Feeding new pajama CardinaL

Voodoodauley · 10/30/2011, 06:01 AM

He's been shy I have been told this is normal behavior, I am hoping that by adding two more pj cardinals and one more blue green chromis that they will all school more to eat more socially. My PJ Cardinal seems more interested in hiding during chow time. What can I offer for his dietary needs? We do frozen mysis, frozen blood worms, and frozen Brine, and pellets. They seem to like the pellets the best. Flake food got no interests.I have to stars and three peppermint shrimp with a few Bumble Bee, Turbo, and a Turban snail for clean up needs.

any suggestion for social behavior and better foods? We have two false percs, two blue Damsels, and two Chromis.

Ron Reefman · 10/30/2011, 09:21 AM

When do you feed? PJ Cardinals are nocturnal so they aren't real inclined to eat in the morning. I'm not sure adding more will help much... but it probably can't hurt. Mine was very shy when it was small. It's several years old now and it is willing to swim around the outside edges of the feeding frenzy.

jucario · 10/30/2011, 11:27 AM

I was recently keeping a pj cardinal in a QT for a friend. It ate any type of food offered including flakes. As Ron Reefman mentions, it would be good idea to try to feed it at night, especially because it will have less competition form the other fishes.

ricksreef · 10/30/2011, 12:31 PM

I have had two cardinals in my reef tank for about three years now, i feed all my fish pellets at a different times everyday and rarely see the cardinals eat and by no means do they look like they are starving, they are both very healthy and fat! it did take a week or two to get them to accept pellets from frozen brine (about 2 years ago) but now they will eat just about anything i throw in the tank

disc1 · 10/30/2011, 12:31 PM

Ron's got it. Try feeding right after lights out for a while. Eventually they should get used to eating during the day. Mine did anyway.

muttley000 · 10/30/2011, 01:53 PM

Similar to above, I have 4 in a tank and I toss in small new life spectrum pellets when I turn the lights on, they are gone by the time the other fish know they are there!

Palting · 10/30/2011, 02:53 PM

I have PJ cardinals. Although classified as nocturnal, these hang out by one corner of the tank out in the open during the day. They will roam the rest of the tank at "night" when all the other fish are asleep. It did take a few days, but they will eat the food I give the other fish during the "daylight". I feed IO gel food, flakes, NLS pellets, mussels, and mysis. My cardinals seem to prefer the IO gel food and the flakes the best.

Ron Reefman · 10/30/2011, 04:42 PM

Palting is spot on. Mine are out most of the day but stay away from the main traffic flow. After the others hid in the rocks to sleep, PJ roams anywhere he wants.

10/30/2011, 06:01 AM	#1
Voodoodauley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Roy, Wa Posts: 30	Feeding new pajama CardinaL He's been shy I have been told this is normal behavior, I am hoping that by adding two more pj cardinals and one more blue green chromis that they will all school more to eat more socially. My PJ Cardinal seems more interested in hiding during chow time. What can I offer for his dietary needs? We do frozen mysis, frozen blood worms, and frozen Brine, and pellets. They seem to like the pellets the best. Flake food got no interests.I have to stars and three peppermint shrimp with a few Bumble Bee, Turbo, and a Turban snail for clean up needs. any suggestion for social behavior and better foods? We have two false percs, two blue Damsels, and two Chromis. __________________ 46g Bow Front FOWLR. 2 Black Spiny Urchins, 1 Brittle Star, 1 Choc. Chip Star, 2 Clowns, 1 PJ Cardinal, 1 Banggai Cardinal, 1 Blue Damsel, 2 B/G Chromis, 1 6-line Wrasse, 2 Pep. Shrimps. Current Tank Info: We have about 5 Aquariums, with our largest being a 46 gallon bow front FOWLR. The rest are freshwater.

10/30/2011, 09:21 AM	#2
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	When do you feed? PJ Cardinals are nocturnal so they aren't real inclined to eat in the morning. I'm not sure adding more will help much... but it probably can't hurt. Mine was very shy when it was small. It's several years old now and it is willing to swim around the outside edges of the feeding frenzy. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

10/30/2011, 12:31 PM	#5
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	Ron's got it. Try feeding right after lights out for a while. Eventually they should get used to eating during the day. Mine did anyway. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

10/30/2011, 01:53 PM	#6
muttley000 MTS Sufferer! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,926	Similar to above, I have 4 in a tank and I toss in small new life spectrum pellets when I turn the lights on, they are gone by the time the other fish know they are there! __________________ Next step on the system is adding A 90 gallon! Current Tank Info: 475 multitank system is now running! Several hundred gallons of additions planned!

10/30/2011, 02:53 PM	#7
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	I have PJ cardinals. Although classified as nocturnal, these hang out by one corner of the tank out in the open during the day. They will roam the rest of the tank at "night" when all the other fish are asleep. It did take a few days, but they will eat the food I give the other fish during the "daylight". I feed IO gel food, flakes, NLS pellets, mussels, and mysis. My cardinals seem to prefer the IO gel food and the flakes the best. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

10/30/2011, 11:27 AM	#3
jucario Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 88	I was recently keeping a pj cardinal in a QT for a friend. It ate any type of food offered including flakes. As Ron Reefman mentions, it would be good idea to try to feed it at night, especially because it will have less competition form the other fishes.

10/30/2011, 12:31 PM	#4
ricksreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: novato, Ca Posts: 42	I have had two cardinals in my reef tank for about three years now, i feed all my fish pellets at a different times everyday and rarely see the cardinals eat and by no means do they look like they are starving, they are both very healthy and fat! it did take a week or two to get them to accept pellets from frozen brine (about 2 years ago) but now they will eat just about anything i throw in the tank

10/30/2011, 04:42 PM	#8
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Palting is spot on. Mine are out most of the day but stay away from the main traffic flow. After the others hid in the rocks to sleep, PJ roams anywhere he wants. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

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