How long before my new clowns will actually eat?

Radioheadx14 · 10/10/2007, 06:20 AM

I just got my 2 ocellaris clowns from saltwaterfish.com yesterday and they looked as healthy as can be. They looked like they were searching the tank for food... pecking at different things but they wont 'eat' anything i give them. i tried mysis, spirlina filled brine shrimp and formula 1 flakes. they seem interested when i put it in, but never swallow it. they bite it and spit it out or swim up to it and then swim away. Is this normal or should i buy some minced garlic and soak some food in the juice?

taillonjohn · 10/10/2007, 06:38 AM

I would say give them a day or two before you start stressing, they will need a bit of time to adjust to your tank. But do keep an eye on them, a healthy fish should always eat.

How old is your tank?

JoeMomma · 10/10/2007, 06:44 AM

I'm in the same boat. I just got a mated pair of ocellaris from a tank tear down 5 days ago. Only last night did I notice them eat a little frozen mysis. I've tried 5 different kinds of food and they barely touch it.

kevin2000 · 10/10/2007, 08:09 AM

Live Brine Shrimp will jump start most fish into eating mode.

Mavrk · 10/10/2007, 08:10 AM

If your clownfish are biting and spitting it out, then the pieces are probably too big. Try crumbling the flakes up smaller and see if this helps.

Mavrk · 10/10/2007, 08:11 AM

Oh, and make sure your powerheads are on so the food looks like it is swimming. That sometimes helps reluctant eaters.

amike5 · 10/10/2007, 09:01 AM

I've had new fish go for 3 days without eating before they are comfortable enough. Live brine though always seems to perk their appetite.

JoeMomma · 10/10/2007, 09:03 AM

I will start hatching some brine tonight and see how it goes...

Brandon M · 10/10/2007, 09:37 AM

I just got a pair of clowns a few days ago that will take nothing but live brine and cyclopeeze. I would give these a try, good luck!

Radioheadx14 · 10/12/2007, 06:02 AM

No where in central ohio, that i know of, sells live brine... they did eat some formula 2 pellets... they didnt eat a lot but its something. i havent tried the cyclops i bought yesterday yet. i will try that today... i dont want to dirty the tank by trying to feed them everything under the sun in one day

JoeMomma · 10/12/2007, 06:31 AM

My clowns started eating flakes last night. I guess I didn't need brine after all rather just patience.

JoeMomma · 10/18/2007, 06:42 AM

Ok well my clowns are pigs now and chow down on everything I put in the tank in less than a minute. I guess they were just getting comfortable.

How are your doing RadioHead?

Radioheadx14 · 10/18/2007, 08:07 AM

they eat a little more... not like pigs. I think they are eating little copepods off the glass and around the tank. They seem very healthy still and their coloration has gotten even brighter. So im not to worried yet.

Nanz · 10/18/2007, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Radioheadx14
No where in central ohio, that i know of, sells live brine... they did eat some formula 2 pellets... they didnt eat a lot but its something. i havent tried the cyclops i bought yesterday yet. i will try that today... i dont want to dirty the tank by trying to feed them everything under the sun in one day

Wow your from Ohio.. Same as me

I just got a pair of Maroon/Gold clowns and they are pigs. I cant even feed my crabs pellets anymore because my clowns eat them before the food hits the sand. They eat everything!

Have you thought of setting up a brine shrimp hatchery? You can build an simple one with 2-liter bottle and a small air pump.

Radioheadx14 · 10/18/2007, 08:42 AM

I actually ordered some from saltwaterfish.com They should arrive tomorrow.
I'm not too concerned since they seem really healthy and they still eat a little of what i give them. but we'll see with the live brine.

JoeMomma · 10/18/2007, 08:45 AM

I didn't measure properly and made waaaaaaay too much brine shrimp the first time. There must have been a million! All eaten now though.

Is it okay to have the unhatched eggs in the tank. My net gets them as well. I can't separate just the shrimp..

Mavrk · 10/18/2007, 09:13 AM

Two pieces of advice:

1. Brine shrimp have almost no nutritional value. I would suggest feeding the brine shrimp a supplement such as Selcon and DT's phytoplankton. This will make them worth feeding.

2. I have heard of clownfish that have become "addicted" to brine shrimp. They may refuse to eat anything else if fed this too often. I don't know if this is very common, but just thought you should know.

Nanz · 10/18/2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mavrk
Two pieces of advice:

1. Brine shrimp have almost no nutritional value. I would suggest feeding the brine shrimp a supplement such as Selcon and DT's phytoplankton. This will make them worth feeding.

2. I have heard of clownfish that have become "addicted" to brine shrimp. They may refuse to eat anything else if fed this too often. I don't know if this is very common, but just thought you should know.

