Lion Taming

[ataller]

Hi all, need some guidance if you dont mind.

I have a dwarf fuzzy lion, all by his lonesome in a 60G attached to another 140G. I have had him less than a week, but want to train him properly from the get go.

He will eat ghost shrimp like its going out of style.
Only likes to come out when the lights are off.

I am trying to train him onto frozen and I am looking for suggestions. I have a piece of fishing line tied to a skewer that I have been using to dangle some krill infront of his face. He is small maybe 3" with fins.

He could not care less about the krill. I also shot some mysis at him, no go and dangled a silverside head around for a bit, nothing.

Do you think I just need to starve him for a couple days and try again? Should I keep trying while he gets hungry or wait with no contact for a couple days and then give it ago again

When I feed him the ghost shrimp I drop them in, they walk around on the LR for a bit, and then he hunts them down. I am not sure how people use the bait and switch (live for frozen) he does not associate me with the live foods since he thinks he is hunting them himself.

Teach me...

Adam

 

[jdthomas24]

i am following along on this one. i have a new bluefin that's about 2 inches or so and he will try frozen but spit it out and take only very small pieces. If its a ghost shrimp live it will last a minute or so. he ate 2 tonight and he is small. he also eats pods of the rocks at night.

 

[namxas]

you both have PM...

 

[DaVinci]

Can't help with the bluefin.. but Dwarf Fizzies are the easiest to wean onto frozen. See this article in the feeding section- http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/

Also, Fuzzies are very personable. The only thing that will cure their shyness is patience and time. Both of mine soon learned not to fear movement around the tank, or light, and they are always at the front fo the tank now, eager for even large flakes.

 

[jarrod13]

I agree it takes a little bit of time but he will soon be in your face evey time your around the tank.
Try putting a live ghost shrimp on the line, and if goes for that move to a dead one, then you can put pretty much anything on there and he'll take it

good luck HTH

 

[ataller]

I agree it takes a little bit of time but he will soon be in your face evey time your around the tank.
Try putting a live ghost shrimp on the line, and if goes for that move to a dead one, then you can put pretty much anything on there and he'll take it

good luck HTH

Tie a live shrimp on the line. I bet that would work, I dunno if I could do it.

If he time and hunger wont bring him around I will do this, its a good idea!

Thanks

 

[ataller]

I just spent a good 45 minutes dangling a piece of krill infront of his face....only to have him try and hunt a piece of sand falling off the live rock...

I think he finds it amusing to watch me, sort of feels like he is taunting me. Anyways Ill keep trying and update the thread when he eats something.

Just wanted to say thanks to namxas for a great pm.


Adam

 

[jarrod13]

I wouldn't try to tie it around the shrimp, just poke the line right through the stomach out the top, this way there's not a big knot distracting the lion.
I also put a small knot in the line a half inch up so it will hold the shrimp

 

[ataller]

I wouldn't try to tie it around the shrimp, just poke the line right through the stomach out the top, this way there's not a big knot distracting the lion.
I also put a small knot in the line a half inch up so it will hold the shrimp

So two days into his fast he still makes no attempt to eat the frozen krill or silversides on my fishting line. jiggle shake jiggle does nothing for him.

Should I feed him a couple live shrimp and get back to jiggle jiggle?

Should I impale a live shrimp on the fishing line? (Something I am not sure I am willing to do)

Should I kill a fresh shrimp and then put it on the line?

Should I just keep wiggling the krill in his face?

Help me teach this little guy to eat frozen.

 

[amnesia]

My zebra is on day two of his fast aswell. I tried last night jiggling a piece of thawed krill to no avail.

I plan on keeping this routine going nightly for the next couple days. If he hasn't eaten by day 5. I will feed him something live and start again.

I came across this site while reading another thread today.

http://livebrineshrimp.com/

 

[amnesia]

My Zebra ate tonight!

I used the "somewhat" invisible stick method, and danced a piece of krill around his tank for about 10 minutes. He showed some interest and then backed off a couple times, but I kept at it. Perseverance paid off. He refused a second piece, but tomorrow is another day. I may try stuffing krill pieces with some marine pellets for the added nutritional value.

 

[ataller]

Wow, I am jealous.

I am out of town today. Tomorrow I will start trying again. Hopefully mine will eat as well.

Were you using whole krill or just pieces?

I feel like mine may be to small to eat a whole krill.

 

[amnesia]

Wow, I am jealous.

I am out of town today. Tomorrow I will start trying again. Hopefully mine will eat as well.

Were you using whole krill or just pieces?

I feel like mine may be to small to eat a whole krill.

I am using pieces of krill. Roughly thirds.

He was quite eager to eat today, nearly launching himself at the first piece I offered. Then he ate a second small piece about 5 minutes later, both off of my "somewhat invisible" feeding stick.

 

[namxas]

nice job! once they get the idea, they're pretty much gluttons.