Ornate on hunger strike

[Beetlebug515]

Hey all. A week ago I brought home a 7 inch ornate poly and he has yet to eat except maybe a couple nibbles of beefheart. I am sure he will be fine and adjust eventually, but I don't want to keep dumping beefheart into my tank. I have offered carnivore pellets, cichlid pellets, blood worms, beefheart, brine shrimp, market shrimp and a feeder. What do you guys feed your polys? Maybe there is something i am missing.

 

[Askaleymanfish]

I bought a 12" ornate in April .... Still have yet to see it eat more than a nibble 2 times lol he will be fine man just let the ornate work it out they can survive quite a long time without eating ..... And tilapia and massivore is what majority feed theirs .... And market shrimp

 

[Beetlebug515]

Tilapia and massivore.... Massivore is ludicrously expensive at all of my local shops. I'll give it a shot though. Thanks.

 

[in_the_seance]

Try kensfish.com

 

[Askaleymanfish]

Tilapia and massivore.... Massivore is ludicrously expensive at all of my local shops. I'll give it a shot though. Thanks.

There is a good reason it is expensive lol because it's the best! And it last a good while I think iv bought 2 bags in about a year as long as u mix up what u feed it will last

 

[lardieleftover]

again, polys can go months without eating, and its very common when new to a tank as the stickies say!

 

[DMD123]

What time of day are you feeding? I have a very shy eater, my weeksii. I just never saw the thing eat because I was feeding during the day with lights on. Another member suggested feeding after lights were out and this has worked perfectly. So I still never see my fish eat, lol, but the piles of fish and pellets dropped in at night are always gone by the morning and Ive seen a nice increase in size with the weeksii. So try night feedings.

 

[Dr.B]

I'm not sure what other fish you have (if any at all) in the same tank, but I'f probably wait to put anything in the tank for about 3-4 days then add a little bit (just enough to arouse suspicion from the bichir). If it's still not interested then just keep repeating the cycle.

 

[Beetlebug515]

He is in a mixed cichlid community tank, but he is never bothered or pushed around. I have seen him sit on the bottom of the tank with food touching his face and he doesn't eat it. My Senegal started biting him after a couple days, so I relocated the Senegal to my 60 gallon. I wasn't home last night, but I'll try a night feeding tonight and see what happens. Thank for all the replies.

 

[DMD123]

Its tricky when you night feed because if you do it too early many of the other fish have not really gone into sleep mode and they may eat the food intended for the poly. I have a mixed community tank and sometimes have been impatient and put food in early and I can see the other fish in the dark finding the food for the polys, lol.