help! potters angel not eating

[a_fender69]

I have a potters angel that has been in my tank for about 1 ½ months that will not eat any food I add to the tank. He constantly picks at the rocks (120 gal 125lbs LR Metal halides) but he is not getting enough food. He is losing color and I can see the bones in his body now.
I feed frozen prime reef, small angel formula, brine shrimp, and I have had the garlic additives. I just started feeding "formula 2 (algae diet) with garlic" and he seemed to pick at the food a little but i am not sure if anything made it into his belly.
Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[thomas712]

Posted by Thomas712 on 04-29-2003 05:32 PM:
Centropyge Potteri and in my opinion a very beautiful fish. They are listed as feeding off of algea and detrius, but come with the same warnings that any pygmy angel does. I have only known one person that has had one with limitied succes before it died of ick.
Thomas

[hr]
Posted by jwtrojan44 on 04-29-2003 06:08 PM:
Agreed. I've kept two of them in the past. One died, and the other was traded in when I moved to a larger tank. In talking to people that have tried to keep them, it appears they are not long term (more than a year or so) survivors, even in good conditions. Truly a beautiful fish, but as Thomas said, they are a bit touchier than some of the centropyges.

 

[dogstar]

Try to tie the sheet nori ( pref. red ) around a small rock w/ rubber band ect. and place the rock where the angle goes to alot. Once you get it eating you can try frozen mysid shrimp.

 

[loopy]

agree on the mysis shrimp, I haven't seen a fish yet that doesn't go for it. Target feed it with a turkey baster...after a couple days it will get used to it and see the baster and expect food, maybe it will help. Good luck!!

 

[harlequin]

Mysis should work, if it doesnt, feed it live brine shrimp soaked in Selcon.

 

[dgirard05]

hi 69:
i have (3) potteri for about 2 yr. i put them in at the same time . experts say to keep them in a group.it worked for me ,i bought juvenilels for one reason they are not picky eaters they learn to eat anything. older potters have learn to eat in the wild makes it hard for them to eat new food.i feed mine flake small pellets in the morning& at night mysis sometimes artemia .don't over feed. if i can help email me.
GOOD LUCK DAVE

 

[dominican]

I had the same problem about 2 months ago when I got mine. I fed cyclopeeze for starters. Try it; it'll work... The Potter's angel will eat it out of the water column, and then be able to pick at it on/between rocks throughout the day. This won't be enough, though.. (and thanks to those who helped me when I asked this question!) I ended up feeding flake mixed with fresh crushed garlic over the course of say a week. You've gotta crush it fine, though, and no "shells". It would pick at the little bits (key is to make sure there ARE little bits), then gradually eased out the garlic and started on flake. I also fed some froze marine algae in there from time to time.. Now it eats all of the above, but mainly cyclo and mysis. Very healthy. Hope this helps!!!