Clownfish not Eating!

blacksnake1986 · Jan 29, 2014

I just got a CB clownfish about a week ago I cannot get him to eat anything I bought same flake food that pet store uses also tried PC mysis chopped up. He will go up like he is gungy grab every food item then spit it out. I'm new to reefkeeping so I don't know are they usually fussy eaters? Seems like it he got hungry enough he would eat instead of spitting it out. If anyone has any ideas as to what's up I'm all ears

charliet21 · Jan 30, 2014

Try live brine

ReefKeeper09 · Jan 30, 2014

Yeah, Start with live brine. When I got my clownfish, all he would eat was pellets. Now, After some work she'll eat anything I put in the tank.

blacksnake1986 · Jan 30, 2014

Well I have some brine shrimp eggs are u talking about newly hatched or adult brine

charliet21 · Jan 30, 2014

Adult.......

blacksnake1986 · Jan 30, 2014

I don't Know were I can acquire some adults. My lfs does not have any guess ill see if anyone online sells them

Kano · Jan 30, 2014

CB clownfish are raised on pellets so they should eat pellets. Mine only ate pellets at first but soon caught on that mysis are food as well. Keep an eye if he looks like he's getting skinny but it shouldn't be an issue. My CB clownfish will eat out of my hands. No fear of people at all.

Eienna · Jan 30, 2014

Call the person or store you got it from and ask what the breeder was feeding it.

Baby brine's fine for a young clown.

rock_lobster · Jan 30, 2014

try frozen brine from petco. 2$ for a bag of it and it works 90% of the time.

Eienna · Jan 30, 2014

rock_lobster said:
try frozen brine from petco. 2$ for a bag of it and it works 90% of the time.

The main point of the live brine is that it moves in such a way that it may provoke an instinctive predatory response in the fish.

rock_lobster · Jan 30, 2014

Eienna said:
The main point of the live brine is that it moves in such a way that it may provoke an instinctive predatory response in the fish.

Yes of course, but if he doesnt have them I dont want the fish to starve in the meantime. Frozen brine are available petco and many other retailers and he would save a ton of $$$ on shipping. I have had plenty of clowns that would NOT take frozen mysis but would go berserker on frozen brine shrimp... then he can switch them right over to pellet or flake.

Eienna · Jan 30, 2014

Well, of course not.

I just felt that the difference needed to be explained.

blacksnake1986 · Jan 31, 2014

I'm hatching brine shrimp right now I will see if he will eat BBS he is still pretty small. I'm going to take the trip to my lfs ( 2 hours away) Sunday and pick up some frozen brine shrimp. I will keep u guys posted thanks for all the help!

blacksnake1986 · Feb 2, 2014

Well my clown just took some NBA and then ate some flake food! Thanks guys for all the help I'm going to try to raise the brine shrimp to adulthood for a treat for my fish anyone know how often you should feed live brine shrimp or PC mysis to your fish?

blacksnake1986 · Feb 2, 2014

I ment to say bbs not NBA danger this spell corrector!

Eienna · Feb 2, 2014

PE Mysis is good as a staple. Brine shrimp really doesn't have the nutritional value to be much more than a treat (though the live stuff is great if you're having trouble getting a fish to eat.)

Glad to hear he's eating for you!! n.n