Need help getting Kaudern's Cardinal to eat

[PhishyFreak]

I received a new Kaudern's Cardinal 7 days ago and can not get it to eat. This is a wild caught specimen, not tank raised, and not purchased at LFS. Fish appears healthy, no apparent illness or injury. I have tried 2 frozen carnivore blends, frozen brine, table shrimp, gel food, flake and pellet. It will normally grab 1 bite on each feeding attempt but spits it right back out. I have tried feeding during daylight photoperiod, night time photoperiod, but havent tried with no lights on at all. It is possibly being stressed by the clownfish, who is a food vacuum cleaner, when food is introduced. But the clown does not harrass it in any other way (they actually seem to be schooling together). i am a lil leery about feeding live brine (have never done so and LFS said it can be hard to get a fish to take anything else once it is on it). Also need advice on whether to seperate the Kaudern into a QT to try to get it eating but worry about additional stress this will cause.

 

[aquabull]

Your concerns are well deserved. Since it appears not to be stressed, no reason to subject it to more.
Have you tried feeding at dusk or night? The cardinals are different when the lights go out! That may explain the very large pupils!
New arrivals get Arcti-pods...seems to encourage feeding.
Oh yeah, if there is some unseen agression issues with the other tankmates, they will all be alseep!

 

[PhishyFreak]

Thanks. I will give those suggestions a try. Anyone else have any other suggestions?

 

[PhishyFreak]

Update. Victory was mine last night. Turned the night lights on and waited 2 hours to feed. I have persistently tried a super carnivore blend and now the Kaudern is now gobbling up the bloodworms.

 

[blesk]

Are you feading live or frozen bloodworms also try tu mix live brine shrimp vith mini misis shrimp thats vhot work for me .

 

[evanjah]

try live blackworms

 

[PhishyFreak]

Frozen Omega 1 Super Carnivore with extra Frozen Bloodworms and accepting food from the pipette. Fixing to start adding vitamins for better nutritional value.