Dang Lyretail Anthias wont eat!

[Asbury030]

I have had these 2 fish for 5 days... I have tried frozen brine, pellets, PE calanus, and frozen Mysis. They looked interested in everything... ate it but spit it out. The only thing they ate was one piece of Mysis and then wouldn't go near anything. The Mysis is kinda old but has been in my freezer the whole time. I don't know what else to try. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Labridaedicted]

Garlic soak or selcon might help. Maybe try some nutrimar ova or the like. They seem to prefer small stuff from what I've seen in the past

 

[Asbury030]

What is involved in garlic soaking?

 

[Labridaedicted]

They make a bottled solution that you add and soak it in. I've always used that, although I've heard you can use fresh garlic or powder. I would tend towards fresh to avoid preservatives and stuff, but don't know how to prepare fresh for soak. Someone else may know the fresh route.

You could probably crush a couple of cloves and get enough juice for a soak, though

 

[Asbury030]

Okay cool... I was actually thinking of maybe finding some organic garlic oil?

 

[Labridaedicted]

That would likely work. Keep an eye on your skimmer as it could either make it go absolutely crazy for a few hours or keep it from making a foam head for a few hours. (I forget which one oils do. I think the latter, though)

 

[Fishfinder]

try some live brine. Are they males or females?

 

[Asbury030]

try some live brine. Are they males or females?

Female... live brine has been impossible to find!

 

[Fishfinder]

Really? You live in south Florida. Should be a ton of LFS with live brine. You close to Sebastian? I'll give you some

Try feeding into a powerhead. Anthias like fast movement to the food when they are first acquired.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Try feeding into a powerhead. Anthias like fast movement to the food when they are first acquired.

^This.

 

[Tbabcock]

I have three that eat like pigs.. LRS, brine and small Mysis.. i just put small chunks in the tank with the pumps on and the run all over picking what they want out of the water column. I love these guys there very active and there color is crazy.

 

[Kmsutows]

Many years ago my experience was they love small foods. Like really small.. Then once eating that they will start taking bigger foods. But who am I to talk I can't get my pictillis anthias to eat anything!

 

[Eva Rose]

Mine eat anything but especially like LRS Reef Frenzy. I feed, as recommended above, by dispersing it near powerhead.

 

[Pmj]

Where do u live in S FL? AllPets in Davie sells a huge portion of live brine for $1. I get it all the time and it lasts a while.

 

[cpvince]

Odd, never had an issue with any of the anthias I've acquired. What brand of brine and mysis are you using? I switched over to the Hikari brand because the size of the shrimp are smaller and the solution they're frozen in seems to be cleaner.

 

[cpvince]

Really? You live in south Florida. Should be a ton of LFS with live brine. You close to Sebastian? I'll give you some

Try feeding into a powerhead. Anthias like fast movement to the food when they are first acquired.

Yep, I do this as well. I stick a frozen chunk onto the grates of my powerhead and it'll shoot out and disperse throughout the tank as it defrosts.

 

[Empress]

Yep, I do this as well. I stick a frozen chunk onto the grates of my powerhead and it'll shoot out and disperse throughout the tank as it defrosts.

I do that with my gyre. That way EVERY BODY gets to eat! Fun to watch too.

 

[FFKiwi]

hmm... a chunk of frozen in? this sounds like a good idea. so it doesn't sink to the bottom??

 

[Asbury030]

I got some nano reef frenzy... they ate a few pieces today, so there is hope!

 

[enveetie]

when i first got my group they would take in and spit out frozen food. i mixed in live brine shrimp for one feeding and they started to eat everything after learning the other non-live stuff was food also.

feeding into as powerhead sounds like a good idea that might fool them into thinking its live based on movement. but if they're spitting it out still i would try a live/frozen mix.