Toby Puffer not eating

[Gone Tidepoolin]

I got a fairly large Toby puffer.
I was told he was eating Mysis and Clams on the half shell.
After 1 week I have not seen him eat. He bites mysis and then spits them out.
Any ideas why he spits it out?
I see him picking at the live rock, can't see what he is after...could he be eating pods?
I have also torn up silversides and put them into the tank, he shows no interest.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[cougareyes]

He probably is eating pods. Have you tried clams on the half shell, most will go nuts over that. I keep aggressive fish and my go to is to throw in some live ghost shrimp when a new fish isn't eating.

 

[Gone Tidepoolin]

Thanks, I'll try that next.
Ever try little neck clams?

 

[cougareyes]

Never tried little neck clams, but I don't see a problem with it. The lfs has small bags of clams on the half shell that I get.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I got a fairly large Toby puffer.
I was told he was eating Mysis and Clams on the half shell.
After 1 week I have not seen him eat. He bites mysis and then spits them out.
Any ideas why he spits it out?
I see him picking at the live rock, can't see what he is after...could he be eating pods?
I have also torn up silversides and put them into the tank, he shows no interest.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I have one suggestion,and that is to check your water parameters.Toby will stop eating,due to high nitrates.Can you post your parameters.

 

[Cliving1]

Thanks, I'll try that next.
Ever try little neck clams?

Little necks should work. That is odd its not eating. I like Fishy's response, parameters, tank size, and tank mates. May be another issue not seen yet by your post.

 

[Gone Tidepoolin]

Since the nearest store to get Clams on the half shell is 45 minutes one way, I went to Safeway and got 2 little neck clams.
I broke away part of the shell and dropped them in.
Bingo! He prefers Clams over mysis or silversides.
90 gallon, 2 hawkfish, jewel damsel, foxface, lunare wrasse and a snowflake eel.
Fire urchin, rock boring urchin, tuxedo urchin, sand sifting star, very large snails (so the lunar wrasse doesn't knock them off the glass and eat them)

 

[cougareyes]

Good. Sounds like a cool line up. Don't be afraid to get supermarket food. I get shrimp, scallops, squid(calamari) from the regular market. I get octopus, silver fish, and krill from Ranch Market, which is an Asian market. Some of your fish would appreciate chunks of meaty food. The snowflake will go nuts over squid and octopus, along with shrimp of course.

 

[Gone Tidepoolin]

They are all monsters!
Everyone but the Toby will take food from my hand.
The most aggressive by far...the Lunar Wrasse is about 7 inches.
Thanks for the help, I think I'll try some new grocery store foods.

 

[scooter31707]

I have luck with fresh clams from my local supermarket (Krogers).