Lion Fish new to tank, still not eating????

[femmeartist51]

Hi my lion fish has been in the tank for 4 days now. He still will not take anything from the feeding stick we use. I tried guppies (which I found out is not good for them even though the store sold them to me for him). Tried dried krill on the stick. Also tried brine shrimp floating around the tank. Might try some other frozen food. So what can I entice him/her to eat. She is healthy looking. Medium size lion fish. Think it might like trout frozen lol. So what have you found that your lion fish will love. Or is almost 4 days in the tank too new for him to eat. Also can't seem to get my tank warm enough had two heaters in the tank. I think one is not working. The other one did warm up the tank, and now that winter is here, it isn't warming enough.

 

[crimzy]

You have to teach them to eat non- live foods. I'd start them eating guppies or goldfish until they are acclimated to the tank. Then try to trick them by holding the end of a silverside out of the water and wiggle part in the water. The lion will eventually get interested and go for it.

 

[al&burke]

Ghost shrimp are real good to start them on as well. What type of lion is he?

 

[crimzy]

Ghost shrimp are real good to start them on as well.  What type of lion is he?
Good point... ghost shrimp is healthy while their still on live food.

 

[femmeartist51]

hi it is a volitan. Not even interested in the gold fish. Figured I would use the gf for a day or two. Put it down by it's face, and no way. The other fish loved the gf. Guess he isn't hungry yet. Gotta be a male fish, so stubborn

 

[al&burke]

What are the other fish, funny when I read gf I thought you meant girl friend, LOL

 

[femmeartist51]

LOL guess some of the guys here would love me to feed their girl friends to the fish lol.
Other fish, niger trigger, puffer, clown and damsel. They each have their own side of the tank. They do swim by the lion. He shows no interest in any of them. Just not hungy I guess thanks for any info

 

[al&burke]

Are any of the triggers or puffers picking on the lion, some can cause problems, just keep an eye on them. Yours could be molting as well, is he hanging around any PH or returns.

 

[femmeartist51]

Nope no one picking on him. I tried a small gold fish. When the puffer comes to try to grab it the lion goes after him. As if to say it's mine. They all seem to stay off by themselves. The puffer is afraid of the lion so it won't go pick on him or her. The lion is more active now, moving off it's favorite rock. Trying to find ghost shrimp. My ifs says he can't get any. I can get some on ebay, but not sure of the ones they have. Also, do you put a few in the tank, of the ghost shrimp?? If I put only one and try to put it near the lion, the puffer, trigger and even clown goes after all I put in the tank. All the other fish are bigger than the lion. I made sure I had a small one, lion that is. Cause I wanted the other fish to stay bigger than the lion. The clown is big, it has more than doubled in the time I had it in the tank. So where to get the ghost shrimp. I can buy frozen silverside, but that is trying to get it to eat frozen food. I swear the lion fish yawned at me. Was trying to feed it the last goldfish it opened its mouth and it sure looked like a yawn. How about frozen shrimp, anyone have luck with that???

 

[femmeartist51]

Oh forgot to mention, he doesn't hang around any ph or returns.

 

[femmeartist51]

It finally ate a gold fish, I know now good for them. I can't find ghost shrimp. Did get some frozen silver side. Hopefully it will start soon eating those. Thanks for your help

 

[geridoc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by femmeartist51 http:///t/394363/lion-fish-new-to-tank-still-not-eating#post_3510227
It finally ate a gold fish, I know now good for them. I can't find ghost shrimp. Did get some frozen silver side. Hopefully it will start soon eating those. Thanks for your help
OK - you are on your way. Make a ritual of feeding the fish so that it will begin to associate things you do with food appearing as if by magic. Then you can begin to substitute other foods for the goldfish and eventually the lion will snatch anything as soon as it hits the water (watch your fingers). I have also found that loosely tying a thread onto the tail of a silverside so that I can make it move in the water often entices a lion to eat. Just stay patient - your lion sounds like it will be fine.

 

[saxman]

FWIW, feeding a volitans is generally pretty easy, altho many years ago, I did have one specimen that refused anything that wasn't living (I've learned quite a bit since those days, however).
Look in your grocer's meat/seafood counter for your fish food...you can usually pick up small 6 oz pieces of salmon, tuna, halibut, etc. for about $4-$5, and they sill indeed sell you one or two shrimp, scallops, etc. The food is better grade, and generally a lot fresher.
How you deliver the food to your charges is important as well. We highly recommend using a "stealth stick", which is described in this article:
http://www.lionfishlair.com/feedingtechniques/toolsofthetrade.shtml
HTH

 

[femmeartist51]

Hi all, I have read that link several times. Good article. He will not take anything other than the gold fish. I will try to give it a silver side. I know gold fish isn't good for them. I will try the silver side on a string. It seemed interested in it but didn't take it. Used the stick method. He ate another gold fish today. So that is great. The puffer certainly wants the gold fish and the lion is protecting it's food. Guess it needed to get hungry. Thanks for the advice. He is a cool lion fish.

 

[al&burke]

DOn't be affraid to let the lion go without food for 3 or 4 days, even a week, when he is good and hungry try a silvside tail on the stealth stick.

 

[femmeartist51]

Hi been awhile since I have been on forum. My lion fish that I was so worried about. He is now a pig. He has doubled in size. If you look at his face and kinda measure his front fins. He is about 12" wide now. He has doubled in size. He can bully the other fish. I only kept the Niger trigger. It has teeth, figured it will protect itself. The lion, he chases the niger triger away. Especially when he thinks he is going to be fed. I want to put in one more fish, so I would have only 3. What fish is neat looking and equally aggressive. Who can stand up to the bully lion fish. I want to thank you for all your help. Took the lion fish weeks to eat, now can't stop him.

Also another question. If I get a larger clown and a bubble anemone would the trigger eat the anemone. I heard some say no and others say yes. Only have rocks in the tank and sand. It is funny, the lion fish is looking straight at me (computer is near the tank) he still yawns, and he really begs for food.

 

[geridoc]

In a tank with two aggressive fish like you have, I think a larger aggressive wrasse might do well. Take a look at the Thalassoma wrasse - beautiful, and can stand up for themselves. Just don't get a small one, and be sure to redo some rockwork so the trigger won't be so aggressive to the newcomer.

 

[femmeartist51]

Thank you for info. I will check out that fish. I will change the rock around so the Triger won't feel like, some fish is invading his territory. Again thanks for info

 

[michaelkelley]

my lion fish has been in the tank for 4 days now. He still will not take anything from the feeding stick we use. There may be several reasons behind it and I can't give solutions here But I would like to suggest one link for that http://www.lionfishlair.com/feedingtechniques/toolsofthetrade.shtml Go here and take Ideas.

 

[femmeartist51]

Hi, I worried, took two weeks for my lion fish to figure out he was hungry. He eats like a pig now. Good luck on your fish they are great. They even yawn at you.