a lionfish would rather starve...

da1jewfish · 09/28/2007, 06:48 PM

than eat frozen food? I have only been feeding him 1 grass shrimp a day or everyother day since I got him a week ago.
Its a dwarf zebra. I don't think thats sufficient for him

He isn't the least interested in frozen, krill, brine, mysis, and silversides. I have waved the silversides and krill with the wond and no interest. The other tank mates seem to get the foo before he does.

Any other ideas?
would he rather starve to death than eat frozen?

welsher7 · 09/28/2007, 06:51 PM

Stop feeding the grass shrimp and just feed the krill. It will eventually give in.

HoopsGuru · 09/28/2007, 07:39 PM

This article is a wealth of info and should give you some ideas:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

dendro982 · 09/29/2007, 05:58 AM

You know, from 3 lions I ever had, 2 refused to eat the dead prey at all (both are mombasa). Starved for a 5 days, 4 days the second time, tried to give the inadequate amount of ghost shrimp to encourage it starting to eat the grocery shrimp and fish, what all other fish in the tank eats - no matter. Every trick from the web - wiggling motions by the feeding prong, same by fish line through the rigid airline tubing (as more safe for a gulping fish), splashing at the water surface, adding the krill with the eyes to the alive ghost shrimp in the fishing net - nothing worked.

The first gulped only once the piece of fish together with live shrimp and spit it out with disgust, the second gave hopes - ate the dead pieces twice, with a month interval, tasted them for a very long time, gave a long thought, then didn't spit, but stopped take them entirely. After all this trials it started to spend a really long time to make sure, that the shrimp is alive enough, instead of immediate eating - up to 7 min.

The volitan started to eat the frozen food by itself, without any efforts from my side.

For the lionfish health sake, we have continue to try to feed it the marine origin food, but it not always works.
Good luck!

dela · 09/29/2007, 08:07 AM

I taught a lion I used to have a long time ago to eat anything I put in the tank (literally). First I started with small feeder fish. I would dangle the fish over the tank. The lion would see it and wait impatiently. The second the fish would hit the water, it was gone. After a while, I started substituting fish for other things like frozen foods. Not that I think you should do this, but one time I even feed the guy a large algae pellet (soaked and softened).

09/28/2007, 06:48 PM	#1
da1jewfish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Palm, FL Posts: 990	a lionfish would rather starve... than eat frozen food? I have only been feeding him 1 grass shrimp a day or everyother day since I got him a week ago. Its a dwarf zebra. I don't think thats sufficient for him He isn't the least interested in frozen, krill, brine, mysis, and silversides. I have waved the silversides and krill with the wond and no interest. The other tank mates seem to get the foo before he does. Any other ideas? would he rather starve to death than eat frozen?

09/28/2007, 06:51 PM	#2
welsher7 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 896	Stop feeding the grass shrimp and just feed the krill. It will eventually give in. __________________ Dan Current Tank Info: A rebuilding year.....

09/28/2007, 07:39 PM	#3
HoopsGuru Moved On Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Harrisburg Posts: 728	This article is a wealth of info and should give you some ideas: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

09/29/2007, 05:58 AM	#4
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	You know, from 3 lions I ever had, 2 refused to eat the dead prey at all (both are mombasa). Starved for a 5 days, 4 days the second time, tried to give the inadequate amount of ghost shrimp to encourage it starting to eat the grocery shrimp and fish, what all other fish in the tank eats - no matter. Every trick from the web - wiggling motions by the feeding prong, same by fish line through the rigid airline tubing (as more safe for a gulping fish), splashing at the water surface, adding the krill with the eyes to the alive ghost shrimp in the fishing net - nothing worked. The first gulped only once the piece of fish together with live shrimp and spit it out with disgust, the second gave hopes - ate the dead pieces twice, with a month interval, tasted them for a very long time, gave a long thought, then didn't spit, but stopped take them entirely. After all this trials it started to spend a really long time to make sure, that the shrimp is alive enough, instead of immediate eating - up to 7 min. The volitan started to eat the frozen food by itself, without any efforts from my side. For the lionfish health sake, we have continue to try to feed it the marine origin food, but it not always works. Good luck!

09/29/2007, 08:07 AM	#5
dela Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: St Louis Posts: 1,526	I taught a lion I used to have a long time ago to eat anything I put in the tank (literally). First I started with small feeder fish. I would dangle the fish over the tank. The lion would see it and wait impatiently. The second the fish would hit the water, it was gone. After a while, I started substituting fish for other things like frozen foods. Not that I think you should do this, but one time I even feed the guy a large algae pellet (soaked and softened).