Getting Ignitus Anthias to eat

[All Delight]

I just got a trio of Ignitus Anthias last week. They have yet to eat. They appear happy, they're swimming around and active. I've tried frozen mysis, reef nutritions tigger pods, today I tried live brine shimp. One of them took a nibble on the brine but spit it out.

Any ideas?

I'm going on 4 days here and now I'm concerned.

The other fish in the tank with them is a kole tang and a elongate pseudo. None of them bother the anthias at all.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Anthias are difficult to acclimate and can take forever to start eating. 4 days isn't that long, I've had anthias I haven't even seen for 4 days. In most cases, I doubt that a certain food will suddenly get new fish eating; but (IME) Cyclop-eeze seems to really get Anthias in the mood to eat. Once acclimated, they should be fed at least 4+ times a day to thrive.

 

[MCCOOL]

Anthias are difficult to acclimate and can take forever to start eating. 4 days isn't that long, I've had anthias I haven't even seen for 4 days. In most cases, I doubt that a certain food will suddenly get new fish eating; but (IME) Cyclop-eeze seems to really get Anthias in the mood to eat. Once acclimated, they should be fed at least 4+ times a day to thrive.

I agree with this.

I'll also add, live BABY brine shrimp is what my P. Dispars started feeding on, it took a few days before they'd start attacking the bigger adult brine.

 

[All Delight]

So I should just let them be? Feed my other fish as normal then. How many days before I do start to worry?

 

[Angel*Fish]

I agree with this.

I'll also add, live BABY brine shrimp is what my P. Dispars started feeding on, it took a few days before they'd start attacking the bigger adult brine.

I agree 100% that is a perfect way to get them going.

So I should just let them be? Feed my other fish as normal then. How many days before I do start to worry?

I don't know whether it's necessary or not, but since I don't know, if they were my fish I'd get the brine culture growing immediately. It's cheap and easy. In case you don't already know how -all you need is this and an air pump. You just invert an empty two liter bottle

When they hatch, serve to fish, rinse, repeat. (By the way rinse the artemia before feeding also!! ) You can have 2 going at staggered intervals to have a constant supply.

 

[All Delight]

Good news, all 3 are eating reef nutritions tiger pods. 2 of them are eating adult brine. At least their eating something.

 

[SDguy]

Try FINELY minced shrimp or scallop from the grocery store. Always a hit with my anthias. Shoot the food into a powerhead. The fast movement often stimulates a better efeding response.

 

[Makenna]

I keep an Anthias only 210g tank so let me share with you the different foods I feed them.

1. PE Mysis, chopped up fine enough for them.
2. Hikari Mysis and Hikari Spirulina enriched Brine
3. Fish Roe (fish eggs)
4. Roggers Reef Food. Grated with a cheese grater to a size tehy will eat.
5. Live BBS

I currently feed this to a trio of Bartletts, trio of Randalls, and a Trio of Tiger Queens. As mentioned, just keep trying different foods and frequently.

HTH,

 

[All Delight]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll give those a shot.

 

[wrott]

Try FINELY minced shrimp or scallop from the grocery store. Always a hit with my anthias. Shoot the food into a powerhead. The fast movement often stimulates a better efeding response.

this is how i got my ignitus to eat. Use a razor blade and get a frozen scallop, shrimp, lobster--use all together, feed a small chunk of the mince every 2-3 hrs.
Mince to smallest size. After a week or 2, add Hikari mysis and spirulina brine shrimp.
Now mine also likes Specrtum pellets, smallest--for finicky eaters

 

[All Delight]

this is how i got my ignitus to eat. Use a razor blade and get a frozen scallop, shrimp, lobster--use all together, feed a small chunk of the mince every 2-3 hrs.
Mince to smallest size. After a week or 2, add Hikari mysis and spirulina brine shrimp.
Now mine also likes Specrtum pellets, smallest--for finicky eaters

:thumbsup: