peppermint22 Posted September 21, 2003 Share Posted September 21, 2003 Hello everyone! I just bought a dwarf hawkfish(C. falco) 5 days ago and until now, it hasn't been (or should I say, "able to eat") eating the flake and pellets. I tried feeding him but the clowns just gobbled everything up before he even had a chance to sniff the food. Is there any way I can make him eat these stuff? (He's not starving 'cos I just fed him with live guppies) Link to comment
mattie Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 run to the store and buy live brine or live ghost shrimp right away he is a carnavore and will not take right away to food that does not move!!! Link to comment
bneyman Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I agree with the live food, I learned the hard way by inadvertantly feeding mine a $8 peppermint shrimp!!! Link to comment
jjharrisx4 Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Yeah, I was gonna say...they like shrimp Link to comment
bneyman Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Yea, I just hope he doesn't decide to go after my skunk cleaner! They are about the same size, but the shrimp was there 1st. He does hide now during the day under a piece of LR, only coming out at night. (this is after he witnessed the hawk devour the newly added peppermint 5 secs. after adding it to the tank!) Might have to get rid of him, as I like the shrimp more. Link to comment
mattie Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 you may want to consider taking the hawk back bneyman as in the long run he may limit what you put in the tank, I've heard they are hungry pigs so It could just be a matter of time untill he looks at skunk but if the skunk is bigger than him it may make him think twice before he has another shrimp cocktail Link to comment
bneyman Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Yea, I am eventually going to take him back, as I like the shrimp more, he has a great personality and all, kinda like a puppy, following me all around the tank, but he is a hungry pig. I see him eyeballing my cleaner all the time, but they are the same size, so I don't think he's in any immediate danger. Link to comment
mattie Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 a friend of mine has one in a fish only tank and he is cool just sits there checking everything out a somehow recognizes the cup he use's to feed the fish and starts swimming near the top to be the first one to eat Link to comment
bneyman Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Yep, that's the same with mine. He's fun to watch, just didn't realize what a carnivore he was when I got him! Has alot of personality. Link to comment
peppermint22 Posted September 24, 2003 Author Share Posted September 24, 2003 Do you think they'll eat freeze-dried krill? I'll keep you updated with the progress of my little "raptor" feeding. He's still NOT starving 'cos he devoured my glass anemone shrimp! Link to comment
bneyman Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 I feed my fish only frozen, no freeze dried, including mysis, formula 1,brine shrimp, and $8 gourmet peppermint shrimp meals!. :ermm: I would imagine mine would eat anything I put in the tank that wasn't his size! X) Just saw him eyeballing my 2 1/2 in. skunk cleaner earlier in the dark! Bastard! Link to comment
peppermint22 Posted September 26, 2003 Author Share Posted September 26, 2003 I just fed him with freeze-dried krill Euphasia pacifica, and surprisingly he likes it! =) Problem now is, whenever I feed him (flakes/pellets/shrimp) it's not that he doesn't want to eat. It's those darn clowns who gobble everything up until their bellies are bulging with food. What should I do to ensure my little hawkfish gets his fair share of food? Link to comment
freakaccident Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 didn't realize what a carnivore he was when I got him! IMHO they are only suitable for FOWLR tanks. Mine ate every hermit crab, pod, snail, etc from my 29g tank. He eats flake food now that theres nothing left to kill. I crush the flakes up in my fingers and put it in front of water flow so it flies all around the tank. That insures that he gets his fair share of food. Link to comment
peppermint22 Posted September 27, 2003 Author Share Posted September 27, 2003 Thanks. I'll try to do that tonight and see whether he eats. Link to comment
mattie Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 peppermint22 if you have decided to keep the Hawk and he eats flakes you got off lucky but I would recomend frozen brine or mysis shrimp or both at differnt times and as a treat get some live brine. fresh food always has the most nutrients and try to stay away from the freeze dried it will go bad long before you run out and it does not have the same nutrients as the hawk needs to be healthy in the long term frozen comes in little blocks you can chop a little piece off melt it in some water and feed if the clowns are pigs thats okay just turn of the filters and feed slowly and try putting 1-4 pieces at a time soon the clowns will be full allowing the hawk to eat. if he doesn't and the food hits the bottom he is picky and like his food fresh a small hawk should be way more agressive in snatching up food than a big fat clown if you haven't yet try the live brine you can transfer them to a container and store them in the fridge most will live a week or more in there and that way you'll be sure that you don't let your hawk go hungry Link to comment
peppermint22 Posted September 27, 2003 Author Share Posted September 27, 2003 Talk about being aggressive - he's finally settled in and he eats anything now (as long as he can get it). I fed him with pellets and he snatched them all up. He even tried to snatch food from the clown's mouth. Link to comment
mattie Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 they are called hawks for a reason if he's eating that good to hear :0 Link to comment
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