Mandarin pecking far less than used to.

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Is it common for mandarins to eventually eat less frequently? Mine used to peck constantly, but this last week I don't see it feed on pods as frequently.

I have an abundance of pods, lots of iso, small amphis and several species of copepod.

I noticed about a week before the much less frequent pecking that it would open its fins way more frequently, wondered if there was a corelation.

The spot he is hanging out in, in the pictures is a hair algae patch absolutely loaded with amphis, and it was more interested in showing off than pecking.

I would take more pics, but typically the chromis school covers him up when the phpne comes out.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Is it common for mandarins to eventually eat less frequently? Mine used to peck constantly, but this last week I don't see it feed on pods as frequently.

I have an abundance of pods, lots of iso, small amphis and several species of copepod.

I noticed about a week before the much less frequent pecking that it would open its fins way more frequently, wondered if there was a corelation.

The spot he is hanging out in, in the pictures is a hair algae patch absolutely loaded with amphis, and it was more interested in showing off than pecking.

I would take more pics, but typically the chromis school covers him up when the phpne comes out.

is there any aggression? has it been twitching or flaring its fins? "itching"? breathing heavily? any other sort of abnormal behavior?

Any new additions to the tank, Fish or otherwise?

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

is there any aggression? has it been twitching or flaring its fins? "itching"? breathing heavily? any other sort of abnormal behavior?

Any new additions to the tank, Fish or otherwise?

Last additions were 2 months ago, 1 engineer goby, 4 green chromis, and 1 fire fish.

He has been flaring his fins lately the last half hour before lights out, but no apparent aggression. By flaring I mean extending its fins like in the pictures, idk if I am misinterpreting flaring.

The only other thing that's really changed is that it used to have a home it would go to at lights out, and stay in that one spot until lights on, but now it doesn't stay innactive all night the last month or 2.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

An update, I notice it pecking lately again. I have a feeling its mostly feeding in one spot I don't see into that well. It will swim around for a couple hours in the open and still barely peck, it is getting fatter though.

I do think he has been stung a couple times swimming straight into a kenya tree, will have some bleached spots that last for a week or 2 but go away.

My theory now is its eating larger food and just doesn't need to eat every few seconds. I have some fairly large pods, I watched it suck up an amphipod that looked bigger than its mouth.

I have what my guess is about a million larger pods as they are burrowed everywhere in the sand and all over the water column and on rocks.

The hair algae where I assumed it was able to feed eithout hunting recently disappeared and that was about the time I started seeing it peck ricks again. The GHA in my tank is always absolutely filled with pods. A little half inch square holds about 200 small amphis.