clown fish question

G

greg1186

Reefing newb
i got a clown today.. drip acclimated him for about 50 minutes... put him in the tank and he seems quite happy. exploring everywhere. hes been in there for about 5 hours now so i decided to see if hes hungry.. i gave a little squirt of reef nutrition arctipods and he was going after them inhaling them but spitting them back out.. does that mean he doesnt like them or what?
 
They may just be too big for him to get down in one bite. I think all fish do it, (I have a theory)...(I have alot of theories)..

I think the fish can very quickly decipher if the piece of shrimp or whatever has enough meat on it to make it worthwhile to chew up..If it doesn't they spit it back out, and move to something with more meat.

Here's why I think that. When I put in Mysis, sometimes a shrimp will get bit in half(leaving only the tail), another fish will quickly grab it and spit it back out. However, when the food is almost gone, they'll go back and get the "not so meaty" pieces.

This could also be the derranged ramblings of a lunatic.
 
PRC said:
They may just be too big for him to get down in one bite. I think all fish do it, (I have a theory)...(I have alot of theories)..

I think the fish can very quickly decipher if the piece of shrimp or whatever has enough meat on it to make it worthwhile to chew up..If it doesn't they spit it back out, and move to something with more meat.

Here's why I think that. When I put in Mysis, sometimes a shrimp will get bit in half(leaving only the tail), another fish will quickly grab it and spit it back out. However, when the food is almost gone, they'll go back and get the "not so meaty" pieces.

This could also be the derranged ramblings of a lunatic.
Click to expand...

oh no that sounds very realistic
 
greg1186 said:
i got a clown today.. drip acclimated him for about 50 minutes... put him in the tank and he seems quite happy. exploring everywhere. hes been in there for about 5 hours now so i decided to see if hes hungry.. i gave a little squirt of reef nutrition arctipods and he was going after them inhaling them but spitting them back out.. does that mean he doesnt like them or what?
Click to expand...

mine are a bit funny like that too, if I throw a chunk of oyster or prawn in there it could be the size of the fish and they will horde it like piggies
 
Yeah they will down food thats just the right size. My sixline will rub food against a rock if its too big. Smart guy.

I miss my clowns! T_T
 
I use a combination of frozen rod's food original formula, freeze dried cyclopeeze and PE frozen mysis shrimp dosed with selcon to enhance nutritional value..
 
whenever I have oysters (often!) the tanks get it too, by all means add it to your mix, chuck it right in the blender
 
if an anemone shrinks at night when the lights are off and only led lights are on and a clown still is rustling in the anemone a lot... will this damage the anemone or no?
 
greg1186 said:
if an anemone shrinks at night when the lights are off and only led lights are on and a clown still is rustling in the anemone a lot... will this damage the anemone or no?
Click to expand...

I had a bubble tip my maroons hosted in... every night it shrunk (and every time it pooped) the clowns were still in there rubbing around on it. I was always worried, too, but the nem would open back up every morning so I don't think they hurt it.
I wouldn't worry about it.
 

Similar threads

Stellabl3u
Just looking for some pointers or advice
Replies
0
Views
2K
Stellabl3u
Stellabl3u
Hellybell80
Water quality advice needed.
Replies
4
Views
2K
Hellybell80
Hellybell80
Lesely
Spot the fish ??
Replies
16
Views
3K
Lesely
Lesely
atony4688
New clownfish died after 4 hours in new tank, please help.
Replies
11
Views
11K
Civicdemon
Civicdemon
M
macropharyngodon choati - so far, so good
Replies
3
Views
1K
monkiboy
M
Back
Top