I need help trying to get my Lionfish and my Puffer to eat frozen food. I read on here somewhere to try and put it on the end of a stick and make it seem "alive". I tried that and was not very succesful. The Puffer will take a bite out of the silversides and then let the rest fall to the bottom, the Lion took the first one spit it out and now won't even pay any attention to them at all. any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
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From live to frozen
- Thread starter Sturgeon
- Start date
Have you tried Priscine Frozen Mysis? This brand has always worked for us and in a few hard cases we put a couple drops of garlic juice in the thawing water and let it soak a while before feeding. The garlic sometimes helps stimulate the appetite (and works against ICK too!).
You might also try weaning them by killing their usual live food just before feeding. A few dead ones mixed in and keep increasing the number of dead with each feeding. You can ease in the new food you'd like them to switch to.
Most animals will not starve themselves to death. Let them build up their appetite between feedings. They may be more eager to accept a variation in their diet.
We vary our Puffer's diet with Squid and raw Shrimp too. He loves it so much he is overweight. He's the fattest Puffer I've ever seen.
This is my 2 cents. I'm sure others here will offer theirs.
You might also try weaning them by killing their usual live food just before feeding. A few dead ones mixed in and keep increasing the number of dead with each feeding. You can ease in the new food you'd like them to switch to.
Most animals will not starve themselves to death. Let them build up their appetite between feedings. They may be more eager to accept a variation in their diet.
We vary our Puffer's diet with Squid and raw Shrimp too. He loves it so much he is overweight. He's the fattest Puffer I've ever seen.
This is my 2 cents. I'm sure others here will offer theirs.
How long have the fish been in the tank?
How often do you feed them?
Was he eating at LFS before purchase? (if so what)
What type of Frozen food are you trying (my Lion eats some and spits others out).
When I got my Lion in my tank it was a couple of days (maybe even a week) before he would go after anything.
But now he is like a puppy dog looking for food... When I come towards the tank if he is hungry he looks towards the sky and waits for me to drop something his way.
As reefman said they are very unlikely to starve themselves (well at least lions I don't have any experience with puffers). Be patient.
Another thought came to me (which may have helped in getting my Lion started). Feed at same time when you do (every 2-3 days, but always at say 7:00 AM). The lion will become conditioned and if he is hungry will start looking for food at that time. Then just try a substitute and see what he will eat.
Dave
How often do you feed them?
Was he eating at LFS before purchase? (if so what)
What type of Frozen food are you trying (my Lion eats some and spits others out).
When I got my Lion in my tank it was a couple of days (maybe even a week) before he would go after anything.
But now he is like a puppy dog looking for food... When I come towards the tank if he is hungry he looks towards the sky and waits for me to drop something his way.
As reefman said they are very unlikely to starve themselves (well at least lions I don't have any experience with puffers). Be patient.
Another thought came to me (which may have helped in getting my Lion started). Feed at same time when you do (every 2-3 days, but always at say 7:00 AM). The lion will become conditioned and if he is hungry will start looking for food at that time. Then just try a substitute and see what he will eat.
Dave
I have had the lion and the puffer both about a month. They both ate goldfish at the LFS. I am feeding them goldfish now but trying to get them to eat frozen silversides. I was told to feed the puffer 2-3 goldfish a day and the lion 2-3 every other day. Every time I go to feed the puffer though the lion gets in there and eats to. So they both eat about 2 goldfish a day. I have been putting ghost shrimp in too, substituting for goldfish, but I know they are not much better for them. They eat the goldfish really good but do not want anything to do with the frozen. I try to always feed them about 6pm(give or take a half-hour). Should the lion really be eating everyday and if not how can I feed the puffer and not the lion? I will try mixing some frozen with the live tonight and see what happens. I know this will not happen overnight so I am trying to take it step by step.
The Lion eating every day is not a problem, assuming your filtration can keep up with what he's putting out. (Typically high feeding = high wastes which leads to poor water conditions).
I know that Goldfish are not giveing the saltwater nutriants that those guys need, it may be he's trying to get something that he knows somehow inside he needs? (just a guess)
The "frozen" silversides are they cold or thawed when you put them in (the temperature may be whats causing the problem).
Also how much swiming do those goldfish do before they get eaten? (i.e. how long after they enter the tank are they consumed?). If you can get them to come right to the top and litterally eat out of your hands that will really help. (they'll start taking whatever hits the water).
Dave
I know that Goldfish are not giveing the saltwater nutriants that those guys need, it may be he's trying to get something that he knows somehow inside he needs? (just a guess)
The "frozen" silversides are they cold or thawed when you put them in (the temperature may be whats causing the problem).
Also how much swiming do those goldfish do before they get eaten? (i.e. how long after they enter the tank are they consumed?). If you can get them to come right to the top and litterally eat out of your hands that will really help. (they'll start taking whatever hits the water).
Dave
I thaw out the silversides in a cup of tank water before I put them in the tank. I usually don't do it very long though. Maybe I should try letting them sit in the water longer before putting them in the tank. The puffer comes right to the top when I go to feed them. The lion usually waits until the goldfish are in the water then he chases them. Thanks to everybody for their ideas I want to get both of them to eat frozen food now while they are young.
It's been a few years since I kept any puffers but as I recall they all took fresh or frozen squid. After that,, (fresh or frozen) mussels, shrimp and crab flesh were all accepted.
>>I was told to feed the puffer 2-3 goldfish a day
Yikes. I have no experience with Lions but I only fed my puffers twice or maybe 3 times a week.
>>I was told to feed the puffer 2-3 goldfish a day
Yikes. I have no experience with Lions but I only fed my puffers twice or maybe 3 times a week.
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