what to feed domino damsels?

maluskeeter · 06/14/2008, 11:18 PM

so i just got 3 domino damsels to kick start my cycle - just to learn that they are very aggressive and could kill each other- i plan on taking them out when i add my "real" fish...

this was my question:

what should i feed them and how often? there are three of them and I dont want to be spending too much money buying myriad shrimp or meat for them..something cheap would be good.

jamest0o0 · 06/14/2008, 11:32 PM

I think you may be going into this hobby too fast. READ! anyway, you shouldn't cycle with fish, it is cruel and unnecassary. As long as you have LR your tank will cycle. You can even use raw shrimp from a grocery store. As for feeding them, they will eat just about anything (flakes, frozen, pellets, etc)

maluskeeter · 06/14/2008, 11:36 PM

i have LR, live sand and things have been already established...i think i was wrong when i said kick start my cycle...my cycle is in progress..

any other comments on what to feed them (cheapest) and how often?

what kind of flakes should i look for? (going to walmart?)

jamest0o0 · 06/14/2008, 11:45 PM

You should only add fish when your ammonia reads 0 which usually takes a month or so. I see you have 30 lbs base rock, to seed that you will need LR as well. You should also have 1-1.5 lbs of LR per gallon of water.

Also adding 3 fish at once is probably too much as it is, the bio-load will be too much for the beneficial bacteria to handle.

I feed a variety of frozen foods, mysis is a good one and brine every once in awhile isn't bad. I thaw my frozen food in a cup of water then strain it through a net and put it in a cup of tank water. Then I put in some vita-chem and garlic and let it sit for about 10-20 min. Finally I use a turkey baster to feed everyone in the tank until they don't eat anymore.

maluskeeter · 06/14/2008, 11:49 PM

thanks james...sorry, i just updated my hobby experience..i have about 50lbs of live rock and 50lbs of live sand...

i dont HAVE to feed frozen foods right?? i can just feed them the pellets or flakes right? if so what kind?

robnuti · 06/14/2008, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by maluskeeter
i plan on taking them out when i add my "real" fish...

jamest0o0 · 06/14/2008, 11:51 PM

I personally wouldn't, it is good for the fish to have a mix of food. Dominos are very hardy and would probably be fine though if you plan on getting rid of them. Once again there is no reason for you to have them in your tank, I would just take them back and read up on what exactly you want in your tank and go from there.

maluskeeter · 06/14/2008, 11:54 PM

thanks guys...ive been reading and these guys get aggressive too..ill take them back by the end of the week..now i just need to catch them! lol

ill mix the foods up but what kind of pellets should i look at?

maluskeeter · 06/15/2008, 08:36 AM

is there a specific type of pellet i should get? e.g. herbivore pellets?

Am00re34 · 06/15/2008, 09:46 AM

good luck catching them! i would just take all the rock out and try to pin them down. They dont come easily!

Zestay · 06/15/2008, 09:52 AM

prime reef flake will be fine.

06/14/2008, 11:18 PM	#1
maluskeeter Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 115	what to feed domino damsels? so i just got 3 domino damsels to kick start my cycle - just to learn that they are very aggressive and could kill each other- i plan on taking them out when i add my "real" fish... this was my question: what should i feed them and how often? there are three of them and I dont want to be spending too much money buying myriad shrimp or meat for them..something cheap would be good.

06/14/2008, 11:32 PM	#2
jamest0o0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,325	I think you may be going into this hobby too fast. READ! anyway, you shouldn't cycle with fish, it is cruel and unnecassary. As long as you have LR your tank will cycle. You can even use raw shrimp from a grocery store. As for feeding them, they will eat just about anything (flakes, frozen, pellets, etc) __________________ Planning on new tank, been about 5-6 years since I've been in the hobby

06/14/2008, 11:45 PM	#4
jamest0o0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,325	You should only add fish when your ammonia reads 0 which usually takes a month or so. I see you have 30 lbs base rock, to seed that you will need LR as well. You should also have 1-1.5 lbs of LR per gallon of water. Also adding 3 fish at once is probably too much as it is, the bio-load will be too much for the beneficial bacteria to handle. I feed a variety of frozen foods, mysis is a good one and brine every once in awhile isn't bad. I thaw my frozen food in a cup of water then strain it through a net and put it in a cup of tank water. Then I put in some vita-chem and garlic and let it sit for about 10-20 min. Finally I use a turkey baster to feed everyone in the tank until they don't eat anymore. __________________ Planning on new tank, been about 5-6 years since I've been in the hobby

06/14/2008, 11:51 PM	#7
jamest0o0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,325	I personally wouldn't, it is good for the fish to have a mix of food. Dominos are very hardy and would probably be fine though if you plan on getting rid of them. Once again there is no reason for you to have them in your tank, I would just take them back and read up on what exactly you want in your tank and go from there. __________________ Planning on new tank, been about 5-6 years since I've been in the hobby

06/14/2008, 11:36 PM	#3
maluskeeter Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 115	i have LR, live sand and things have been already established...i think i was wrong when i said kick start my cycle...my cycle is in progress.. any other comments on what to feed them (cheapest) and how often? what kind of flakes should i look for? (going to walmart?)

06/14/2008, 11:49 PM	#5
maluskeeter Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 115	thanks james...sorry, i just updated my hobby experience..i have about 50lbs of live rock and 50lbs of live sand... i dont HAVE to feed frozen foods right?? i can just feed them the pellets or flakes right? if so what kind?

06/14/2008, 11:54 PM	#8
maluskeeter Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 115	thanks guys...ive been reading and these guys get aggressive too..ill take them back by the end of the week..now i just need to catch them! lol ill mix the foods up but what kind of pellets should i look at?

06/15/2008, 08:36 AM	#9
maluskeeter Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 115	is there a specific type of pellet i should get? e.g. herbivore pellets?

06/15/2008, 09:46 AM	#10
Am00re34 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Greenfield, WI Posts: 79	good luck catching them! i would just take all the rock out and try to pin them down. They dont come easily!

06/15/2008, 09:52 AM	#11
Zestay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: gainesville, FL Posts: 1,622	prime reef flake will be fine.