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True Percula Clown help - doesn't look like it's feeding

georgec

georgec

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I picked up a pair of True Percula clowns this Saturday from a reputable shop in the city. These were paired for about 3 weeks before I bought them, in the shop and healthy. Both a little shy when first moved to the tank at home. They're swimming around ok. However, one of them doesn't look like it's eating (at least not when I'm watching). The other was a little slow eating at first too, but now actively feeds, although not rising to the top to feed/waiting for the food to circulate.

Should I be worried or do you think the other one is finding food among the live rock when I'm not looking? I'm going to call the shop tomorrow to check and see what specifically they were being fed there (should have asked this to begin with).

I am feeding Prime Reef flake food and have been giving some frozen mysis shrimp as well.

Thanks!
 
I find that many newly introduced fish will eat arcticpods - maybe witht the exception of my mandarins (I still have no idea what they are picking at).
 
My clowns like Cyclopeeze and flake foods too




[quote author=Raddogz link=topic=1979.msg19106#msg19106 date=1176872432]
I find that many newly introduced fish will eat arcticpods - maybe witht the exception of my mandarins (I still have no idea what they are picking at).
[/quote]


Mandarins eat pods mainly

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/mandarinfish.htm

http://www.breedersregistry.org/database/SYNSPL01.htm
 
Thanks all. I finally had some time to go buy some cyclopeeze (Frozen arctipods) and it looks like they are eating it. How do I know how much to put in my tank? The bits are so small once they hit the water and scatter....

Also, I hate to ask it this way (being paranoid)... how do I know if a fish is starving? It's been about 5-6 days since I picked these clowns up. Tonight was the first night I added the arctipods. But, both clowns have been pretty active up till now, even though one has not been visibly feeding.

Also, one last silly newbie question... now that I have 4 fish (clown pair, six line wrasse, blue-green chromis), I've noticed they all tend to hang out on one side of the tank. It happens to be the side that has a little less flow. Is this the likely reason? or is it just random?

Thanks!
 
cyclopeeze and arctipod are two different thing :) .. good to hear they are eating. They should fatten up really fast eat all those good stuff ;D ..

Most my fish stay on one side of the tank too. Yellow tang, emp. angel, blue tang and flame angel. It's funny that everyone says these fish need a lot of room to swim but in my tank they stay within 1'x1' area :D ..
 
Hmm... I told the guy at the fish store that I wanted arctipods. He pointed me to this stuff.... I'm a little miffed now. Not a store I usually go to, but it was the only one I could get to before the weekend. Are arctipods bigger?
 
Hmm... I asked if they had any liquid arctipods. He did show me an bottle of orange stuff from a fridge (didn't look at the label), but convinced me the frozen stuff was better. Oh well, it seems they're eating the frozen food. Next time I'll frequent my usual shop. Are the fresh ones any larger?
 
[quote author=Elite link=topic=1979.msg19246#msg19246 date=1177044107]
What is this store name?? ;D
[/quote]

They are in my neighborhood. I would usually go to Steve's shop/Lucky Ocean, but it's been a crazy week at work. So, I went to a shop in my neighborhood that I have never really gotten good service or information from (once recommended a Tang when I mentioned I was trying to decide what fish to put in my new 29....). But, I was desperate to make sure my new babies got food:)
 
If you can go get a small bottle of Articpods. They are much bigger than cyclopeeze and better IMO. When you get them to eat, you can feed them Formula 1 and 2, mysis shrimps and pelets. I try to feed my fish all kind of food :D ..
 
It's common for newly caught wild clowns to not eat. I once lost one and it was so frustrating driving all over trying to give it every possible food and it still wouldn't eat! Fortunately, I never had it happen again (see below).

It sounds like you didn't QT your fish. If you had the clowns in QT, you could give the one that isn't eating more attention and not have other fish stealing food from it.

With wild caught fish, the best thing I have found is using newly hatched baby brine shrimp. It takes about 1 day for them to hatch. It seems that live food is the hardest for a wild caught fish to resist.

Once the clown is eating something, it will usually be willing to try other foods. I usually go in this order, live baby brine shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, freeze dried brine shrimp. Usually, by the time they are willing to eat freeze dried, they'll eat just about any type of fresh, frozen, or dry food you toss in.

Best of luck,

Roy
 
Sorry to hear about your trouble. Doens't sound like you have any agressive fish that could cause problems so it's on the clown. I'm sure he(she) is freaked out by water change etc.

I second (third,fourth) the suggestion for Actipods. I got some from Gresham and all of my small fish love them as well as all of my shrimp. You might also try tiger pods (live acticpods) perhaps the live ones will entice the fish better or try to get some copepods from a friends refugium. Where are you located? You cab get ActiPods, Tiger Pods and even live brine shrimp at Aquarium Concepts in Dublin.
Finally, mine like spirulina enriched brine shrimp as well. So there are quite a few options out there for you.

BTW, sucks the LFS mislead you about Cyclopeeze.
 
Thanks all for the comments. I'm in San Francisco. So, running out to Dublin would be a bit of a trek... The fish seem to be doing ok. Like I said, even the one that is being a little picky is looking quite active. Also, he seems to be going after the Cyclopeeze even though it's so small.

Also, I didn't quarantine these fish - my QT tank was a little small and I was told these fish had been at the LFS for 3 weeks already in their medicated tanks... I know always QT, but I trust my LFS shop and was willing to risk rather than put them in a too-small QT tank.

It's day 7 and they're both still active and moving about.
 
George,

You could try Oceans Treasures I think I remember them carrying reef nutrition products if not NAA is only a short ride over the bridge. Does this store you went to happen to be on Lombard street? I should be in you neighborhood tomorrow night on my way up to Sausalito and have some arctipods you could try oout to see if the finicky one will eat them.
 
[quote author=seminolecpa link=topic=1979.msg19269#msg19269 date=1177128664]
George,

You could try Oceans Treasures I think I remember them carrying reef nutrition products if not NAA is only a short ride over the bridge. Does this store you went to happen to be on Lombard street? I should be in you neighborhood tomorrow night on my way up to Sausalito and have some arctipods you could try oout to see if the finicky one will eat them.
[/quote]

Thanks for the offer on the arctipods. I think I'll be ok. The little guy is eating the cyclopeeze and starting to nibble at the pellet food I have. I'll run over to Ocean Treasures this weekend. It's just been a crazy week at work and I've been getting home close to when they've been closing. As for the location of the store I got talked into the frozen cyclopeeze... I seem to have "forgotten" the location though you know where I live in town ;D

By the way, how did the move go? Did everything get back up and running ok for you? We should get together for lunch sometime soon to catch up.
 
If its eating, great.

Don't worry about the cyclopeeze being small. I believe I've read that when they have studied the stomach contents of wild clowns, they are mostly filled with copepods.

Best of luck,

Roy
 
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