Getting a Yellow Long Nose onto pellets

[mattsilvester]

Hi Everyone.

I've had a yellow long nose for about 6 weeks. All he will eat is brineshrimp. I had to get him on live brine to get him started, now he takes frozen. I have a ome made fish mix which includings finely chopped shellfish, shrimp, fish, squid, etc. but he won't touch it. My other fish eat pellets eagerly too.

Has anyone had luck with pellets of these guys? Is there any way to encourage him? If I just stop feeding him brine will hunger take over?

Its a big ocncern for me because the onyl food regularly available here in Bangkok is brineshrimp - which is nutritionally pretty poor and I am concerned for the fishes long term welfare. He's already pretty skinny, despite feeding plenty of brine, normally soaked in selcon (franky over feeding with the stuff). I can't keep it up for ever.

Cheers,

 

[WillBattle]

Hey, I have a copperbanded that I had a similar problem with initally, soaking live brine in selcon and basting some at him every couple of hours got old fast. The most nutritional frozen food I could get him to accept is the PE mysis. I do not know if you have access to this food, but it usually helps me a lot with finiky eaters. Even my my
Dragonet likes the stuff! Hope this helps. - Will

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[SDguy]

I have a pair for 2 years or so now. One still won't eat pellets, the other will. I think it might be individual fish dependent.

 

[mattsilvester]

Guess I'm just going to have to play the waiting game then.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Look at the "beaks' on these fish. They feed on tiny foods and need frequent feedings of small, soft foods. IMO & IME; most pellets are just not appropriate for LN or CB butterflys. I have both of them and neither will eat pellets (very small pellets may be OK, but I never feed them.) ; spirulina enriched brine, finely chopped shrimp, mysis, many frozen preparations etc. They go nuts for some occasional Cyclops-Eeze.

 

[SDguy]

Look at the "beaks' on these fish. They feed on tiny foods and need frequent feedings of small, soft foods. IMO & IME; most pellets are just not appropriate for LN or CB butterflys. I have both of them and neither will eat pellets (very small pellets may be OK, but I never feed them.) ; spirulina enriched brine, finely chopped shrimp, mysis, many frozen preparations etc. They go nuts for some occasional Cyclops-Eeze.

I respectfully disagree. The nutritional content and profile of a quality pellet is leaps and bounds over any one seafood meat. The amount of various meats you need to feed to compare to a pellet is exhausting (trust me I know, I keep way too many butterflies). If you can get a butterfly, ANY butterfly, eating pellets, I think it's wonderful. But if your point is just that fish with these types of mouths probably won't go for pellets, then I agree.

 

[Reef264]

Mine ate pellets.They were Ocean Nutrition formula 2.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I respectfully disagree. The nutritional content and profile of a quality pellet is leaps and bounds over any one seafood meat. The amount of various meats you need to feed to compare to a pellet is exhausting (trust me I know, I keep way too many butterflies). If you can get a butterfly, ANY butterfly, eating pellets, I think it's wonderful. But if your point is just that fish with these types of mouths probably won't go for pellets, then I agree.

Sure, whatever works and pellets do have great nutrition. I've just never fed them often. I'd never feed just 1 or 2 foods; no matter how good they were. I think some of the frozen "diets'', like Formula 1 & 2, Mega-marine, etc., are similar to pellets in nutrition. IME, the "beaked" butterfly fish just don't like hard foods---but I'm sure most would learn to eat them. Its just a matter of realizing that you don't have to "give in'' because a fish refuses a particular food for a few days. Something not mentioned often enough (IMO): all butterfly fish (and most fish) should have some greens and a good frozen mixture or pellet will provide it. Frozen Angel diets are great occasional foods for butterfly fish too.

 

[mattsilvester]

Today, for the first time, he ate bits of the DIY frozen food mix - this inspires hope.

I'm going on holiday in two weeks - the fish will be on pellets for a week ...... guess he'll just go hungry, or adapt.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Worst case scenario: almost (CMA) any healthy fish can easily go a week without food.

 

[pengelli]

Mine loves Nori over all other food.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Mine loves Nori over all other food.

Yeah, its surprises lots of us....most fish will eat nori. Its not just for herbivores anymore.

 

[ajn81]

My longnose goes after pellets regularly, but always seems to have a hard time actually eating them. Usually takes 2-3 pecks at the food (just enough time for other fish to come and steal the food away).

I've tried NLS, Ocean Nutrition Formula 2, and Omega One pellets all soaked in selcon. The butterfly eats Ocean Nutrition with the most success (I think because they are softer). But soaking them definitely seems to be key.