Clown Knife Fish Help;

[misstish]

I picked up a new baby clown knife fish the other day and I know they are slim to fit into small places, but mine looks a little toooo thin.

He ate fine the first night I brought him home but now he doesnt seem to want to eat. He hides during the day, which I have read is normal and I'm going to find him a log or something to hide in. I wanna say he is only about 3" or 4"

what are some foods to add to his diet? I know websites will tell you their diet but I want to know what you guys feed yours.

He is currently in a 29gal with 4 other fish, here in a few months I will have a MUCH bigger tank, so I see no trouble for him till he gets around 8"-10" inches. My ending tank for him if he stays with me long enough will eventually be a 450gal

 

[mike_sema]

Well at that small try black worms or feeder guppies. I know alot of people will tell you not to feed them feeders but some times to get them started right you will have to, my 20in royal clown knife ate feeders for a wail now he eats cut up shrimp and talapia

 

[fishfanatic46]

i could only ever get mine to eat fish and he would only eat in the dark.

 

[misstish]

thanks


also had to switch him to my med/breed/old feeder tank because my cichlids have beat the crap out of him, so now I know why he has stayed hidden for the past few days. So far he seems to be doing better, he isn't hiding and is swimming around the top. so Idk, I have to keep a look on him closely for the next few days. I haven't turned the light on in this tank. I'm just gonna use lights from around my room to give him light instead of the one ontop of his tank. lol

 

[libayn]

3 to 4 inches mine ate guppies until 8".he missed one meal and started eating tilapia until he was 11".finaly he missed 2 meals and started eating massivore pellets and currently is 14 to 15".i always turned his light on as i dropped in his food and now when the light goes on he thinks its the dinner bell and swims over fast to eat.

 

[bishigirl]

hi, there get him out he'll not survive if you don't, especially with oscars and convicts.
they love bloodworm and soak it in some seachem garlic guard to encourage him to eat. he's being intimidated by the others and will either end up as food himself or starve.

 

[Rawrzer]

Try some feeders. Mine won't take anything but. As fr as your cichlids beating him up there's really nothing you can do. The territorial cichlids beat up the knife and he doesn't fight back because he's not territorial. It happens to mine all the time so i just have to wait until hes a bit bigger and can take a bite out of my cichlids

 

[jsodwi]

Definatley go with the feeder guppies and blackworms right now until it bulks up alot. Then slowely introduce some sinking pellets or cut up frozen food. It may take a while to get the fish off of live food but be patient. The one knife I have now took me a few months before taking shrimp. 3 years and 20" later he eats anything that hits the water. You will probably have to feed when the room is dark too. They don't like the light.

 

[Red Devil]

Well at that small try black worms or feeder guppies. I know alot of people will tell you not to feed them feeders but some times to get them started right you will have to, my 20in royal clown knife ate feeders for a wail now he eats cut up shrimp and talapia

i agree with you 100% , i would never feed live under any other circumstances but this...when you get a baby fish from the wild.. they need to eat... or they will not survive..and fish from the wild eat other smaller fish... so until he gets to be a good 6 inches i would give him baby guppies..but try to quarenteen them and make sure they come from a good source or you will pass the parasite onto the knife baby... once he is established and healthy go onto pellets .. inbetween try blood worms.. if he should start eating blood worms regularly..then omit the live food..and your on your way to pellets..