I have found with the sharks that we hatch squid usually will get them feeding. They can be flightly, however keep trying. If all else fails Ghost shrimp will almost always get them to start feeding, but make sure you only put one in at a time. Also, dont keep feeding them the shrimp, they are not very healthy.
newly hatched shark
- Thread starter fatsolomon
- Start date
Believe it or not, pups newly hatched can go several days before their metabolism fully kicks in and they are eagerly seeking out food. It's a delicate balance because on one end, for finiky eaters, you want them to get to the "feed me NOW" stage so that they are more accepting of offered foods, however on the flip side, pups are still quite vulnerable to malnutrition because of a number of factors - to include the keeper not being as educated on the animal as perhaps they should have been before ordering it *cough cough*. However, you have the pup now, so the most important thing is making sure you are able to get healthy, vitamin packed food into him/her relatively quickly. Sometimes with pups we raise, they show a typical pattern after birth/hatching - it's quite commical if you work in the industry because you will know exactly what I am talking about.
The pups will feed off of their (now) internalized yolk for the first few days, and as that dwindles down, their body starts to react to smells and sights quite differently. Where in the beginning, they seemed to care less about feeding time, they are now investigative and sometimes pushy towards others, just so they can see what the fuss is about (even though they usually wont eat it, LOL)... A little while later they instinctively lunge for the food, and may take it into their mouths, shake it up a bit, chomp on it - But in the end still spit it out. DONT get discouraged - this is absolutely the course it should be on!! Think about human babies - when they are first switched from formula/breast milk to "solid" baby foods - they squish up their faces, turn their heads away, and about 95% of anything you put in their mouths - comes right back out, dribbling down their chin or spit back at you. LOL it's natural for them to innitially reject foods - they haven't had to eat that way before, so it's all about discovery and trial & error! The fact that intrest in the food is being shown is already a great leap of sucess! What they may reject now, they may love later so don't give up on foods which have produced no real results now, simply hold off on those and find ones which he/she shows a little more intrest in, and later, once eating is regulated, re-introduce the previously failed morsels and you might be surprised at the reaction you get the second go-around. You cannot MAKE them eat, they have to WANT to eat, so your responsibility as a keeper is to maximize the potential of them eating - entice them, and make sure the foods you offer are top quality and supplemented, because you might only get 10% in at first, so make it the best 10% possible! Mazuri vit/min supps. are great, I use those too, and garlic has prooven to be a natural metobolic stimulant, so go for it! Try not to stress yourself out right now, thinking its a lost cause. As long as overall mass is relatively stable and activity/reactive levels are showing normal patters, don't freak out pre-maturely. But I will say it again - quite possibly you (not "you" but your store), should have done significantly more research before adding him/her to the stock list.
The pups will feed off of their (now) internalized yolk for the first few days, and as that dwindles down, their body starts to react to smells and sights quite differently. Where in the beginning, they seemed to care less about feeding time, they are now investigative and sometimes pushy towards others, just so they can see what the fuss is about (even though they usually wont eat it, LOL)... A little while later they instinctively lunge for the food, and may take it into their mouths, shake it up a bit, chomp on it - But in the end still spit it out. DONT get discouraged - this is absolutely the course it should be on!! Think about human babies - when they are first switched from formula/breast milk to "solid" baby foods - they squish up their faces, turn their heads away, and about 95% of anything you put in their mouths - comes right back out, dribbling down their chin or spit back at you. LOL it's natural for them to innitially reject foods - they haven't had to eat that way before, so it's all about discovery and trial & error! The fact that intrest in the food is being shown is already a great leap of sucess! What they may reject now, they may love later so don't give up on foods which have produced no real results now, simply hold off on those and find ones which he/she shows a little more intrest in, and later, once eating is regulated, re-introduce the previously failed morsels and you might be surprised at the reaction you get the second go-around. You cannot MAKE them eat, they have to WANT to eat, so your responsibility as a keeper is to maximize the potential of them eating - entice them, and make sure the foods you offer are top quality and supplemented, because you might only get 10% in at first, so make it the best 10% possible! Mazuri vit/min supps. are great, I use those too, and garlic has prooven to be a natural metobolic stimulant, so go for it! Try not to stress yourself out right now, thinking its a lost cause. As long as overall mass is relatively stable and activity/reactive levels are showing normal patters, don't freak out pre-maturely. But I will say it again - quite possibly you (not "you" but your store), should have done significantly more research before adding him/her to the stock list.
Well - Emi, I think it may be the fact that your usually right, and you have a way wording the situation so well. 
IT STILL SUCKS!
I mean if I give one or two line answers like most people do, the conversation continues, but when someone has like 10 questions or issues, and I take the time to cover ALL of them, and write one of my famous "Novels", then it's like - ok, end of discussion, case closed. I HATE THAT!!!
I like to know whether or not they were sucessful you know, whether or not the information I provided them helped to clarify the issues and rectify them, or if they are still confused or struggling and need more help you know!?!?! I don't want the praise for a good post, I wanna make sure the information is getting out there you know!?! I dunno, just sucks, LOL.
I mean if I give one or two line answers like most people do, the conversation continues, but when someone has like 10 questions or issues, and I take the time to cover ALL of them, and write one of my famous "Novels", then it's like - ok, end of discussion, case closed. I HATE THAT!!!
I like to know whether or not they were sucessful you know, whether or not the information I provided them helped to clarify the issues and rectify them, or if they are still confused or struggling and need more help you know!?!?! I don't want the praise for a good post, I wanna make sure the information is getting out there you know!?! I dunno, just sucks, LOL.
Yeah - Know the feeling.
You put all that time & effort to fully example everything - then have wonder - if it was understood or not.
You put all that time & effort to fully example everything - then have wonder - if it was understood or not.
Yeah, sharks usually go a week or so without eating any food after the birth. Just keep checking the shark's stomach and try feeding when there is absolutely no sign of an embryo sac or tube left. I actually heard that they can die if you feed them before their embryo is gone. I got mine eating a week after hatch, and did it by hand feeding it mysis. Hope this helps.
While sharks can go a week or even several weeks with any food. It's best to get newly hatched/born pups feeding as soon as possible (within the 1st week - is ideal).
if its any help my first bamboo hatched 2 days ago, we called him george (also at lfs were i work) yesterday i offered live feeder shrimp in tweezers right in front of him an he took two before turning away and he took one today , i thought the yolk sac would go after the first day but what you guys sed made me feel better, should i not worry about how much he eats for the first few days, but him trying already is good right?
