Live Foods

[clownfreak]

Some background: I have an established 25g with two clownfish (occ.), one bangaii cardinal, and an anenome. I recently added onw more bangaii that hasn't eaten much since I added it. I'm looking to find some lives foods that the average hobbiest can produce. I figured this could be a good place to start with what can be cultured.

I'll start,
Brine Shrimp

Black Worms

Copepods (Tiggerpods)

 

[clownfreak]

No one has anything else?

 

[iamwrasseman]

i would guy live brine or get a hatchery but the babies are difficult to get them to adulthood . mysis are cannobilistic and last a week at the most also very expensive to purchase .
the live brine is not very nutricious so its not a good idea for it to be their main staple but it may help him get over the hill of eating in captivity .
IMO PE mysis is usually irrestible for most fish as i have not had any that wouldn't eat it .
live foods are expensive to grow and also slow so try the brine as it takes only a few days to hatch .you can purchase a simple hatchery that uses a 2litre bottle and you have to have an air pump to run it .

 

[clownfreak]

I have a hatchery going right now, I'll feed mostly the young ones to the fish but will try to grow out what is left over.

 

[iamwrasseman]

cool and do try to get that cardinal switched over to frozen asap as its just so much more complete nutritiously .also you can feed some live baby brine mixed in with some chopped up mysis and they may start eating both somewhat by mistake .
you can put a small amount of the live brine in a container like a shot glass and "gut pack" them by adding a couple of drops selcon for ten to twenty minutes so the brine will eat some and also get covered with it so you will have a much more nutritiously packed food .

 

[TripleT]

I'd try frozen cyclops, and PE mysis.

Are the other fish bullying him?

I'd move him to QT until you get him eating.

 

[d0ughb0y]

I agree QT or even just isolating it in one of those floating containers.
You can just buy the live brine and feed until it starts eating normally. I tried live food once but it starts becoming a chore. Too much trouble IMHO.

 

[clownfreak]

My lfs does not have live brine. I'll pick up some PE Mysis soon. I do have the fish in the best qt I have for now. Its in a small 3g tank with a seeded sponge filter. This is certainly not an ideal tank but will do for now. My plan is to feed bbs when they hatch tomorrow (and hopefully PE too), and then move the fish back over to the main tank.

 

[TripleT]

You might cover the sides of the QT to reduce stress. And by sides I mean all 4.

Cardboard, or tank background works well.

Have you tested the water quality?

Did you ask the LFS what he was eating?

 

[clownfreak]

I haven't tested the water, I've just done small daily waterchanges. I'll ask what itwas eating, I know it was eating but I don't know what. I worry that I have two males, but haven't directly seen any abuse so I'm not sure.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

One hazard of feeding live foods is that once the fish becomes accustomed to them it will refuse anything else. Selcon soaked PE mysis is what I would try.

 

[clownfreak]

They all accepted mysis today. Besides the Bangaii I had previously everyone had to have it dropped on their noses to eat it. Hopefully they'll become more accustomed to it and attack it themselves.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

They all accepted mysis today. Besides the Bangaii I had previously everyone had to have it dropped on their noses to eat it. Hopefully they'll become more accustomed to it and attack it themselves.

That's great!
Progress is progress.
Did you try the Selcon? I know it is a little pricey but worth every penny.
(And I have to watch every penny these days)

 

[clownfreak]

I haven't it is kinda pricey. I'll look at some prices online.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

One little bottle does last quite a while.
Just a few drops goes a long way.
Foster and Smith has it for $10.99, the LFS wants more like $20

 

[clownfreak]

Yes, my lfs has a huge markup on it also. I was suprised to see it so cheap online