Male Blue Box Fish (Ostracion meleagris) not eating

[gotfrogs]

I have a ~4" male Ostracion meleagris that I purchased from LA about two weeks ago that is not eating. He is very active and appears healthy but I have not seen him eat anything. He is currently in a 57 gallon tank with some seahorses, juvenile Banggai cardinalfish and a copper banded butterfly fish. I have tried the following foods.

- Frozen Spirulina Brine
- Frozen PE mysis
- Nori
- Sera 45010 Marine O-Nip Tabs (stuck to the glass)
- Hikari Clam On A Half Shell
- Reef Frenzy

I called LA and they were not to much help. The only thing they recommended that I have not tried is live bood worms. Any other suggestions? I really like this fish and hate to lose him.

 

[jmm]

In my decades of experience, you are not alone. I've never seen one last more than a few weeks.

 

[gotfrogs]

That is not what I want to hear!

 

[gotfrogs]

I also tried live freshwater ghost shrimp that everyone else went crazy for.

 

[Myles]

Try live brine. If he goes for that then start mixing in some frozen brine with the live before switching to something more nutritious.
I had one for a little over a year-not good but better than a few weeks.
Myles

 

[gotfrogs]

I gave frozen bloodworms a try today and no luck. He does not even taste it and spit it out. It is so frustrating.

 

[gotfrogs]

No luck with live brine. I think he is hopeless. =(

 

[Myles]

Sorry to hear that-sounds like he probably won't make it.
Myles

 

[Myles]

One last idea for you. Tropical Science makes a product called Marine Max which is marketed as a disease preventative. It is a two part package and the second part is a vitamin mix. I've used it with new fish that weren't eating aggressively and have had good luck with it - it seems to act as an appetite stimulant and is available from Foster and Smith. It is perfectly safe so the worst it will do is nothing.
Myles

 

[gotfrogs]

Thanks, I just ordered the Marine Max.

 

[Myles]

Good luck with him-they are one of my favorite fish.
Myles

 

[Ocean envy]

You might want to try live blackworms, it seems like you've tried everything else. As a matter of caution for the rest of your fish, you also might want to put him in a quarantine tank, so one, if he dies, he doesn't poison the rest of the fish and also you could keep lots of live food swimming around with him in the hopes that he gets it through his thick boxy head that eating is not optional.:headwally: