He's finally swimming around but only eats silversides?

[myerst2]

Hello all. I got my trigger about a week and half ago and he is just starting to swim around. He only eats silversides. I have tried fresh clams on the shell, my homemade gel based food, squid, mussels, plankton, brine shrimp, mysis, krill, live ghost shrimp, live crayfish, and NLS. He will only eat silversides. I find that strange considering he's a planktivore and he only eats silversides. Will this change in time? In past experience's with planktivore triggers they usually eat everything right from the get go. I have tried the foods soaked in garlic and selcon and un-soaked. What do you think? Here are some new pics of him anyway. Thanks, Tim

 

[snorvich]

Gorgeous. I would try mysis soaked in garlic. Also, flake soaked in garlic.

 

[Bmgrocks]

where did you get him, Is it possible that someone had to grown him out, and must of fed him a diet of just silverslides, to quickly put on weight?

perhaps the best thing to do is give it time, I had a 10" Annularis that would only take freeze dried krill and shrimp, what i did was I kept offering all the foods, and try to slowly wean him, mix all the foods your feeding, and gradually put less and less silverslides in the mix. The idea is to slowly force him to eat other foods, as he is unable to satisify his hunger on krill or silverslides alone. Give it a try, in time it should work. He is very healthy and well taken care of, I'm sure he'll make the appropriate transition stress free.

Good luck

 

[triggerfish1976]

Tim,

I don't know why but every male Crosshatch I have come into contact with lately is slow to start eating. The females do just fine but the males seem to adapt a little slower to captive life.
Did you try feeding it Nori? Mine loved it. He also loved silversides to but most fish do because the smell is so strong.
I am also surprised its not eating the gel food. I have a friend who has a pair and his male didn't eat anything but started eating the gel food right away.

 

[myerst2]

Yes the gel food is the best thing I have learned in some time. Absolutely the best food. RCT raised all of those Centropyge's on this type of food. Recipe was probably a bit different but same idea. I feed this food only now, except for some algae sheets and NLS pellets. I think the Black Tang is still scaring the trigger a bit. We will see. Tim

 

[Chibils]

Do you think he's stressed? I don't want to be the trigger police, but he looks huge and they require massive tanks.

 

[jda]

All 3 of my crosshatches took a while to eat and get unshy. After a few months, they would eat anything and never hide. Give him some time.

My current male only ate mysis for 2 weeks or so, but then started to eat NLS pellets. Now, I think that he likes nori as much as anything. Him and my huma will destroy a whole sheet in about 30 seconds.

The fins are a little ragged, so I wouldn't be suprised if he is a bit stressed from life before you got him.

 

[myerst2]

Chilibis, your statement is very police like I must say. Of course he is stressed, what wild caught fish that is put into an aquarium not stressed to some degree. Is he stressed to a point that he could threaten his livlihood, I don't think so. He is coming out more and more, and has begun to eat some other things gradually.

 

[Chibils]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12726966#post12726966 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by myerst2
Chilibis, your statement is very police like I must say. Of course he is stressed, what wild caught fish that is put into an aquarium not stressed to some degree. Is he stressed to a point that he could threaten his livlihood, I don't think so. He is coming out more and more, and has begun to eat some other things gradually.

I apologize, I didn't mean to be. Usually when I fish is stressed to the point of having dietary issues, they stop eating completely. And I trust your fishkeeping know-how... I was very tired and it was the only thing I could think of.

 

[myerst2]

Great news, the x-hatch is eating the gel based food aggressively!!!! No worries Chilbis, your statement was obviously made because you have your mind set on making sure the fish is being cared for. I was a bit harsh in my reply so no hard feelings, ok? Keep you updated. Tim

 

[ezcompany]

dont mean to hijack but can you elaborate on the gel food?
congrats on getting your fish to eat!

 

[myerst2]

check the other thread. The home made food thread. It's either in RF or FOWLR section. Tim

 

[Chibils]

Good to hear - 681374.121L is 180G, right? I see your current tanks section every post and try to remember what kind of tank you have. >_<