I agree.. I would try to get them to eat pellets or flake. Brine shrimp are nutritious only the first 24 hours after hatching and then lose their value unless fed. Who wants to make brine shrimp every day?, hehe.

In your case it might only help temporarily.

Radioheadx14 · 10/18/2007, 06:02 PM

they finally ate more than a few pellets today... i soaked some mysis in selcon and i added the flakes and pellets that have been eating. after i added it, they ate a few pellets, then they started eating mysis and didnt spit it out, they ate it!! Now i dont have to worry anymore

10/10/2007, 06:20 AM	#1
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	How long before my new clowns will actually eat? I just got my 2 ocellaris clowns from saltwaterfish.com yesterday and they looked as healthy as can be. They looked like they were searching the tank for food... pecking at different things but they wont 'eat' anything i give them. i tried mysis, spirlina filled brine shrimp and formula 1 flakes. they seem interested when i put it in, but never swallow it. they bite it and spit it out or swim up to it and then swim away. Is this normal or should i buy some minced garlic and soak some food in the juice?

10/10/2007, 06:38 AM	#2
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	I would say give them a day or two before you start stressing, they will need a bit of time to adjust to your tank. But do keep an eye on them, a healthy fish should always eat. How old is your tank? __________________ John

10/10/2007, 09:37 AM	#9
Brandon M Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 1,116	I just got a pair of clowns a few days ago that will take nothing but live brine and cyclopeeze. I would give these a try, good luck! __________________ Brandon Current Tank Info: 315g 84"x24"x36" FOWLR

10/10/2007, 06:44 AM	#3
JoeMomma Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 619	I'm in the same boat. I just got a mated pair of ocellaris from a tank tear down 5 days ago. Only last night did I notice them eat a little frozen mysis. I've tried 5 different kinds of food and they barely touch it.

10/10/2007, 08:09 AM	#4
kevin2000 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,805	Live Brine Shrimp will jump start most fish into eating mode.

10/10/2007, 08:10 AM	#5
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	If your clownfish are biting and spitting it out, then the pieces are probably too big. Try crumbling the flakes up smaller and see if this helps.

10/10/2007, 08:11 AM	#6
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	Oh, and make sure your powerheads are on so the food looks like it is swimming. That sometimes helps reluctant eaters.

10/10/2007, 09:01 AM	#7
amike5 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 724	I've had new fish go for 3 days without eating before they are comfortable enough. Live brine though always seems to perk their appetite.

10/10/2007, 09:03 AM	#8
JoeMomma Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 619	I will start hatching some brine tonight and see how it goes...

10/12/2007, 06:02 AM	#10
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	No where in central ohio, that i know of, sells live brine... they did eat some formula 2 pellets... they didnt eat a lot but its something. i havent tried the cyclops i bought yesterday yet. i will try that today... i dont want to dirty the tank by trying to feed them everything under the sun in one day

10/12/2007, 06:31 AM	#11
JoeMomma Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 619	My clowns started eating flakes last night. I guess I didn't need brine after all rather just patience.

10/18/2007, 06:42 AM	#12
JoeMomma Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 619	Ok well my clowns are pigs now and chow down on everything I put in the tank in less than a minute. I guess they were just getting comfortable. How are your doing RadioHead?

10/18/2007, 08:07 AM	#13
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	they eat a little more... not like pigs. I think they are eating little copepods off the glass and around the tank. They seem very healthy still and their coloration has gotten even brighter. So im not to worried yet.

10/18/2007, 08:42 AM	#15
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	I actually ordered some from saltwaterfish.com They should arrive tomorrow. I'm not too concerned since they seem really healthy and they still eat a little of what i give them. but we'll see with the live brine.

10/18/2007, 08:45 AM	#16
JoeMomma Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 619	I didn't measure properly and made waaaaaaay too much brine shrimp the first time. There must have been a million! All eaten now though. Is it okay to have the unhatched eggs in the tank. My net gets them as well. I can't separate just the shrimp..

10/18/2007, 09:13 AM	#17
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	Two pieces of advice: 1. Brine shrimp have almost no nutritional value. I would suggest feeding the brine shrimp a supplement such as Selcon and DT's phytoplankton. This will make them worth feeding. 2. I have heard of clownfish that have become "addicted" to brine shrimp. They may refuse to eat anything else if fed this too often. I don't know if this is very common, but just thought you should know.

10/18/2007, 06:02 PM	#19
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	they finally ate more than a few pellets today... i soaked some mysis in selcon and i added the flakes and pellets that have been eating. after i added it, they ate a few pellets, then they started eating mysis and didnt spit it out, they ate it!! Now i dont have to worry anymore