Hello,

I've picked up a potters angel and wanted to look for some suggestions in getting it to eat. I suppose it takes time. He's constantly nipping on algae,and the wall. But hasn't touched or even bothered w/ flakes (ocean nutrition brand). When I feed frozen cubes, he likes to eat at the mysis only. Brine shrimps are a blessing to him.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks.

I think most angels eat a lot of algae. I feed my lemon peel nori every other day and he devours it.

Angelfish are omnivorous.

They spend a lot of time grazing. You can buy special angelfish food that contains algae, protein, sponges, & other things.

If it only eats the mysis and eats brine, consider yourself lucky that it even eats! I've responded to several threads in the past few weeks where people can't get their new angelfish to feed.

One question though, did you quarantine it?

The only thing mine would eat was nori, clipped to the wall. I've heard most Potters are almost exclusively vegetarian, though some will take mysis, etc.

There are not exclusively herbivorous fish, as my little girl will happily attest to. However, if it doesn't get greens in the diet, these fish have a habit of dying around the 8-12 month mark if they make it past the first hurdles.

I would also make a point of asking about your tank size. A long tank (3' or more) around 30 gallons or more is the bare minimum for this fish if you plan on keeping it or not upgrading throughout its lifespan, in my mind. They are one of the larger Centropyge angels but the good news is that they grow very slowly.

In regards to your fish, these are not as difficult to get eating as they used to be, even in the last couple of years. How long have you had your fish, how long was it at the LFS and did it eat there, and is it in quarantine (should be)? Try pellets, mine ate those the second day I had it, about a week before it showed interest in anything else. After you get it started, I suggest buying Formula 2 pellets or flakes, and/or a food for Butterflies & Angels that has a mix of veggies, sponges, and brine shrimp. Nori is a good thing to try, but mine has never touched it in the year+ that I've had her.

Lastly, I believe that Reef Central does have a Potter's Angel primer in their Fish forum that might have some helpful info.

I have a 60 gallon, and about 2 years in it.

I haven't fed Nori, as it loves to graze on the algae in my tank. What types of pellets do you suggest?

I am constantly seeing it go up and down the side of the glass and in and around the rocks. I might pick up some angel formula for it (cube). I'll continue w/ the mysis, cubes, and live brine.


In terms of quarantine, I don't normally quarantine and haven't done so w/ the Potters. This is my 1st time trying a Potters. I put him in the tank and he's doing good visibly. No nipped fins, full stomache, and quite alert.

Just buy some acans or other flesh lps and he will eat it all up !

Mine eats new life spectrum pellets and mysis. I bought the San Fran angel mix but she didn't like that too much. I might try feeding that mixture again. Recently she has been devouring mysis that I soak with selcon and garlic but she does love to graze on the algae I have on my rocks and especially on the back wall of my tank. I have lots of green algae on that wall. She also does not show any interest in the nori I clip in the tank.

ny167, try using Formula 2 pellets. They smell horrid to us, but mine did eat those after a day or two of trying them. You can also mix them with the meaty pellets. It took my little girl awhile to come onto the veggies, but she eventually did. You just have to try different things and keep at it. Somebody in the tank will eat them even if she doesn't so you don't have to worry about over feeding

WindCloudWRX, Formula 1 pellets are what she started out on and still loves. Does she react to the smell of food in the water but not know what to eat yet?

Thanks..

I will order some.

It seems fine in that the Potters shows interest in rocks and back wall. It seems active and frantic at times. The brine shrimp moves and creates an instant stun of attraction for the Potters. The potter then nibbles the life out of the Brine. HAHA

Nothing else really catches the Potter's attention though.

I'm glad, though, that I see the potter poop a bit. LOL So I guess she isn't starving. But I want to maintain nice colors.

Just worry about getting her fed and the color will follow.

Thanks revaltion, I'll pick up the form 2 pellets next time I'm at my lfs. I'm hoping she will start eating the San Fran angel mix and nori sometime soon. I clip a piece of nori every couple of days but the only one that eats it is my blenny. Lol

In general: young angels prefer algae primarily with sponges mixed in, then some meaty foods mixed in and then in their adult phase, sponges and meaty items as the primary with algae to just nibble on between meals.

She still hasn't taken any prepared foods. I have the pellets coming in though.

She has full belly and constantly nipping.

Mine eats algae fromt he rock and glass, clam mantles (maxima and crocea preferred), sps coral polyps, and it's new favorite seems to be my rare metallic green nepthia.

I am trying to get the little bastage out as we speak! lol... Oh poor Solana.

I'm gonna pick up some brine shrimp. It has pooped and nipped at EVERYTHING, but mostly algae. LOL.

My 2 clowns destroyed one of the tails on my Potters !!

UGGH !!

Dang clowns!! The tail is actually one of my favorite parts on my Potter's. It's like an electric blue color. Just has an awesome color all around. My Potter's now eats Form 2 flakes and the San Fran Angel mix. I'm hoping she will start copying my blenny and eat some nori.

HURRAY !

It ate cyclopeeze flakes !!

Great! Cyclops are an awesome stepping stone. The clowns might be why it took so long if they were aggressive enough to do damage. If the angel is eating well, its tail should be healed in a week or two. I wouldn't worry too much if they don't eat nori at all. It's been over a year of mine having it offered on a regular basis and she's still completely disinterested.