New Clownfish will not eat

[RollTideReefer]

So I started my Red Sea Reefer 525xl last Saturday. That night I added Fritz Turbo start and have done so a few times this week to makes sure the bacteria is saturated. There was a small initial Ammonia spike but it has remained close to 0 since then. Sunday night I added four small (juvenile) clownfish. Three of them have been eating fine but the smallest black and white storm clown is barely eating. He is swimming fine, active, and has no labored breathing. I have tried Mysis and brine shrimp. When I put the food into the tank he swims up excitedly and acts like he is going to eat it but after getting very close, aborts eating. He tends to only eat the tiniest of pieces of shrimp that I put in. The other storm that is his same size is eating more. The LFS (which is very reputable) said he was feeding them mysis and Spectrum pellets. I plan to pick up some pellets tonight to see if he will go for that. Any suggestions? Part of me thinks he is so small, therefor his mouth is so tiny that he only will eat tiny pieces of food.

 

[rastareefs]

I would recommend getting some of the smaller sized pellets and see if it eats those. If your LFS has tigger pods, the big red kind by reef nutrition, maybe try that as well.

 

[RollTideReefer]

I would recommend getting some of the smaller sized pellets and see if it eats those. If your LFS has tigger pods, the big red kind by reef nutrition, maybe try that as well.

Is smaller considered bigger or smaller than 1mm pellets? The little guy is pretty small. Sorry for the bad pic as my phone camera sucks and this is at night under moon lights. He is the little black and white one on the left.

 

[lapin]

Live worms might still be too big
You can also try smaller sizes of these since many breeders use them. Look at the use and storage tab chart for feeding clowns

TDO CHROMA BOOST™

Reef Nutrition’s TDO Chroma Boost™ pellets create healthy animals and eye-popping color in many animals. Terrific Betta fish food, tetra fish food, clownfish food and more! “Top-dressed” with Haematococcus pluvialis – excellent source of astaxanthin for nutrition and growth too. Professional...

reefnutrition.com

 

[RollTideReefer]

Live worms might still be too big
You can also try smaller sizes of these since many breeders use them. Look at the use and storage tab chart for feeding clowns

TDO CHROMA BOOST™

Reef Nutrition’s TDO Chroma Boost™ pellets create healthy animals and eye-popping color in many animals. Terrific Betta fish food, tetra fish food, clownfish food and more! “Top-dressed” with Haematococcus pluvialis – excellent source of astaxanthin for nutrition and growth too. Professional...

reefnutrition.com

Trying to get to my LFS during the week before they close is tough. Do you think they would sell that TDO at PetCo or Petsmart?

 

[lapin]

Petco/Petsmart - prob not . You could crush/ grind up some spectrum if thats all you can get. Also LFS sometimes carries rods fish eggs which are pretty small. Frozen PE Calanus is very small. You could try that

 

[rastareefs]

Is smaller considered bigger or smaller than 1mm pellets? The little guy is pretty small. Sorry for the bad pic as my phone camera sucks and this is at night under moon lights. He is the little black and white one on the left.

I used the 1.2mm pellets from Sustainable Aquatics when I introduced my juvenile clowns

 

[RollTideReefer]

Thanks yall for the suggestions! Lets see if the little ******* will eat tonight. Of course he is my favorite one out of the three so I do not want to lose him. Might have to pin him down and force feed him haha.

 

[lapin]

Well if ya wanted to drive to S Austin. I have TDO in small feeder sizes.

 

[RollTideReefer]

So I picked some Hikari micro pellets after work today. The little guy did eat a few of them so that was a good sign. It was more than he ate the previous night. He still doesn't eat as much as his siblings but is getting better. I will continue to monitor him.