Finicky Eating Clowns! Best Diet

[meeandcharlie]

Happy Thanksgiving To All!!

I have a pair (bought immature about 3 months ago) of perc clowns. They were my first and currently only fish in a 29 gal tank. I have read alot on clown diets, and know they require a meaty and veggie diet for optimum health. I really want to be sure they have a balanced, healthy diet and live long healthy and happy lives! I currently hand feed them peice by peice tiny chopped bite size.... raw deveined shrimp, scallops, squid, clams and mussels that I buy at the grocery store. They will eat all of the above, but love the shrimp best. I do not leave extra food in the tank.
I put small peices of pet store bought seaweed sheets soaked in garlic, or nori in a couple times a week, which they seem to ignore!
I also purchased all knids of prepared frozen and pellet food, Which they just will not eat! Formula One and Two frozen and pellet food..they ignore, Spectrum pellets...they ignore, frozen mysis and spiruline brine ...they ignore.

My question is this...Will the diet of the grocery meaty store items above be a good diet for long healthy lives? As far as I can tell they are not eating any veggies (the seaweed). And am not quite sure about the protein content of the meats I am giving them. Are there other specific veggies for clowns?
I just have become so attached to this little couple, any advice will be so appreciated! Thanks so much!

 

[Fishfish0001]

I had that problem when I first got my clown, so I just didn't feed him for abut 2 days or so, then fed only pellets and he caught on to that.

 

[meeandcharlie]

HA! I had not thought of making them REALLY hungry! That just might do the trick! Sometimes it would be conveinent to have them eat a pellet or two. And if I had to leave for greater than two or three days, I do not want or expect a 'fish-sitter' to spend 20-30 minutes twice a day chopping tiny peices and hand feeding the fish!

 

[garygb]

Yes, they're more likely to try new stuff when they're hungry. Skip feeding for a day and then try mysis or enriched brine shrimp.

I haven't tried it with my clowns personally, but people swear by Rod's food. I have looked at the ingredients and it is rich in both protein and vegetable matter. It is considered a complete food.

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

My clownfish ignore all veggies unless they're mixed in with meat.

 

[89Foxbody]

Mine don't eat the seaweed either.

I'm surprised they won't take the spectrum pellets, I've never found a fish out of thousands that wouldn't eat it. I'm sure they'll probably take it after a couple days of no food though. Its a good diet because it contains both meat and veggies/fruits.

 

[Fishfish0001]

Mine just tortures the nem by feeding it the seaweed. Kinda annoying

The not feeding for a few days worked well for me.

 

[SwampyBill]

+2 on Rod's food. The herbivore blend is well-balanced, has veggies in it & I have yet to see a fish not eat it...Even my finicky wrasses scarf it up.

 

[meeandcharlie]

Thanks for the tips! They are on their first 'no food' day. I feel so awwful though that they are hungry! Every time I go near the tank this morning they come wiggling to the front of they tank for breakfast! I think this will be rougher on me than them!! I think I will order some of the Rods food to try. With the Spectum pellets, they take them then spit them out. As with the Formula pellets. Wish I could get them a nem, but my tank is too small and immature. And I am still learning alot. But someday! Thanks so very much again for the tips!

 

[Fishfish0001]

I would try one day, and if that doesn't work try 2.