Royal Gramma not eating

PBMann · May 28, 2022

My Royal Gramma does not seem to be eating, it is active and rules the tank. I've had it for three weeks and it was eating fine the first week or so then stopped. I have tried frozen Brine Shrimp, Mysis Shrimp, Spirulina Brine Shrimp, pellets and flake foods with garlic extract but none seem to work. The fish seems to be hungry and I have seen it take food into it's mouth but then spit it out.

Any suggestions?

Jay Hemdal · May 28, 2022

Did it stop feeding suddenly or did it gradually slow and then stop?

The taking food in and spitting it out can be a sign the food is too large or too hard or both. However, if it is doing that with foods it previously ate, then this could be a sign of some sort of mechanical blockage.

Jay

PBMann · May 29, 2022

I've tried small pellets designed for smaller fish. I'm not sure when it stopped eating but it was eating the food when I bought it. I actually just saw it poop so it must be eating something, maybe the cop pods or amphipods I have in the tank.

Reef. · May 29, 2022

Try different frozen foods, you can also grate octopus and raw clams etc if it’s off it’s food I would think pellets would be not the best option to get it eating again, also try live foods.

Sebastiancrab · May 29, 2022

My former royal gramma was a picky eater. Try live brine shrimp.

Jay Hemdal · May 29, 2022

PBMann said:
I've tried small pellets designed for smaller fish. I'm not sure when it stopped eating but it was eating the food when I bought it. I actually just saw it poop so it must be eating something, maybe the cop pods or amphipods I have in the tank.

If the poop was white/clear/gray, it may just have been mucus, fish that haven't eaten will do that. If it was dark brown, then is more likely from food that it is eating.

Jay