New Damsels scared to death

[mtsmith]

Two new Damsels in a new tank (red sea max nano with just coral rock and sand) and one of them won't come out of the coral cave to feed for the past few days. And the blood worms do not sink before getting sucked into the filter. I turn the filter off for 30min to allow them time to eat. Yet one of them just seems to be too scared to move.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

When adding new fish to a tank it's not uncommon for them to seek refuge in the rockwork for days sometimes up to a week. This is especially true on an established tank with new fish. Try using frozen food like mysis or something similar, and add a touch of garlic powder to it when its thawed out. The garlic can in many cases spur a reluctant fish into eating.

 

[Auto-pilot]

Whenever I add fish they get picked on and it take a while for them to get used to the tank and other fish. I wouldnt be too worried at this point. I quarantine all my fish so its easier for the fish to acclimate to a new tank. if they are eating food before going into the main tank it makes it easy.
ALSO WELCOME TO R2R!

 

[mtsmith]

This is a new tank with only the two fish which appear to be friendly with each other. Is that frozen as in ice cold or freeze dried?

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Frozen not freeze dried. You can get it along with all sorts of frozen fish foods at your local LFS or Petco/Petsmart. Since you only have the two fish, you only need about 1/3 of a cube. Just pop one out, cut off a 1/3 size chunk of mysis and say brine shrimp and put the pieces in a shot glass or small tupperware, something like that to that thaw. Sprinkle a little garlic powder on it and then feed them. Go slow at first to see if they will eat and only continue feeding for what they will eat in a couple of minutes. The rest of the thawed uneaten food can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Once they start eating regularly, generally a few days, then you can discontinue adding garlic to the food. Damsels are really hardy fish and are little pigs once they settle in. Before long they will meet you at the top of the tank and beg for food.

 

[BeejReef]

I haven't tried blood worms myself. Can you pre-soak them in tank water so they sink or shoot them into the water column with a turkey baster? Shy fish will sometimes pop out of a crevice when food is right in front of them. +1 for frozen mysis as well.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

I haven't tried blood worms myself. Can you pre-soak them in tank water so they sink or shoot them into the water column with a turkey baster? Shy fish will sometimes pop out of a crevice when food is right in front of them. +1 for frozen mysis as well.

I mix in frozen blood or black worms to the food blend I make up. My file fish, baby blue tang, six line, and Princess Anthias absolutely go nuts for them.