Newbie needs help getting clown fish to eat.

[clown fan]

Hi everyone,

I am new to keeping saltwater fish. Two days ago, I bought two black ocellaris clowns. I have not been successful getting them to eat, and was hoping to get some help. I have tried feeding them OraGlo pellets, mysis shrimp and fortified brine shrimp. They get excited at feeding time. They then put the food in their mouth only to spit it out again. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Water parameters are where they should be. Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0, Nitrate=10, SG=1.023, T=79 degrees.

Thank you in advance!!!

Rebecca

 

[Behrmon]

My Black Ocellaris clowns in the shop tank love the Boyds Vita Diet crumble, my Maroon at home loves flake and will eat the Boyds as well. Might just take a couple days in the new home.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

Garlic extract is an attractant. I use Kent Garlic Extreme.

 

[Andy O]

How big are they. I find that sometimes my smaller fish have a tough time with the bigger mysis or they take it in and spit out the head and shell. If your mysis is too big you might want to go to a smaller size.

 

[smithcreek]

I had the same issue with a couple clowns when I first got them. I used frozen cyclop-eeze and that stuff is packed with nutrition. I just turned off my pumps and they would eat it until their stomachs looked like they would explode. But be careful if you use it, a little goes a long way.

 

[x22hockey]

i use mysis and brine, my clown spit it out to brek it up then ate it. Then he died of ich, it sucked

 

[~Flighty~]

I second the cyclopseeze. Helps with the clown's color too.

 

[clown fan]

Thank you so much!! Will try suggestions and cross my fingers

Rebecca

 

[reefsmurf]

cyclop-eeze as previous poster said. most fish cannot resist that... nor live brine. Most clownfish are pigs and pretty much will eventually eat anything that falls into the tank.