how to entice or. sweetlips to eat?

[ssweet1]

I purchased an oriental sweetlips juvenile and he ate or went after ghost shrimp at the LFS It seems that he has no clue about frozen foods that I feed my fish. I have a 125 gallon with a ton of stuff in it for the ghost shrimp to get lost in so how do I get food to this fish? Any suggestions? Thanks, Carrie

 

[jimnlee]

I have used this method before, but never on a sweetlip although i don't see why it wouldn't work. Soak live brine or ghos shrimp in garlic tha you cn get at your lfs. after several feedings, switch to frozen mysis in garlic. after time (a week or so) I've gotten finiky eaters to eat flake that was soaked in garlic and then just plain flake. Good luck!

 

[ophiura]

I am assuming that you have done the research on this fish, the enormous size it grows to, and the fact that rarely does it ever survive in captivity? Just not a good fish to try and keep :nope: I would trade it back in.

 

[kaotik]

if you're right ophiura, someone should tell SWF.com to change their description: "ideal for Reef or Fish-Only Tanks. They do well in groups of three or more." (Unless you are speaking of a different sweetlips)

 

[ophiura]

Yup, see your point. But I still disagree with that description (well, they aren't really for an aggressive system so that is true). They are pretty notoriously difficult to keep for very long.

 

[kaotik]

ophiura: I removed my post because I think that is a different type of sweetlips!

 

[ophiura]

Yeah, for the most part though, it applies to all of them. They are cute and tiny and look like really fancy clownfish. If they do grow up, and few do, they become FAR less attractive, and friggin huge. I think most get to be at least a foot long. Many will eat and for some reason die mysteriously several weeks or months down the road.

 

[ssweet1]

I read up on them and I will have a 280 tank very soon like the end of this week hopefully!! he is eating well after soaking live brine in Garlic he ate till he was bulging!! Ever since I have been soaking the frozen mysis and emerald entree in garlic and he has definately gotten with the program!! This sweetlips is the one that gets yellow lines and blueish colored when he looses the splotches, I know they can reach 11" but the only other large fish I have is a huge hippo around 7-8" He is bigger than my hand and a real sweetheart. I sure hope the sweetlips doesnt die like the moorish idols seem to do. I have quite a few corals and make sure to keep my water parameters as good as possible, and thanks to your advise I wont try the pretty linkia stars either. Thanks for all the suggestions they worked!! Carrie

 

[ophiura]

Best of luck with it! I will keep my fingers crossed...lots of fingers crossed if possible But it will truly be worth the "bragging rights" if it grows up :yes: