? on feeding clown

kimba · Nov 20, 2015

I got a new tank the other day and switched it with my old one. I have been looking at all my old aquarium supplies and been switching them for new ones. I realized my fish food had expired so I bought a new one.

My mother in law had a cichlid tank and bought new life spectrum cichlid food. When she broke her tank down, she gave me the food. I did research and found several people that used the cichlid formula for their clowns.

So, I figured instead of the cichlid formula, I would buy the New Life Spectrum Marine fish formula and he doesn't eat it.

It's like he doesn't know I even put it in the tank. He frantically swims around wsiting for me to feed him. I turn the pump off when I feed him and only like 6 pieces. All my snails come out, but he doesn't eat it.

will he eat it eventually?

kimba · Nov 20, 2015

I just fed him. I put 6 pellets on the top and he didn't eat them. I came and wrote my first message, then went back to see if he ate any. When he doesn't eat them, I tap them to make them sink so my tank can eat them. As they sink he swIms to it like he is interested, but doesn't eat it. I watch to make sure they all get eaten by snails or crabs, and he actually ate it off the floor, but then he spit it out. It broke in pieces and he ate a piece of that, but then spit it out.

steelheader.262 · Nov 20, 2015

What size are you feeding, i use the 1mm New Life Spectrum for my clowns.
Also try adding garlic additive for a flavor enhancer and to soften up the pellets.
I find if you soak with garlic additive the food is alot easyier for the fish to eat.
Some of my fish have trouble it pellets are to hard.

kimba · Nov 20, 2015

I use the 1mm pellet too. They float for a while on top and soften up. I haven't heard of a garlic additive. Do you get it at the LFS or the grocery store?

When I fed the cichlid formula he ate them right up, didn't even wait for them to soften. He is 5 yrs old.

steelheader.262 · Nov 20, 2015

We as long as hes eatting i would stick with what it likes.
Yes you can find garlic additive at LFS, I use garlic gaurd by seachem.

Trex · Nov 20, 2015

I would give it some more time.

I have yet to have a clown not eat them (( actually, any fish of mine that would eat prepared foods would eat NLS pellets )).