Need food suggestions for Emperor

[wfgworks]

I purchased a Juv. Emperor about 3 weeks ago and have not been able to get him to eat prepared food. He takes pellet food but not all the time. Below is a list of the food I have tried so if anyone has suggestions, that would be very helpful.

Brine
Mysis
Formula B
Frozen Algea Mixure
Krill
Nuri
Blood Worms

Thanks,

Bill

 

[rgsa8892]

try a piece of lettuce

 

[brookers]

you could try chopped prawn, cockle or squid, mine goes nuts for this.
i feed mine about 60% nori, algea pellets and algea flake, he gets nls pellets 2 times a day as well as mysis ,brine, squid, scollop, prawn occasionally

 

[snorvich]

you could try chopped prawn, cockle or squid, mine goes nuts for this.
i feed mine about 60% nori, algea pellets and algea flake, he gets nls pellets 2 times a day as well as mysis ,brine, squid, scollop, prawn occasionally

Great advice which I endorse. Chopped natural sea food e.g. squid, prawn, etc usually makes them eat vigorously. Most important to offer nori on a clip. Lettuce is NOT a good alternative.

 

[AngelsAnonymous]

Clam on the half shell along with the other suggestions minus lettuce.

 

[wfgworks]

Thanks.

I have been attaching nori to small pieces of live rock with a rubber band but he hasnt shown interest.

So just buy some prawn, clam and squid at the supermarket will be ok?

 

[jjk_reef00]

Try ocean nutrition angel formula (red frozen cubes). That is usually what I give to picky eaters.

 

[mx270]

My emperor loves the red seaweed sheets. It also will try mysis, but not as aggresively. Rods food has something in it that gets noticed also.

 

[problemfixer]

I had one that loved Prime Reef Flakes.

 

[wfgworks]

Ok, picked some things up. Do I just chop up and drop in?

Do I do anything special with the clam before putting it in the tank? Just crack it open?

I have always used the frozen cubes of food so I probably sound like a complete fool at this point but thanks for the suggestions.

 

[melanotaenia]

Make sure you rinse all of the food very well before putting it in the tank. I would try the clam on the half shell first. That way it can sit in the tank for a little while before he goes for it. He may not be ready to feed from the water column yet, but if he eats the clam I would continue with clams for a few days, and also try the chopped up seafood. You should continue to offer the nori daily, changing out for a fresh piece every day, even if he does not eat any of it. Eventually he will get hungry enough to eat.

Have you considered soaking food in Garlic? I hear that some fish are enticed to eat using garlic soaked frozen or dried foods.

Was the fish quarantined? I only ask because if he is not eating it could be a sign of something internal going on. Either way, good luck! They are tough fish so I would not be to worried.

 

[wfgworks]

I dont eat clams so is their a trick to getting the two pieces apart?

I tried soaking in garlic and continue to do so will all my food.

Thanks again

 

[melanotaenia]

Another option is to stuff some angel formula or a clump of shrimp into a rock so he has to pick it out of the rock. Any way to simulate the feeding in the wild is going to help wean him onto a prepared diet while keeping him fat during his transition to aquarium life. My emporer took two weeks to eat and did finally eat, but it was not prepared food, but one of my clams. After that it started eating prepared foods regularly.

 

[melanotaenia]

I dont eat clams so is their a trick to getting the two pieces apart?

I tried soaking in garlic and continue to do so will all my food.

Thanks again

I split them open with a knife.

 

[wfgworks]

thanks

 

[StripestheEel]

I purchased a Juv. Emperor about 3 weeks ago and have not been able to get him to eat prepared food. He takes pellet food but not all the time. Below is a list of the food I have tried so if anyone has suggestions, that would be very helpful.

Brine
Mysis
Formula B
Frozen Algea Mixure
Krill
Nuri
Blood Worms

Thanks,

Bill

All the wrong starter foods to get any large fish eating IMO.

I do a DIY mix for all my fish and find that it yields far better results than any pre-packaged watered down frozen foods that you overpay for.

Do yourself a favour; go to the supermarket/fishmonger a get fresh products like shrimp, squid, scallop, fish etc etc . Cut them all up and throw them in a blender. You can also tear up some nori and add coral foods etc so everything gets fed at once!

Hope that helps.

 

[michealprater]

All the wrong starter foods to get any large fish eating IMO.

I do a DIY mix for all my fish and find that it yields far better results than any pre-packaged watered down frozen foods that you overpay for.

Do yourself a favour; go to the supermarket/fishmonger a get fresh products like shrimp, squid, scallop, fish etc etc . Cut them all up and throw them in a blender. You can also tear up some nori and add coral foods etc so everything gets fed at once!

Hope that helps.

Just make sure you rinse the foods very well and feed sparingly, or this is simply a recipe for a nitrate and phosphate spike. Considering this is the "reef" fish forum, those are two items we tend to watch much more closely than fowlr keepers.

 

[wfgworks]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'm going to go shopping this weekend for some fresh products.

The clam worked well last night, almost too well as everyone else in the tank wanted to have some so I ended up adding a second one.

 

[melanotaenia]

Did the Emporer eat any of it?

 

[wfgworks]

Yeah, he did eat but not that much.