clownfish not eating

schoch79 · 01/27/2007, 02:26 PM

Hey guys. I got two baby(1 inch?) percula clownfish yesterday and I tried to feed them this morning with some brine shrimp. The package says that it is enriched with vitamins and has some caulerpa and other stuff in it to make it balanced nutrition. Anyway, they just seem to get it in their mouth and then just spit it back out. I don't think I saw them eat even one peice without spitting it out. Should I be concerned? Is this normal for little clowns? Any other info or advice would be welcomed.

zigrat88 · 01/27/2007, 02:29 PM

Did you have the pumps / Powerheads on? I actually bought two false percs last weekend and one is still not eating well. But I found if I turned everything off, and cut up the shirmp (using mysis) the bad eater would take some.

Plus with both of them still getting use to the environment it might take a couple of days. The good eater I have didn't start eating well until day 2 or 3?

sophia101 · 01/27/2007, 02:33 PM

It is possible that it is just not ready to start eating yet. Give it a little time...then try in a bit again. I have a small almost 2 inch true perc that i feed Prime Reef Flakes which it basically inhales it loves it so much and freeze dried brine shrimp which it also loves. I am very happy mine like to eat. If it still doesnt eat in a few days you may want to try soaking/dipping the food in a supplement like Selcon or Garlic Extreme which is supposed to entice them to eat...supposedly it also prevents disease which is good. Let us know the progress.

Good Luck...

miamishrip · 01/27/2007, 02:34 PM

same experience with my 2 ocellaris' - spit the food back out - i have the saltwater multipack frozen food they will only eat one specific kind of the 4 different ones.

GSMguy · 01/27/2007, 02:38 PM

frozen cyclopeze and crushed flakes thats what the lil ones eat

mwwhite · 01/27/2007, 03:18 PM

Our mated true percs love flakes....

clown-x · 01/27/2007, 03:20 PM

It's possible if the fish are very small that they are biting and spitting back out bc the pieces are too large. Sometimes they will swallow it in, bite off a small piece, spit the rest out and swallow the small piece and repeat. That's very common with fish.

However, it could just be they are picky. Mine were/are at times.

zigrat88 · 01/27/2007, 04:07 PM

I actually do soal my food in garlic extreme which did help. the one loves it!!

Clown X - where did you get those black perc's at? I've been looking for a pair all over!!!

clown-x · 01/27/2007, 04:37 PM

Blue Ribbon Koi in Manassas, VA. I was there today they had four or five.

zigrat88 · 01/27/2007, 07:59 PM

hmmm.... it's a bit of a trip but I think I might have to hike down there!

supertech3 · 01/27/2007, 08:15 PM

many fish when first introduced will have this behavior, be patient and try not to overfeed and polute your tank, also try different forms of food

01/27/2007, 02:26 PM	#1
schoch79 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: hegins,pa Posts: 1,071	clownfish not eating Hey guys. I got two baby(1 inch?) percula clownfish yesterday and I tried to feed them this morning with some brine shrimp. The package says that it is enriched with vitamins and has some caulerpa and other stuff in it to make it balanced nutrition. Anyway, they just seem to get it in their mouth and then just spit it back out. I don't think I saw them eat even one peice without spitting it out. Should I be concerned? Is this normal for little clowns? Any other info or advice would be welcomed.

01/27/2007, 02:34 PM	#4
miamishrip Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 130	same experience with my 2 ocellaris' - spit the food back out - i have the saltwater multipack frozen food they will only eat one specific kind of the 4 different ones. __________________ i wanna go fishing and catch a fishstick... Current Tank Info: 125g - FOWLR - will convert eventually

01/27/2007, 02:38 PM	#5
GSMguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Posts: 17,420	frozen cyclopeze and crushed flakes thats what the lil ones eat __________________ Nick. Conehead. Shallow Reef club. Current Tank Info: 48"x27"x14" Envision Acrylic rimless, 6x39w ATi Sunpower, Custom ATB Deluxe Skimmer, 4x tunze nano stream,ATB flowstar 1500, ACJR, Tunze osmolator.

01/27/2007, 02:29 PM	#2
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	Did you have the pumps / Powerheads on? I actually bought two false percs last weekend and one is still not eating well. But I found if I turned everything off, and cut up the shirmp (using mysis) the bad eater would take some. Plus with both of them still getting use to the environment it might take a couple of days. The good eater I have didn't start eating well until day 2 or 3?

01/27/2007, 02:33 PM	#3
sophia101 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 318	It is possible that it is just not ready to start eating yet. Give it a little time...then try in a bit again. I have a small almost 2 inch true perc that i feed Prime Reef Flakes which it basically inhales it loves it so much and freeze dried brine shrimp which it also loves. I am very happy mine like to eat. If it still doesnt eat in a few days you may want to try soaking/dipping the food in a supplement like Selcon or Garlic Extreme which is supposed to entice them to eat...supposedly it also prevents disease which is good. Let us know the progress. Good Luck...

01/27/2007, 03:18 PM	#6
mwwhite Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Land O Lakes, FL Posts: 690	Our mated true percs love flakes....

01/27/2007, 03:20 PM	#7
clown-x Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern, VA Posts: 317	It's possible if the fish are very small that they are biting and spitting back out bc the pieces are too large. Sometimes they will swallow it in, bite off a small piece, spit the rest out and swallow the small piece and repeat. That's very common with fish. However, it could just be they are picky. Mine were/are at times.

01/27/2007, 04:07 PM	#8
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	I actually do soal my food in garlic extreme which did help. the one loves it!! Clown X - where did you get those black perc's at? I've been looking for a pair all over!!!

01/27/2007, 04:37 PM	#9
clown-x Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Northern, VA Posts: 317	Blue Ribbon Koi in Manassas, VA. I was there today they had four or five.

01/27/2007, 07:59 PM	#10
zigrat88 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbia, MD Posts: 125	hmmm.... it's a bit of a trip but I think I might have to hike down there!

01/27/2007, 08:15 PM	#11
supertech3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: El Paso Posts: 1,206	many fish when first introduced will have this behavior, be patient and try not to overfeed and polute your tank, also try different forms of food