New Flame Angelfish Not Eating (with pictures)

shawnriv · 10/15/2014, 05:32 PM

Hi Everyone,

I purchased a Flame Angelfish from my LFS last week and he's been in quarantine for the past week. I've fed him a variety of foods but seems to take them in and then spit them out. He's very mobile around the quarantine tank, but I worry that he's not eating enough. Here is what I've tried feeding him already:

whosurcaddie · 10/15/2014, 05:37 PM

Try adding a little garlic to the food before you feed it. Also any dry food should be soaked. Soaking makes the food more palatable for the fish. Once you get the fish feeding with the garlic slowly ween him off you don't want to use garlic forever.

tanksfishtank · 10/15/2014, 05:41 PM

They make garlic guard to add to fish food specifically for finicky eaters.

shawnriv · 10/15/2014, 05:44 PM

I remembered I received a sample pack of New Era's Marine Grazer and put a small piece in the tank. The Flame seems to be pecking at it...good sign?

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/med...ine-grazer.jpg

carlso63 · 10/15/2014, 06:04 PM

Yes, good sign

Try some frozen Reef Plankton instead of the Mysis. Plankton is smaller and less intimidating for a smaller angel like a Flame

shawnriv · 10/15/2014, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlso63

Yes, good sign

Try some frozen Reef Plankton instead of the Mysis. Plankton is smaller and less intimidating for a smaller angel like a Flame

I'll have to pick up some from my LFS. I saw it the other day, but wasn't sure how nutritious it was. My other fish (two true percula clowns and royal gramma) love the frozen mysis, but it may just be too big for the Flame Angel.

shesacharmer · 10/15/2014, 07:42 PM

As long as your Angel is still trying foods I wouldn't be too worried. The Omega One is a good food since the first several ingredients are whole fishes. I think your Angel will be okay but it's best to get lots of feedback. Best of luck with it...Flames are my dream fish!

ca1ore · 10/15/2014, 07:47 PM

If your LFS has any live brine (or even try frozen brine), it's bacon for fish!

tkeracer619 · 10/15/2014, 07:50 PM

did someone say bacon? ^^ this is good advice.

shawnriv · 10/15/2014, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca1ore

If your LFS has any live brine (or even try frozen brine), it's bacon for fish!

Haha true. But bacon helps people put on a couple extra pounds...brine shrimp does not.

My LFS does have live brine shrimp.

Mark9 · 10/15/2014, 07:52 PM

Took almost 2 weeks for my flame to eat.
Reef nutrition ROE got him going.
Now he gorges on Larry's reef frenzy.

Chrisjbarry · 10/15/2014, 07:57 PM

I feed omega one pellets 3 times a day with afs, also feed all of the saltwater SFO brand frozen mixed with some green algae. Take all the cubes is a big zip lock and shred green algae in the bag. Lay it flat on cookie sheet to refreeze. Break off about a cube about 5 of 7 days. Add 2 drops of garlic to the chunk. All fish go nuts for this including my flame angel that is almost 6 years old now. My copper band and blue tang as well as clowns are pushing 10 years old now.

slief · 10/15/2014, 09:17 PM

Get some LRS Reef Frenzy or Fish Frenzy. My Flames and Lemon Peels love it along with the rest of my fish. The fish that I've had that were stubborn eaters always eat the LRS food. It's also the only food that worked for recent success in breeding the a pair of wild caught Masked Angelfish. It's actually about the best frozen food I've seen and used.

ca1ore · 10/15/2014, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawnriv

Haha true. But bacon helps people put on a couple extra pounds...brine shrimp does not.

My LFS does have live brine shrimp.

I've had pretty good success getting acclimating fish to eat brine. Once they do, it is easier to get them on other prepared foods. Nutramar Ova is great in this regard too, but I know it has been tough to come by lately. At the end of the day, though, you just end up trying lots of different things until one does the trick. And sometimes a fish never eats and does not survive.

Also, FWIW, I had an Achilles tang in QT for four months, and all it would eat was spirulina brine. Had no trouble keeping weight on it.

shawnriv · 10/18/2014, 08:50 AM

Just an update for everyone. My Flame Angel has begun eating the frozen mysis and the garlic flakes. Things are looking good! I just hope it all continues (knock on wood).

whosurcaddie · 10/18/2014, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawnriv

Just an update for everyone. My Flame Angel has begun eating the frozen mysis and the garlic flakes. Things are looking good! I just hope it all continues (knock on wood).

