Picky Clowns

[dtm2420]

I have tried literally everything to feed my pair of Ocellaris clowns and the only thing they will even react to is live brine. They don’t even look at frozen brine or blood worms. Pellets and flakes are a joke. How do you guys get your clowns (or any fish) to eat anything else?

 

[Peace River]

Clowns are weird and awesome. How long have you had the clowns? If you got them recently, do you know what they were being fed before you got them? How often are you attempting to feed them? Hungry fish are usually less picky (I'm not suggesting you starve them). Attempting a mix of food and providing a low stress environment is a starting place.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I am having the same problem. Tried flake and frozen mysis. Will be going to the pet store this afternoon to get pellets. He is the first and only fish in my tank!

 

[dtm2420]

Clowns are weird and awesome. How long have you had the clowns? If you got them recently, do you know what they were being fed before you got them? How often are you attempting to feed them? Hungry fish are usually less picky (I'm not suggesting you starve them). Attempting a mix of food and providing a low stress environment is a starting place.

I have had them for about 2/3 weeks. I only let them go 3 to 4days without eating. I get too worried they will die. I have chopped up shrimp, tuna, scallops, put it all in garlic no dice. Garlic flakes nothing. I believe they were on live brine when i bought them

 

[Peace River]

You may want to recheck with your source (if you can) to confirm what they were eating. Another thing to try is to mix frozen brine in with the live brine. Also, I have had decent luck using the new Masstick food from #EasyReefs and the soft pellets from ME Coral (@marke).

 

[Skydvr]

Mine are captive bred and they turn their nose up at anything other than TDO, Hakari Marine S, roe, or live feeds.

 

[Santiimari]

Mine are captive bred and they turn their nose up at anything other than TDO, Hakari Marine S, roe, or live feeds.

Hi friend, what is TDO? I also have a picky clown so looking for new stuff to try

 

[Rjmul]

Try prime reef flakes. The only fish that won't eat it is my mandarin. Petco usually has it. My LFS does not

 

[Greg P]

I've always had luck feeding finicky fish with;
start on frozen rotifers/cyclopeeze or something similar
start mixing in pellets. let soak then mash together
try for 3-5 days, then hold to feeding once per day
stop mashing pellets and let them eat them whole

By 1 week I can usually get any fish to eat what I want it to.

 

[Peace River]

Hi friend, what is TDO? I also have a picky clown so looking for new stuff to try

TDO is @Reef Nutrition's TDO Chroma BOOST fish food. It is a staple for most clownfish breeders so many clownfish come with an appetite for this food (not to mention the high quality ingredients). You will also find that many of us that keep clowns also use TDO as a primary food in the feeding rotation.