Is there a "correct" way to feed?

[JGard911]

I just got my first 2 pair of clownfish. They have been in the tank 2 days and still seem to hang out by the glass. I have read that it might take a few days before they really want to eat, but I just want to be sure I am doing everthing right.

I have offered them Thera +A granules and mysis shrimp.

I think I have read that I should shut off my main pump and Vortechs when feeding. So far when I have done that the food just sits on the surface and the fish havent wanted to have anything to do with it.
I then tried to place the food just below the surface and it sank straight down. If it floated down in front of the group of fish, they picked at it as it sank by them.
Yesterday I thought they were eating it off the bottom, but this morning the granules I tried to feed them last night are still on the bottom.

This morning I turned the pumps on and the mysis shrimp floated around the tank and they seemed to eat more when the shrimp floated by the group.

So, is there a "correct" way to feed? Will they eat more when they get more comfortable in the tank?

 

[cheeks69]

I never shut off my pumps when I feed I like to see my fish work for their food...lol
Clownfish don't usually take long to start feeding , are they captive bred ? Did you see them eat at the LFS ? Do you know how long the LFS had them before you purchased ? It's not unsual for fish to not eat for a couple of days until they're acclimated to the new surroundings and if they're healthy I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[Reefmack]

Do you use feed mode on the Vortechs? That cuts the current a lot and gives the fish a better chance to grab the food.

 

[steved13]

I'm with Cheeks, I don't change a thing, I leave it all running. Many times I drop the food in front of a vortech or tank return and let the flow carry the food around. If/when they're ready to eat they will find the food.

 

[lcstorc]

I too feed with the pumps on. In fact for my jawfish tank I specifically put the food in front of a power head that shoots the food toward them.
I wouldn't worry about a couple of days, but long term you are going to want to feed them a variety of food. Basically anything from the sea is good and avoid food made of anything land based. Here is a great link on fish nutrition and feeding.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...eeding-marine-fish-marine-fish-nutrition.html
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/37729-my-new-fish-wont-eat-tips.html
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums.../23069-different-forms-marine-fish-foods.html

 

[JGard911]

Clownfish don't usually take long to start feeding , are they captive bred ? Did you see them eat at the LFS ? Do you know how long the LFS had them before you purchased ?

Thanks all for your responses.

Robert. They are captive bred. I believe they were just recently delivered to the LFS as they had two very large tanks of them. I did not see them eat at the LFS (I just learned that is something I should do). Today they are definitely eating any food that floats by them, and my smart one (Nemo of course), is teaching the others to eat the food that's sitting on the bottom of the tank.

They were kind of MSPCA addoption type purchases. The orange clowns were only $9 each and netted out of a school of at least 40 fishies. For my first fish, in my recently cycled tank, I didnt want to spend $50 for the fancier looking clowns sitting in their own individual tanks. Besides, my cat is 19 years old, the most loving animal you could ever want, and she was the runt that no one wanted !!

 

[softreef]

I just got my first 2 pair of clownfish. They have been in the tank 2 days and still seem to hang out by the glass. I have read that it might take a few days before they really want to eat, but I just want to be sure I am doing everthing right.

I have offered them Thera +A granules and mysis shrimp.

I think I have read that I should shut off my main pump and Vortechs when feeding. So far when I have done that the food just sits on the surface and the fish havent wanted to have anything to do with it.
I then tried to place the food just below the surface and it sank straight down. If it floated down in front of the group of fish, they picked at it as it sank by them.
Yesterday I thought they were eating it off the bottom, but this morning the granules I tried to feed them last night are still on the bottom.

This morning I turned the pumps on and the mysis shrimp floated around the tank and they seemed to eat more when the shrimp floated by the group.

So, is there a "correct" way to feed? Will they eat more when they get more comfortable in the tank?

If all your parameters are in the proper ranges just give them time, when they are hungry enough they will eat.

 

[JGard911]

OK
Are these fish dumb or what?

They continue to only eat food that floats by them. They don't seem to eat any food that is floating on the surface of the water or sitting in the sand.
If I drop 5 or 6 granules in the tank at a time, they eat them before they hit the sand. If I put in any more than that, it floats by them and sits in the sand.
I don't have time to "spoon feed" like this every day. Any ideas?

Also
What can I get to clean up the food sitting on the bottom of the tank? Does a standard "clean up crew" (Dwarf Ceriths, Florida Ceriths, Nerites, and Nassarius snails) from reefcleaners.org eat food or just algea?

 

[jpsika08]

Jim, try other foods as frozen ones, also, use garlic to mix it before going in, that usually works for me to get them to eat.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

My clowns don't see food that's on the surface either. It's up where the lights are and if they're looking right at it, they probably can't tell the difference between food and just water meeting air. I doubt clownfish eyesight is that great to begin with, and add a light that's supposed to be bright as the sun to the mix? It's understandable why they wouldn't see the food.

The best way to teach them to feed is in a QT tank, that way you won't have to worry about fouling your tank water with uneaten food. What other inhabitants are in the tank with them?

Here's what I do with my clowns. I have Hikari sinking pellets (they're really more granules, they're very small and perfectly sized for these my 2 little clowns). Currently, I turn of all the pumps and drop the pellets right on top of the fish. They sometimes need a little poking to get them to sink, but eventually they fall right down to the fish. They usually eat what they can see, and only 1 or 2 pellets go uneaten. My plan eventually is to get them used to eating with the pump on, but that will be more useful when I feed a homemade food and have corals in the tank that will eat as well. Clownfish are very smart and eventually they'll learn to eat with the pumps on, but my recommendation is to leave them off until they get the hang of it.