Clownfish Hunger Strike - Day 9

[Jib]

Picked up a Clownfish for my 14G tank on two Saturday's ago. Haven't been able to get him to eat since. Looking for ideas or suggestions.

I have 4 foods for him. First week I tired New Life Spectrum pellets, and frozen brine shrimp. I got these because this is what my LFS had been feeding him. At the suggestion of another on this forum, I've started soaking the shrimp / pellets in a little Selcon prior to feeding (in a small bowl I put a little RODI, the add the pellets / shrimp, a drop or two of selcon, the use a pipette to place food in his direction).

At the suggestion of others on this forum and my LFS, trying Rod's Foods Tentacle Teasers (some type of egg), and LRS Reef Frenzy Nano. Started trying these on Friday, and sometimes the first two.

He will look at the food, and sometimes bite it, but always ends up spitting it out. I really don't know what else to try.

Fish is fairly active, although generally only swims in one or two areas of the tank.

Water:
78 degrees
Salinity, 1.025
PH - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5 ppm

Really starting to worry he is going to starve. Let me know if there are any ideas to get him eating.

Thank you,

Jib

 

[Rjukan]

Try any flake? My clowns aren't big pellet eaters. Odd it's not going for the brine or eggs tho, those are tough to beat.

 

[vetteguy53081]

At first they can be finicky. Assure the fish is having no issues such as mucus on the skin , heavy breathing or white poop.
Next- Focus on water quality (Ammonia and nitrate levels) and also what is tank temperature and salinity?
Lastly- how did you acclimate (introduce) the clown to the tank ?

 

[Jib]

Try any flake? My clowns aren't big pellet eaters. Odd it's not going for the brine or eggs tho, those are tough to beat.

I do have some flakes (Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes) but haven't tried them yet. He doesn't really ever come up to the top of the tank so I thought they might not be worthwhile to try while I was trying the LRS & eggs.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Clownfish are not picker eaters, as long as the food isn't too large, there has to be an underlying cause why it isn't eating. Nine days without food for a small clown is very serious, they start to metabolize the lipids in their liver, and at some point, the feeding response just goes away. I don't suppose there is any way you could get some live baby brine shrimp? I agree with @Rjukan try crushed up flake food as well.

Jay

 

[smacbride]

Is it a aqua-cultured clown or from the ocean? I've had bad luck with captured ones not eating. I only stick with tank raised clowns.

 

[Jib]

At first they can be finicky. Assure the fish is having no issues such as mucus on the skin , heavy breathing or white poop.
Next- Focus on water quality (Ammonia and nitrate levels) and also what is tank temperature and salinity?
Lastly- how did you acclimate (introduce) the clown to the tank ?

Observing the fish he seems fine, with no mucus on the skin or heavy breathing. I did n otice white string poop back on 9/1, and treated with PraziPro. Haven't noticed the white poop since.

Water Parameters:
78 degrees
Salinity, 1.025
PH - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5 ppm

For acclimation, I wanted to float him, but there was a small hole in the bag that was ever so slightly seeping water. I didn't want the LFS water in my tank, so I instead drip acclimated him for about 30-40 minutes.

 

[Jib]

Clownfish are not picker eaters, as long as the food isn't too large, there has to be an underlying cause why it isn't eating. Nine days without food for a small clown is very serious, they start to metabolize the lipids in their liver, and at some point, the feeding response just goes away. I don't suppose there is any way you could get some live baby brine shrimp? I agree with @Rjukan try crushed up flake food as well.

I can call my LFS to see if they have live baby brines, but otherwise no. I will try to crush up the flake food small. For the size of the other foods, I've been introducing the smaller pirces of things with a pipette to get it in his general area.

Is it a aqua-cultured clown or from the ocean? I've had bad luck with captured ones not eating. I only stick with tank raised clowns.

My LFS stated they only sell aquacultered clowns.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I've only had two clowns so limited experience, but I'll add to what Jay said about food not being too big. My guys at first would only eat the tiniest food. Even 1mm pellets were too big for their taste. I had my first success getting them to eat with Sustainable Aquatics Hatchery Diet 0.8mm pellets. They also seemed to get excited for Reef Chili which is really ultra tiny food (I think mostly intended for corals). These days my clowns will eat anything that goes in the water.

I hope you find a solution soon. For all the luck I had with my clowns, I currently have 2 gobies on a hunger strike after moving tanks so I'll be following along!

 

[Jib]

but I'll add to what Jay said about food not being too big. My guys at first would only eat the tiniest food. Even 1mm pellets were too big for their taste. I had my first success getting them to eat with Sustainable Aquatics Hatchery Diet 0.8mm pellets. They also seemed to get excited for Reef Chili which is really ultra tiny food (I think mostly intended for corals).

I appreciate the thoughts. Other than the pellets (1 - 1.5mm), the food I have is very small. Especially the eggs, as they are mean to be coral food. The guy at he LFS said his fish go nuts for them and will even get stung my his nem stealing them from the nem.

 

[Jib]

Of all things, he ate some flakes. Albeit, he only ate two small pieces. I'll keep trying to feed him flakes in hopes he will eat more. Any thoughts how many times a day I should feed him? I've been trying twice per day. But since things are getting deseprate, wondering if I should ramp that up. Also want to be cognizant not to pollute the tank...I have been netting out as much uneaten food as I can after each meal.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Of all things, he ate some flakes. Albeit, he only ate two small pieces. I'll keep trying to feed him flakes in hopes he will eat more. Any thoughts how many times a day I should feed him? I've been trying twice per day. But since things are getting deseprate, wondering if I should ramp that up. Also want to be cognizant not to pollute the tank...I have been netting out as much uneaten food as I can after each meal.

I had trouble with mine eating too when I brought them home. Had to try several different types of food. It won't hurt to feed him extra right now, I wouldn't think but Jay would know. So glad to hear you found the flakes work!

 

[Jib]

It won't hurt to feed him extra right now

I'm thinking the same thing. I'll increase the amount of times I try to feed him each day.

 

[smacbride]

My clowns all eat flake food. I feed twice a day, usually once a day with flake, then once a day with frozen. Either marine cuisine or mysis shrimp.

 

[Jib]

My clowns all eat flake food. I feed twice a day, usually once a day with flake, then once a day with frozen. Either marine cuisine or mysis shrimp.

Flake food is something I've fed in freshwater tanks since I've been 5. So I guess I write it off as "inferior" food, and was trying to supply better, more appealing options. Gotta keep my mind open...

Although it is weird the LFS said they don't feed flake...they feed pellets and brine shrimp

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Flake food is something I've fed in freshwater tanks since I've been 5. So I guess I write it off as "inferior" food, and was trying to supply better, more appealing options. Gotta keep my mind open...

Although it is weird the LFS said they don't feed flake...they feed pellets and brine shrimp

Mine eat all types of food now especially when they are hungry!

 

[toadstool_paradise]

Mine is a pig and she eats anything and everything. Not sure if you could get your hands on some live black worms or brine shrimp that may help entice yours to eat?

 

[Jib]

Update: Clownfish has started eating Flake Food. Didn't this morning, but did around lunch time and just now. Going to try and feed a few extra times per day since he hasn't eaten in so long. Appreciate all of the suggestions from everyone.

Thank you,

Jib