Male Clownfish Not Eating

[shawnriv]

I picked up a mated pair of True Percula Clownfish a couple days ago and have put them in quarantine. When I first introduced them to the tank they were not eating anything: frozen mysis, new life spectrum pellets, or cobalt flakes. I stopped at LFS and they sold live brine shrimp. I put some in the tank and the female clown took to them right away and gobbled them all down. The problem is that the male doesn't seem to have any interest in anything I put in the tank. This morning I soaked some frozen mysis in garlic (since I don't want to continue feeding brine shrimp if I don't have to since there really isn't any nutritional value) and the female grabbed the mysis...the male still has no interests. I'm not sure what else I should do at this point. The female is about three times the size of the male but I don't know if that would have anything to do with it.

 

Thanks!

[Tamberav]

How long have you had them in QT? My clowns did not eat right away either (from stress). I would also treat them with prazipro in-case the male has worms which can put fish off food as well.

[shawnriv]

How long have you had them in QT? My clowns did not eat right away either (from stress). I would also treat them with prazipro in-case the male has worms which can put fish off food as well.

 

I've had them for about four days now. And it's funny you mention PraziPro, I actually use that on all fish that go through quarantine as a preventative medication. The male doesn't seem stressed or weak (knock on wood) he just stays by the female's side.

[masssnapz]

Garlic, blah ! But seriously fish love it.

[dandelion]

My WC clown pair that I got from my LFS took almost a week before rushing to their food. The female started eating in maybe a couple days, but the male took a while. They're as happy as ever in the DT now.

[shawnriv]

Garlic, blah ! But seriously fish love it.

 

Agreed! I also soaked their food in the Garlic Guard.

 

My WC clown pair that I got from my LFS took almost a week before rushing to their food. The female started eating in maybe a couple days, but the male took a while. They're as happy as ever in the DT now.

 

That's a relief to hear. I won't move them into the DT until they graduate their quarantine session and are both eating. But that's good to hear that the females take to food easier than the males.

[dandelion]

I fed twice a day, and during the first few days there were usually left over food in the water column. I didn't take them out and by the next feeding time they'd be gone, and they're not in the filter.

 

 

Agreed! I also soaked their food in the Garlic Guard.

 

 

That's a relief to hear. I won't move them into the DT until they graduate their quarantine session and are both eating. But that's good to hear that the females take to food easier than the males.

[shawnriv]

I fed twice a day, and during the first few days there were usually left over food in the water column. I didn't take them out and by the next feeding time they'd be gone, and they're not in the filter.

 

 

I've always been cautious when it comes to left over food. Since it's a QT tank there isn't much filtration besides a foam filter. Typically what ever is not eaten I remove with a net to avoid an ammonia spike.