Fish in QT not eating

[divetoday]

I'm using a qt for the first time, and am a little bit worried about the results I'm getting. I purchased 2 pearly Jawfish and a royal gramma on Sunday. (I forgot to ask to see them eat at the store.).

I have a 10 gal tank bb with three pieces of pvc for shelter. I checked the tank yesterday, and the specs were 1.027 salinity and PH 8.0 (I use natural seawater and that is what ours measures out to), ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0.

I have tried to feed twice since they were here, and they ignore the food. I'm using frozen brine shrimp and mysis mixed together and defrosted in RO/DI. I don't know if I'm being a nervous nancy or if this is really a problem. Any insights on getting new fish to eat in a QT? Thanks!

 

[bobbychullo]

I am no expert but here's my 2 cents:

the two jawfish are not using the pvc it looks like, I would put the PVC on its side so they can swim through it and into it. that may help them be a bit more comfortable and in turn, more willing to eat.

Do jawfish require a sand substrate? if they do you can try putting a plate of sand in their to give them something to feel more at home as well.

 

[gone fishin]

Congrats on QT. If I remember correctly jawfish can be shy eaters in general and rather skittish. The jawfish and the gramma may just need a bit of time to relax and get used to the QT.

Maybe try some bits of mussel to get the jawfish eating. Good luck

 

[KRBNSOL]

+1 on laying the PVC on the side. You may also try to keep 3 sides of the tank covered with either a towel or other mean to keep them from being startled by a bunch of movement. I've had the same issues with other fish - worrisome at first but should come around with good water parameters. Good Luck!

 

[homer1475]

I know everyone is going to chastise me for this but......

I feed sinking pellets and flake in my QT. I have never had an issue getting a fish to eat flake, and it cuts down on nitrates as everything gets eaten.

 

[Nrupaw]

Give it a couple days and like the user above mentioned keep the tanks away from movement. they'll start eating soon.

i too think jawfish need sand. maybe a small bowl of sand might help

 

[Irishman360]

You might want to try some garlic guard with the food. I started my QT 3 days ago with fish and they are doing fine with just the shrimp. I haven't yet added garlic guard to any of it but got it just incase.

 

[ca1ore]

A few days if not eating is no big deal - rather than trying to force feed them a bunch of crap, let them settle down. As noted, turn the PVC fittings into their sides so the fish can actually use them for shelter, dim the lighting a bit for a few days, and keep form making rapid movements in front of the tank.

 

[bruindave]

when i had my pearly jawfish in a QT with PVC fittings it never used the PVC. I put a bowl of sand in there and i don't think it was deep enough for it, but the jawfish liked that more. in the end the jawfish just ended up hiding next to the bowl (outside the sand) or next to the pvc pipes, but never in them... from your pic that's kind of what my pearly jawfish looked like in the QT without sand.

as for food my jawfish ate mysis after i waited one day for it to get settled. I have him eat some sinking pellets too to mix up the diet.

 

[divetoday]

Thanks everybody. Putting the PVC vertical was done just before the shot because they weren't using them horizontal. I bowed to peer pressure last night, however, and put them back. [emoji3] I also added the bowl of sand. I hope this works. They are my favorite fish.

 

[scooter31707]

Agree with Bruindave, go to Home Depot or Walmart and get you some small play sand and put into a glass bowl or Rubbermaid and put in the tank.

 

[Marchillo]

I know everyone is going to chastise me for this but......

I feed sinking pellets and flake in my QT. I have never had an issue getting a fish to eat flake, and it cuts down on nitrates as everything gets eaten.

I did the same thing. Fed everything I feed the main tank. One fish liked pellets one didn't. The other liked flakes and the pellet guy didn't. They both loved mysis.

If ever leftover I just netted the food out. Eventually you learn how much to put in so they eat it all