Fish eating

[kismet]

How often does a domino damsel eat?
The fish is doing well and is swimming about but has not eaten. The store sold me fish food that comes in flake. I've offered three times in the last 24 hours and each piece only falls to the bottom. I would have thought that the fish would be a pig and eat every flake as quickly as possible.
Is this normal?

 

[ajroc31]

If you got the fish in last few days it may not eat, but if it is an old fish then you have reasons for concern.

 

[kismet]

I bought the fish a day ago. So I suppose I'll wait a few more days before I become concerned.

 

[ajroc31]

That's normal. The fish has to get used to the new enviroment. You should still watch it cause some fish never start eating and die. Demsels are very hardy fish, so you should be ok.

 

[kismet]

Thanks aj.
Do you think the light should be left on all the time or turned off at night?

 

[ajroc31]

Go get a timer for like $8 and it will improve the life quality of your fish. Fish sleep, even if the have no eyelids. When my regal Tang is sleeping, I can pick him up with my hand. Your lights should stay on for about 8-12 hours a day. It depends on the strenght of the lighting. If you are using regular lights that came with the tank, 12 hours would do no harm to your tank.

 

[kismet]

aj,
Okay so I can basically turn the light off when I go to bed and turn it back on in the morning.
In a few weeks I'd like to get a clown fish. I know they like anemones and those require special lightning. Is it as easy as replacing the light I have with the required light and it'll be just fine or is more complicated?

 

[ajroc31]

Unless you get metal helide lighting, the anemone should not burn even if the light is too strong, but that probably will not be the case. I strongly advise you not to get the anemone. They are really hard to care for, and IMHO, they should not be sold. Average life span in a tank is like 3-5 months. If they die, they can wipe out your whole tank. I understand that watching the relationship with the clowns, is fun as well as interesting, but for your own sake and that of the anemones, please do not get them. Some corals may be good for the clowns. I know that there are corals that clowns like to be hang out with, but I am not sure which ones, so I suggest you post it.
Sorry for going of the topic, but changing lights requires a period of assimiliation. Only thing you do is change the time the light stays on. You start of with like 6-7 hours, and slowly make the days longer. I run my lights for 10 hours MH, and actinic PCs for 14.

 

[kismet]

aj, thanks so much. You've been the most help to me.
Brad, mushroom corals eh? I'll look into them. Thanks.