A Clownfish Question

[Cliff519]

I got a pair of captive bread black clown fish. They are two young False Perculas, of the black melanistic variety, both about 1” in size. They are a male/female pair with the female a little bigger than the male. I took almost two hours to drip acclimate them to the tank and they have been in my tank for almost 48 hours. They are very active fish that appear to be behaving normally. I just don’t think they are eating enough

What parameters are: Salt 1.025, PH 8.1, Ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate approx 15 ppm, temp 79.5 F

I’m feeding them a mixture of mysis shrimp, blood worms, and brine shrimp. This is the same food the SW LFS was feeding them. The first time I fed them they didn’t eat. The next two times I fed them, they a little, but not very much at all. 2 or 3 bites of food and then they seamed to loose interest in eating. I turn down the return pump and shut off the power heads during feeding so they will get a chance to grab the food.

As these are my first clown fish, and the first marine fish that I’ve ever had, I’m not to sure if they are getting enough to eat. I can only compare them to my fresh water fish and all of them would eat until they little bellys would explode if I let them.

Is this normal for clown fish ?

Are they still getting used to their new home ?

Should they be eating more ?

 

[fish keeper]

i think they are still acclimating in to their enviormont.if they don't eat for a couple more days there might be a problem.

 

[dlp40]

I have one of these in my 75 and for what seemed like a week, it only ate one bite of what ever food i introduced. After the week they started eating just fine. they seemed unsure of where they fit in teh tank for that week, atleast that's what it looked like to me. After it calmed down and found its place, it has done just fine.

I say give it some more time and it should be just fine.

 

[Cliff519]

Thanks guys

I guess I just wasn’t expecting it to take this long with captive bread clown fish. I’ll try smaller, more frequent feeding for a few days until the get more comfortable.

 

[FLESHY]

Good choice...I feed my clarkii "pair" a couple pinches of NLS a couple times a day. They can feed fairly intensively, but never to the point where they get big and fat like my lion does.

They will probably be fine. Fast them for a couple days, and then see if they go after it with a little more gusto. May just still be adjusting as was said before.

 

[Cliff519]

Good choice...I feed my clarkii "pair" a couple pinches of NLS a couple times a day. They can feed fairly intensively, but never to the point where they get big and fat like my lion does.

They will probably be fine. Fast them for a couple days, and then see if they go after it with a little more gusto. May just still be adjusting as was said before.

Great advice Fleshy.

I gave it a try and they were eating like it was going to be their last meal.

Looks like they have settled in nicely now

 

[FLESHY]

Good to hear.