. Good luck.

 

[Andy Sager]

I've hatched a number of these sharks in the stores I've worked in and have found 2 foods that usually work great. (First off, look at the shark's belly. If you see red in it, you don't have enough oxygen in the water to support the shark so you will need to address that first before you will get him to eat.)
The 2 foods are fresh clams and bait squid. I went to the local fish market and got live cherrystone or little neck clams and slit one open and made sure I cut into the "meat" of the clam then put the half shell in front of the shark so that he could smell the food and go to it itself. Squid: go to the local bait and tackle store and get a small pack of bait squid. You will need to clean it out but keep the tentacles. Cut the body into thin strips and then cut the strips into approx 1" pieces. These pieces should appear to flutter in the water which should attract the shark to eat it as well. Use tongs or a stick or something to bring the squid strip close to the shark's face so that your finger doesn't scare the shark. Once you get the shark eating, you can also feed the tentacles. ( You can freeze the squid after you cut it into strips.) For starters, you shouldn't try to feed the shark a lot of food. 1 or 2 pieces should do it for the first time. Once it starts eating, you can up the amount at each feeding.

But check the belly first.

Hope this helps.

 

[TBK]

Still nothing but the shark has changed in attitude. Seems to be more alert. I just went and bought the garlic extract from my LFS. No redness to the belly. I have krill soaking in the extract as we speak. I put a clam on the half shell in the tank with some garlic and my chocolate chip star had got to it first. I will list pictures of the food I've been using in my tank


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[TBK]

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[TBK]

Small update: I've dropped another clam on the half shell and 4 Krill into the aquarium. I've noticed that he comes out from under a rock when all lights are completely out. When I turn blues or regular lighting on he goes back to his little cave he created.


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[TBK]

Another Update: It's now 10:47pm EST as of yesterday I noticed when all lights are completely out "Even Blues" total darkness the shark would come out of his small cave he created. As I walked near the tank tonight I used the dim lighting of my cell phone and noticed he has finally began to swim around even near the surface area. Before turning the lights out this evening I soaked a clam on the half shell in garlic 20-30 minutes prior to placing it in the tank when turning the power off. When I noticed he was swimming around I dropped a few small pieces of krill and frozen squid on the tank. Hopefully this means he is making progress. After putting the clams in last night I noticed the shells where flipped over and empty. Only changes I've made to the tank is turning off my circulation pump. Which was recommended by the LFS which I purchased the shark at. With the shark being more active and the shells being flipped I can only hope that he is eating though I've not yet seen him physically eat.


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[Autumnsky]

Great point about feeding in the dark. They are vunerable as babies and it makes sense they would feed when they feel safest. Hoping he is eating well, it seems you have a buffet of choices!!!

 

[fishboy89]

Eating yet?

I trust your little guy is now eatting. Baby bamboo sharks will go through a period of about two weeks (sometimes more) of not eatting - they seem to be still absorbing their yoke. I have hatched out many over the years and have always had trouble getting them to eat anything for a while, but once they start, they love squid, shrimp, clam, fish, pretty much any meaty food! Don't forget to add vitamins to your food too.