My Journey with C./P. multifasciata

[Ambition]

Here is a short feeding video from their AM feeding today (would have been longer if I could have whipped out the phone faster because they eat everything so fast!)

 

[SDguy]

That is fantastic, Kyle. Nice seeing them eat like that!

 

[Ambition]

That is fantastic, Kyle. Nice seeing them eat like that!

It gives me hope for some long term survival! They must be settling in well as they are begging for food on day 2 and eating out of the water column more and more. I'm hoping a water change on Monday won't be too much for them to handle.

 

[Ambition]

Quick question as my very mini vacation sets in and I have to get back to the grind tomorrow. How long is it safe to have a clam on the half shell in a QT tank before it spikes something like ammonia? I ask because I can't feed forzen foods until the afternoon and think something in the morning while I'm away will be a benefit.

 

[caribfan]

Fish look great! I'm excited you got a pair of these.

On the clam question, I've left one in for close to 8 hours with No issues, but I also have a pretty robust biological filter. What are you using to process the ammonia? Is it well established?

 

[Ambition]

It's an Aqueon filter, I can't remember which model. It has blue thing on the filter meant for biological filtration. The filter has been in use without sterilization since July.

 

[pktech]

Looking good Kyle - are you trying new food besides what you've listed so far?

 

[Ambition]

I've fed these fish mysis, Rod's, and clam on the half shell with success. I did try 1mm NLS pellets but they did to completely ignored. After a quick email with Kevin on any advice he had to offer as far as getting them on prepared foods such as pellets or flakes, I will try the soaking in thawing juices from mysis, clam, etc. and see how that goes. Upon his suggestion I will also be giving Nutramar Ova a go as well.

As a side note (one that I think is another help in the success), the fish are both from Vanuatu. As noted by several, fish from places like that, Aussie, Red Sea, Marshall Islands, etc. tend to be easier to acclimate to captivity.

 

[Ambition]

Did a WC on their tank today to get all the poop off the bottom. The larger multibar got a little freaked out with a tube entering the tank. As such he went into hiding and the small one did too. Hope they come out for the next feeding in a couple hours. I did my best to keep it as stress free as possible (I always get nervous doing WCs to tanks with newly acquired fish as I don't know how they will react). Tonight I will be trying the ova blended with some mysis.

 

[Ambition]

I have a bit of a bump in the road. Neither fish would eat clam on the half shell today. Good news is that the male did sample a Cobalt Aquatics flake food today, though he just spit it back out. However, he did sample it several times. I'll be feeding some mysis in a few minutes. Doing something different and soaking it in Selco to add to its nutrition.

I'm going to be referring to the large individual as a male and the small one as a female. Last night I sent Karen an email describing an interesting picture and it sounded like the pair is truly a bonded pair.

 

[aquaph8]

Angels have such a hard time deciding whether to eat or not IME. They eat one thing one day and then refuse it the next. Im pretty new to angels and they have been a challenge for me, part of the fun though I guess. If it got too easy Id probably get bored.

 

[Ambition]

Angels have such a hard time deciding whether to eat or not IME. They eat one thing one day and then refuse it the next. Im pretty new to angels and they have been a challenge for me, part of the fun though I guess. If it got too easy Id probably get bored.

As long as they will eat something I won't curl up in the fetal position. :lol: The difficulty adds to the fun and keeps the interest there for me. The roller coaster in this hobby and in life keeps everything interesting IMO.

 

[Ambition]

The male ate flake food this afternoon, about as aggressively as he eats mysis! The female didn't recognize the flake as food. Hopefully she will soon.

 

[pktech]

Any luck with the ova? I dont have a lfs that has it currently. Mine are picking on the rocks constantly & picking very little off the sand ( mysis, brine & ocean plankton). They have not responded to a fresh clam or live brine - I thought that would be like ringing the dinner bell...

 

[Ambition]

Ova was ignored, it was just too small for the two I have. Mysis still holds supreme as they are off and on with other foods. Today flake went ignored, so they are just finicky. I wish you luck with yours!

 

[caribfan]

When I had a couple tiny angels that I was trying to get eating Huma recommended chopping mysis. I was never very good at it. I know PE mysis was supposed to be coming out with a smaller pink variety, maybe that would entice them.

 

[Ambition]

I use Hikari mysis since I have found that PE mysis tends to be on the large side. I just don't have any fish with big enough mouths to eat PE. I've also found Hikari to be cleaner than the PE, but I have only gone through one package of PE.

 

[Rea17]

I use both Hikari and PE mysis in my homemade food, and I use straight PE when enticing fish to eat (rinsed, as it does make a cloudy mess). I'm not sure why, but they seem to prefer it over the Hikari, and with the ridiculously high protein content I do as well. If the pieces are too big for the fish I'm targetting, I find it pretty easy to chop when partially frozen.

 

[Ambition]

I use both Hikari and PE mysis in my homemade food, and I use straight PE when enticing fish to eat (rinsed, as it does make a cloudy mess). I'm not sure why, but they seem to prefer it over the Hikari, and with the ridiculously high protein content I do as well. If the pieces are too big for the fish I'm targetting, I find it pretty easy to chop when partially frozen.

I just might have to give PE another try. I'm also considering setting up a small culturing system for mysid shrimp where I can gut load them with phyto or something like Selcon before collecting some and making my own mysis of sorts. We'll see what space and time allow for.

 

[Rea17]

I just might have to give PE another try. I'm also considering setting up a small culturing system for mysid shrimp where I can gut load them with phyto or something like Selcon before collecting some and making my own mysis of sorts. We'll see what space and time allow for.

Ambitious Good luck! If you get to that, be sure to post your process. I would love to follow and learn some things.