Clown trigger eating substrate

[chevegan]

Up until 4 days ago my clown trigger had a HUGE appetite for all things crustacean. Ate like a pig but now he's been eating the crushed coral substrate. I know this cause I see him crapping it out constantly. Plus he stopped eating his fresh shrimp. However he has acquired a taste for Formula one pellets which is fed to the fox face. He gobbles them up faster than the fox, it sux. Any reason he would be doing this? He used to bully the dogface big time to get to the shrimp/clams. Plus he would eat a ton, now not.

 

[danorth]

It is all good. Pellets are a good food. It will eat raw shrimp again.

 

[jamest0o0]

I'm pretty sure they eat the substrate to grind down their beaks.

 

[reefergeorge]

Is he eating it or biting, and spiting it out. My humma humma is constantly biting, and spiting out sand all over the tank. They do it to look for food.

 

[StayPuft]

Yea, it's normal for them to pick up sand, chew it, then spit it out. Kinda funny... my wife likes the way it redecorates my sandbed.

 

[spamin76]

Yeah taking sand in their mouth and spitting it out is normal, but actually eating it is not. He may have got some wires crossed somewhere...

Are you sure he is actually eating it and swallowing?

 

[carterd]

I was diving in Hawaii last month and observed wild Picasso triggers pooping sand. I think grinding coral rock for food is natural for them almost like it is for parrotfish.

 

[chevegan]

I am positive he's eating it seeing as he's craping it out lol. That's how I noticed to begin with. Looks like heavy constipation lol. I can't think of anything that I can do to change it now