Just so you know for the future, flake food has the highest concentration of phosphate of any food that we feed our fish. Glad to see the fish is doing good. Good luck.

Mark9 · 10/18/2014, 11:36 AM

Good to hear!

smi1e · 10/18/2014, 12:23 PM

Hi. I also started feeding a flame angel with frozen brine shrimps and blood worms. After fortnight it ate granulated food, like another fish in my tank.

10/15/2014, 05:32 PM	#1
shawnriv Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 185	New Flame Angelfish Not Eating (with pictures) Hi Everyone, I purchased a Flame Angelfish from my LFS last week and he's been in quarantine for the past week. I've fed him a variety of foods but seems to take them in and then spit them out. He's very mobile around the quarantine tank, but I worry that he's not eating enough. Here is what I've tried feeding him already:

10/15/2014, 06:04 PM	#5
carlso63 Reefkeeping since 1977 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 948	Yes, good sign Try some frozen Reef Plankton instead of the Mysis. Plankton is smaller and less intimidating for a smaller angel like a Flame __________________ -Member of the 35 & Over Club- Wanna see my tank? Go to www.utahreefs.com Current Tank Info: 150g Reef: 3 X 250 Halides (LumenMax3 / IceCap / Pheonix 14K DE), 2 X Gyre 150s, Elite Aquatics sump, dc9000 return, Curve 7, RKE, BRS Dual Reactor, Chaeto / Caulerpa Fuge

10/15/2014, 07:42 PM	#7
shesacharmer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Central NH Posts: 1,241	As long as your Angel is still trying foods I wouldn't be too worried. The Omega One is a good food since the first several ingredients are whole fishes. I think your Angel will be okay but it's best to get lots of feedback. Best of luck with it...Flames are my dream fish! __________________ 75 gal, LR w/refugium, 79 deg, PH 8.0, sg 1.025, amm 0/nit 0/nit 0, Calcium 420, dKH 8.3, mag 1300, Phos 0 Current Tank Info: A work in progress...

10/15/2014, 07:47 PM	#8
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	If your LFS has any live brine (or even try frozen brine), it's bacon for fish! __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

10/15/2014, 07:50 PM	#9
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	did someone say bacon? ^^ this is good advice. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/15/2014, 05:37 PM	#2
whosurcaddie Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,354	Try adding a little garlic to the food before you feed it. Also any dry food should be soaked. Soaking makes the food more palatable for the fish. Once you get the fish feeding with the garlic slowly ween him off you don't want to use garlic forever.

10/15/2014, 05:41 PM	#3
tanksfishtank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Bettendorf, IA Posts: 335	They make garlic guard to add to fish food specifically for finicky eaters.

10/15/2014, 05:44 PM	#4
shawnriv Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 185	I remembered I received a sample pack of New Era's Marine Grazer and put a small piece in the tank. The Flame seems to be pecking at it...good sign? http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/med...ine-grazer.jpg

10/15/2014, 07:52 PM	#11
Mark9 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Atlanta Posts: 2,497	Took almost 2 weeks for my flame to eat. Reef nutrition ROE got him going. Now he gorges on Larry's reef frenzy.

10/15/2014, 07:57 PM	#12
Chrisjbarry Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 292	I feed omega one pellets 3 times a day with afs, also feed all of the saltwater SFO brand frozen mixed with some green algae. Take all the cubes is a big zip lock and shred green algae in the bag. Lay it flat on cookie sheet to refreeze. Break off about a cube about 5 of 7 days. Add 2 drops of garlic to the chunk. All fish go nuts for this including my flame angel that is almost 6 years old now. My copper band and blue tang as well as clowns are pushing 10 years old now.

10/15/2014, 09:17 PM	#13
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	Get some LRS Reef Frenzy or Fish Frenzy. My Flames and Lemon Peels love it along with the rest of my fish. The fish that I've had that were stubborn eaters always eat the LRS food. It's also the only food that worked for recent success in breeding the a pair of wild caught Masked Angelfish. It's actually about the best frozen food I've seen and used. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

10/18/2014, 08:50 AM	#15
shawnriv Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 185	Just an update for everyone. My Flame Angel has begun eating the frozen mysis and the garlic flakes. Things are looking good! I just hope it all continues (knock on wood).

10/18/2014, 11:36 AM	#17
Mark9 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Atlanta Posts: 2,497	Good to hear!

10/18/2014, 12:23 PM	#18
smi1e Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1	Hi. I also started feeding a flame angel with frozen brine shrimps and blood worms. After fortnight it ate granulated food, like another fish in my tank.