Very Picky Leopard Wrasse

[bob115]

So I've had this leopard wrasse in quarantine for about 4 weeks now, and I cannot for the life of me get him to (consistently) eat anything other than garlic brine shrimp. I've been soaking pretty much every offering with selcon, so in regards to have been only eating brine its at least marginally better. I've been mixing foods with the brine for the last 3 weeks, but he'll rarely eat much of anything else, and almost nothing when its offered without the brine. I'd really like to move him into the display, but I can't be blasting food at him in the main tank like I am now, and a diet of exclusively brine shrimp is not very viable long term.

 

Any tricks for really picky eaters?

 

List of foods I've tried:

Gamma frozen brine shrimp w/ garlic: what he was eating at the LFS and all he eats now

PE Mysis: will bite repeatedly but then gives up, will occasionally eat small pieces if its with brine shrimp

PE Calanus: Absolutely zero interest

Nutramar Ova: Absolutely zero interest

New life spectrum: Absolutely zero interest

Hikari marine S pellets: Absolutely zero interest

Some other generic pellets: Absolutely zero interest

AP Breed small pellets: Will occasionally eat a couple if soaked in selcon.

[mpsti05]

Mine pretty much only eats LRS, trying to get her to eat pellets still. Shows interest but nothing yet

[pokerdobe]

If s/he is eating small bits of mysis, keep mixing small amounts of mysis in with the brine. Hopefully s/he will transition over. For many fish, it's a matter of learning that the new food is edible and ok. 

 

My trio started off picking only at brine and lobster roe. I decided to go ahead and put them in the display and I like to think they learned that LRS, mysis, and bloodworms were food by watching my other fish eat. 

[jambon]

Is your system old enough to support a pod colony? Not sure of there natural diet but I think wrasses are happy cruising around looking for small crustaceans.