Getting my new mandarin to eat

[NHreefguy]

I hope im posting this in the right thread. I just got a mandarin from my lfs and he is so skinny and i figured since my tank is loaded with pods he'll have more of a chance with me. Is there anything i can do to entice him to eat? I put him in my refugium for now just so its easier to hunt them.

 

[townjas]

Try garlic or live black worms. You could get a bottle of Tigger pods to add to the tank. Many times if the belly is already sunk in then he might be too far gone.

 

[NHreefguy]

Thanks. Hes been picking a bunch. Hopefully he pulls through. His belly is pretty sunk in though.

 

[townjas]

Picking is a good sign.

 

[laga77]

Forget the garlic and go with live worms or Nutramar Ova. Hatch up a batch of BBS and add to fuge. He`ll find them.

 

[pokerdobe]

Forget the garlic and go with live worms or Nutramar Ova. Hatch up a batch of BBS and add to fuge. He`ll find them.

This. Live black worms are almost always a hit and a quick way to fatten them up. Nutramar OVA (or any other prawn/lobster egg) is pretty reliable too.

 

[townjas]

I had mine eating nutrimar ova also then after the tsunami in Japan you could not get it. I tried everything including black worms and noting worked.

 

[townjas]

Garlic does not always work, but when are trying to get a picky fish to eat anything that's not harmful is worth a try. Always try for live 1st but don't completely write off 1 of the garlic products available.

 

[NHreefguy]

Can i just use fresh garlic juice?

 

[townjas]

Can i just use fresh garlic juice?

I have heard of people doing it, but I wouldn't since I don't know enough about it. I use garlic extreme when I do use it

 

[najer]

Feed phyto to the fuge, leave it to it if your pod population is healthy, if it gets enough live food you can worry about training it later.
If it's natural pecking action of every few seconds is working it should feed itself up!

 

[NHreefguy]

Feed phyto to the fuge, leave it to it if your pod population is healthy, if it gets enough live food you can worry about training it later.
If it's natural pecking action of every few seconds is working it should feed itself up!

Its been picking like crazy. Ive been feeding my fuge to pull the pods out. Seems to be working. Im hoping for the best

 

[Rybren]

Garlic does not always work, but when are trying to get a picky fish to eat anything that's not harmful is worth a try. Always try for live 1st but don't completely write off 1 of the garlic products available.

Actually there is a fair bit of evidence linking garlic to liver disease in marine fish.

Here's a link to humaguy's post on RC regarding the issue. FWIW he is a fish disease research scientist.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2352039

 

[NHreefguy]

Actually there is a fair bit of evidence linking garlic to liver disease in marine fish.

Here's a link to humaguy's post on RC regarding the issue. FWIW he is a fish disease research scientist.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2352039

I haven't read the whole thing yet but it makes sense. Its body doesn't process land food like we do.

 

[najer]

Its been picking like crazy. Ive been feeding my fuge to pull the pods out. Seems to be working. Im hoping for the best

Just let it settle and go about it's business, let it hunt / feed as it should.

 

[NHreefguy]

Just let it settle and go about it's business, let it hunt / feed as it should.

Im trying, i just want whats best for the little guy

 

[Lninwa]

Hope he gets fat in your care and yeah he has a better chance with you. I would love to have a mandarin but I have 2 wrasse

 

[NHreefguy]

Hope he gets fat in your care and yeah he has a better chance with you. I would love to have a mandarin but I have 2 wrasse

Thank you. Im hoping so also. I have a melanurus in my dt, he doesn't seem to pick to much anymore as i feed quite a bit. Hes always Hungary

 

[Rybren]

Hope he gets fat in your care and yeah he has a better chance with you. I would love to have a mandarin but I have 2 wrasse

Depending on your tank size, fuge, etc, and types of wrasses you can still have a mandarin. I have 9 wrasses and a mandarin in my tank.

 

[townjas]

I haven't read the whole thing yet but it makes sense. Its body doesn't process land food like we do.

Guess I am not using garlic any more.