Feeding new regal angel

[James Gray]

So, I have had a regal angelfish for about 3 days and he is still not eating. I’ve tried pellets, Masstick, Nori, frozen mysis, live black worms, and mussels on the half shell. He is in my 55 gallon QT with a school of chromis. Just curious if anyone has luck getting one to eat when they are not interested. And if so what was the key?

Currently I am only observing him, so no meds in with them yet. Was hoping to get him eating before I started any treatments. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[SCReef'n]

No experience with this particular angel but good luck to you. They are beautiful fish

 

[NashobaTek]

Try enriched brine shrimp hatch. I have no clue what else other than garlic extreme maybe

 

[James Gray]

Try enriched brine shrimp hatch. I have no clue what else other than garlic extreme maybe

Thank you. I’ll give that a try

 

[James Gray]

No experience with this particular angel but good luck to you. They are beautiful fish

They are indeed.

 

[alton]

Provide him a bunch of structures for hiding in. Larger Regals are use to eating the best things on the reef. It takes them a while to start eating prepared foods.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They generally pick around rocks and glass prior to eating.
Spirulina brine shrimp and live brine, blackworms, nori seaweed basted in garlic and LRS herbivore diet good enticers

 

[tundraguy1106]

Clams on a half shell worked to get mine going. Problem with new fish is we tend to hover over the tank watching them. Which to a tiny fish is frightening. Try the clam on a half shell and either set up a nanny cam like I did or check back in an hour or so. Don’t wanna leave a whole uneaten clam in there to rot. You could also try calanus. Something small that will float around to entice them. Reef nutrition ROE is good stuff too.

 

[Kryptonian]

Hi,
I also purchased a Regal about two weeks ago. I gave him plenty of PVC to hide in and he was clearly shy the first couple days. I had no success feeding out of the water column the first three days. What did work was pinching some shrimp/clam mix between my fingers and literally holding it outside the entrance of his PVC for about 30 minutes. Eventually, he started to take pieces from my fingers but not much. Next, I clipped a half shell clam right at the entrance to his PVC home and within about 20 minutes he started picking at it. I think the key is making sure they can hide so they start to decrease stress and gain some confidence poking their head around food. From what I've learned, if a Regal is stressed at all, it'll prefer to hide than eat.

 

[James Gray]

Provide him a bunch of structures for hiding in. Larger Regals are use to eating the best things on the reef. It takes them a while to start eating prepared foods.

The QT has plenty of rock. Although he spends most of his time swimming near the mid to surface of the tank

 

[James Gray]

Clams on a half shell worked to get mine going. Problem with new fish is we tend to hover over the tank watching them. Which to a tiny fish is frightening. Try the clam on a half shell and either set up a nanny cam like I did or check back in an hour or so. Don’t wanna leave a whole uneaten clam in there to rot. You could also try calanus. Something small that will float around to entice them. Reef nutrition ROE is good stuff too.

Might give the roe a try if I don’t get him eating anything else.

 

[James Gray]

Hi,
I also purchased a Regal about two weeks ago. I gave him plenty of PVC to hide in and he was clearly shy the first couple days. I had no success feeding out of the water column the first three days. What did work was pinching some shrimp/clam mix between my fingers and literally holding it outside the entrance of his PVC for about 30 minutes. Eventually, he started to take pieces from my fingers but not much. Next, I clipped a half shell clam right at the entrance to his PVC home and within about 20 minutes he started picking at it. I think the key is making sure they can hide so they start to decrease stress and gain some confidence poking their head around food. From what I've learned, if a Regal is stressed at all, it'll prefer to hide than eat.

Mine doesn’t seem to be hiding. And when o put the live black worms in today, he did at least have a feeding response. Even went to eat some before he shook himself and went back towards the surface of the tank.

 

[Kryptonian]

Most of the research I'm doing shows a Regal shouldn't be surface dwelling until it's super healthy and eating from the water column (even then not the most confident fish). Might need to go ahead and medicate. That's just my ,02, I'm far from an expert here.

"Regal angelfish are naturally cautious fish and may hide when you approach, but they should not be hovering near the surface of the aquarium, breathing heavy, twitching or scratching. These are possible signs of parasitic or bacterial infections.", quoted from article below.

Aquarium Fish: The Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)

Greg discusses the Regal Angelfish this month in his column.

reefs.com

.

 

[James Gray]

Most of the research I'm doing shows a Regal shouldn't be surface dwelling until it's super healthy and eating from the water column (even then not the most confident fish). Might need to go ahead and medicate. That's just my ,02, I'm far from an expert here.

"Regal angelfish are naturally cautious fish and may hide when you approach, but they should not be hovering near the surface of the aquarium, breathing heavy, twitching or scratching. These are possible signs of parasitic or bacterial infections.", quoted from article below.

Aquarium Fish: The Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)

Greg discusses the Regal Angelfish this month in his column.

reefs.com

.

He’s not breathing heavy, and no twitching. Other than when he went to eat, and it was almost like he said nope. Also have seen him spit water at the surface. Similar to what an archer fish does. Didn’t expect that one.

 

[alton]

Years ago when I was trying to create pairs with adults. I brought in several Red Sea specimens that took two to four weeks to start eating. Lucky for me they where very fat upon arrival. All my new arrivals go through a FW dip before a isolation / QT tank. It is funny you mention he spits water, I had one do that while in the FW dip and it seemed he loved it never showing any signs of stress from the FW. Today I only bring in juveniles, they are normally eating the second day after arrival.

 

[James Gray]

Years ago when I was trying to create pairs with adults. I brought in several Red Sea specimens that took two to four weeks to start eating. Lucky for me they where very fat upon arrival. All my new arrivals go through a FW dip before a isolation / QT tank. It is funny you mention he spits water, I had one do that while in the FW dip and it seemed he loved it never showing any signs of stress from the FW. Today I only bring in juveniles, they are normally eating the second day after arrival.

This one is a little past the juvenile phase I am guessing. He is about 5” long. But he does look fat and healthy. I’m glad to hear yours did start eating after some time.

I’ve had an Arowana that didn’t eat for nearly a month before, but he was almost 2’ long when he went on his hunger strike.And I did know these guys are difficult to get eating. I’m just want to do everything I can to help him get more comfortable.

 

[fltt]

I had an adult Regal Angel that wouldn't eat nor did it show any interest in eating. I wrapped some LRF in the Nori and attached it with a florescent colored rubber band to a piece of Live rock. I think the Regal thought the florescent rubber band was a sponge and started to rip at the rubber band, while doing so he ripped the Nori and ate it, then some LRF came out and he started eating the LRF. It took several days doing this before he was comfortable eating during normal feeding. Hope this helps Good Luck.