Horn Shark
- Thread starter Bagz
- Start date
krj-1168
Member
You've tried Live Shrimp?
Live potential prey has been know to stimulate feeding & hunting behaviors.
Also have you got any inverts in the tank with it?
If so - notice any missing.
Where did you get it from - LFS, online Dealer, friend ?
Also have you tried liquid garlic on the shrimp, or squid.
Horns love inverts.
Also try clams, oysters, mussels, & crab meat
But at 18" - it definately been feeding, in the past - and actually been doing so for over a year or two.
Still at 3 weeks - it's time it started feeding.
Also have you checked your water temp & water quality lately - could be affecting it's feeding behavior & general health.
Live potential prey has been know to stimulate feeding & hunting behaviors.
Also have you got any inverts in the tank with it?
If so - notice any missing.
Where did you get it from - LFS, online Dealer, friend ?
Also have you tried liquid garlic on the shrimp, or squid.
Horns love inverts.
Also try clams, oysters, mussels, & crab meat
But at 18" - it definately been feeding, in the past - and actually been doing so for over a year or two.
Still at 3 weeks - it's time it started feeding.
Also have you checked your water temp & water quality lately - could be affecting it's feeding behavior & general health.
broncomike
New member
How big is he/she? Mine is about 22 inches long. She eats everything that I throw in the tank. The thing with horns is that their sense of sight is not that great. Mine runs into rocks, the glass, etc. But her sense of smell is unmatched. I have to disagree with the posts that say to feed live food. A horn shark is not a fast moving, stalking animal. Mine eats hunks of meat. Salmon, tuna, shrimp even formula one and brine shrimp plus. As soon as the food hits the gravel, she begins to stir. Her sense of smell guides her to eat and she eats without any problem. The thing I would try is feeding food that sinks to the bottom. Horns tend to spend a lot of time cruising the bottom, in addition to the open. They are not fast striking animals. IMO, live food would be tough. Try chunks of salmon or shrimp. Just make sure that it sinks to the bottom. You might even try to bury it slightly in the sand, leaving the top of it exposed. When my horn gets really excited, she takes in the gravel and all. It is cool to watch it get flushed out through the gills. Mine is alos in a 300 and she eats like a champ. She is not picky at all. I think it is just getting the food in position for the shark to take it. Let us know how you make out and Good Luck. The shark will come around.
krj-1168
Member
Well - I suggested the live food - simply to get a feeding response.
Yes, Horns will eat fish. But they are primary diet is based on inverts. I've heard of other horn keepers actually losing their tanks' clean up (usually snails, shrimp, & hermit crabs)crew to their Horns. They've generally said that horn will cruise the live rock and suck the inverts out.
But using Garlic to coat the pieces of shrimp, squid, clams, crab or fish will attract them due it's strong smell - and should induce it's feeding behavior.
Yes, Horns will eat fish. But they are primary diet is based on inverts. I've heard of other horn keepers actually losing their tanks' clean up (usually snails, shrimp, & hermit crabs)crew to their Horns. They've generally said that horn will cruise the live rock and suck the inverts out.
But using Garlic to coat the pieces of shrimp, squid, clams, crab or fish will attract them due it's strong smell - and should induce it's feeding behavior.
sixball
New member
How are you trying to feed the food? Make sure you are using a feeding stick (I use a sharpened piece of rigid airline tubing) and stick the food right in front of their nose. Horns actually have pretty decent eyesight (but are prone to blindness in captivity, which is probably what is going on with broncomike's specimen), but their sensitive sense of smell seems to get overwhelmed in the confines of an aquarium, making it difficult for them to locate food. I have always had the best luck with frozen squid to induce a feeding response in finicky sharks.
What are your water parameters like? How well established is your tank? Horns can take a little while to acclimate, but usually eat very well once established. Three weeks is getting to be a little long, possibly due to something being off in the tank.
What are your water parameters like? How well established is your tank? Horns can take a little while to acclimate, but usually eat very well once established. Three weeks is getting to be a little long, possibly due to something being off in the tank.
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