Need Help Feeding My Fire Fish Goby

tirtza

tirtza

Member
Hello!
I added a Fire Fish Goby to my 29 gallon aquarium, and she's beautiful! I'm just a little worried that she may not eat as well as the clown fish that were already in there. The clowns are such little piggies...they chomp up every scrap of food before it can ever reach the much more timid and shy Fire Fish. She's out and swimming around the aquarium, she's just not as aggressive about food at the clown fish (they remind of little piranhas when they eat! Any advice on how I can insure the Fire Fish is getting enough to eat?
I alternate between flake food and frozen Formula One
The Formula One is tough to spread out because of the 'gel binder'. Even though I thaw it and rinse it in a net it still stay's mostly clumped together and sinks to the bottom. Any advice? (I'm considering switching to frozen mysis and not using the Formula One any longer)
I also have a clip with Omega One Super Veggie green seaweed for my LMB to eat. I haven't actually seen him eat from the algae sheet (mostly it just seems to disintegrate and tiny pieces float around the aquarium). Every once in a while the Fire Fish will catch a piece of the seaweed and then spit it out...obviously she prefers meat!
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Thanks, I'll pick up some mysis at my LFS tomorrow! Should I still feed the Formula One every once in a while just to add a little variety for the clown fish?
 
orca t

orca t

Member
Hi, I had the same problem you have and learned that these fish a very skittish. They tend to hide more so than most fish. Mysis would be my advice as well and a small feeding of patients. Once the fire fish see you it will swim to it's hiding place and may or may not come out. Try to feed small amounts close to it's hididng place to entice (sp) it to come out of hididng.
good luck!
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3426456
Thanks, I'll pick up some mysis at my LFS tomorrow! Should I still feed the Formula One every once in a while just to add a little variety for the clown fish?
Frozen mysis...take a fishnet, place the frozen cube in it and run it under water to thaw and rinse it. Once thawed and rinsed invert the net in front of a power head in the tank....food will go everywhere, including the hiding spot of your firefish.
Firefish jump, and you need to put a mesh over your tank to prevent them from committing sushi..
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Orca T http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3426501
Hi, I had the same problem you have and learned that these fish a very skittish. They tend to hide more so than most fish. Mysis would be my advice as well and a small feeding of patients. Once the fire fish see you it will swim to it's hiding place and may or may not come out. Try to feed small amounts close to it's hididng place to entice (sp) it to come out of hididng.
good luck!
Hi there....WELCOME to the site!
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Yeah! The Fire Fish finally started eating! I thawed and then rinsed (using a net) the cube of Formula One (using only tank water). This time I took some tweezers and really broke the clumps of food up into tiny tiny pieces. When I put it in the tank, all of the little pieces were really able to spread around. The Fire Fish was definitely able to get some food this time! My Lawn Mower Blenny even went nuts over the food and swam around swallowing little bits. I also noticed that a couple of my Nassarius snails also came out from under the sand to enjoy the feast.
In my aquarium there are:
Fish:

  • 1 Lawn Mower Blenny

  • 2 Ocellaris Clown Fish

  • 1 Fire Fish Goby
    Inverts: (CUC)

  • 3 Scarlet Hermit Crabs
    1 Mexican Turbo Snail
    5 Nassarius Snails
    2 Peppermint Shrimp
Is 1/2 a cube of Formula 1 enough or to much food for one day? I also plan on buying some frozen mysis and then alternating between the two. Is that enough variety? Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks for your help!
 
orca t

orca t

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3426456
Thanks, I'll pick up some mysis at my LFS tomorrow! Should I still feed the Formula One every once in a while just to add a little variety for the clown fish?
IMO, the formula one is just a waist of money. It's like a multi vitamin that just pollutes the tank. Once again, JMO. The fish will get there protein and other good for them stuff from the mysis. I personally will soak my food in garlic and Selcon.
I have to admit that I am not big on supplementing my tanks. If I am low in something or see my fish not looking as perky as usual I will supplement with something.
Well,, after thinking that I come to realize that that was just wrong. I do VCD my tank ad have for several years so..... sorry about that.
But back to the point, the mysis will more than satisfy your other fish including your clown.
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Hi Orca! Thanks for the advice, I definitely plan on getting some frozen mysis asap. Are frozen mysis all the same, or is there a particular brand that you'd recommend? You mentioned a phrase that I'm not familiar with, what is 'VCD'?
Also, I'm worried about not adding enough variety. This one guy at my LFS showed me a fish they had recently been given by a customer who no longer wanted to deal with a SW tank (I think the fish was a large blue tang of some sort?) It had these pock-marks and it's coloring was very washed-out looking. He said the previous owner fed it only one type of food the entire time he had owned it (which I think was pretty long?) and that it led to the bland coloring and pock-marked look of the fish. He said the coloring would somewhat come back but the marks were permanent. The poor fish definitely didn't look healthy! I have no idea if there is any truth to what the LFS guy said...
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3427484
Hi Orca! Thanks for the advice, I definitely plan on getting some frozen mysis asap. Are frozen mysis all the same, or is there a particular brand that you'd recommend? You mentioned a phrase that I'm not familiar with, what is 'VCD'?
Also, I'm worried about not adding enough variety. This one guy at my LFS showed me a fish they had recently been given by a customer who no longer wanted to deal with a SW tank (I think the fish was a large blue tang of some sort?) It had these pock-marks and it's coloring was very washed-out looking. He said the previous owner fed it only one type of food the entire time he had owned it (which I think was pretty long?) and that it led to the bland coloring and pock-marked look of the fish. He said the coloring would somewhat come back but the marks were permanent. The poor fish definitely didn't look healthy! I have no idea if there is any truth to what the LFS guy said...
I think that blue tang had HLLE. He probably wasn't lying in this case IMO.
I personally like "PE" frozen mysis, not sure of the brand.
 
orca t

orca t

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3427484
Hi Orca! Thanks for the advice, I definitely plan on getting some frozen mysis asap. Are frozen mysis all the same, or is there a particular brand that you'd recommend? You mentioned a phrase that I'm not familiar with, what is 'VCD'?
Also, I'm worried about not adding enough variety. This one guy at my LFS showed me a fish they had recently been given by a customer who no longer wanted to deal with a SW tank (I think the fish was a large blue tang of some sort?) It had these pock-marks and it's coloring was very washed-out looking. He said the previous owner fed it only one type of food the entire time he had owned it (which I think was pretty long?) and that it led to the bland coloring and pock-marked look of the fish. He said the coloring would somewhat come back but the marks were permanent. The poor fish definitely didn't look healthy! I have no idea if there is any truth to what the LFS guy said...
Hello again.
From what you stated about the pot marks and coloration fade, sounds to me like HLLE, as Traveler pointed out. HLLE is basically caused by poor water quality (mostly). This is usually corrected by correcting the water quality and supplementing foods with Selcon or Garlic. Garlic is a Vit. C supplement (Natural) like Orange juice to us. And VCD, I'm not sure if that's the right way to say it in abbreviation, is Vit. C dosing. (1500mg 3X a week) My corals are doing very, very well and my friend who owns his own Fish store frags them for me and sells them. I in turn get 20% plus fish and or coral of my choice. It's a nice arrangement.
I personally...... purchase regular mysis, brine (Sally's) and rotifers, Mix them together. I feed three times a week. Mysis, whether vitamin packed or not is protein. Why feed them all this vit. crud if they don't need it? I did state earlier that I will use Selcon and or garlic, that is typically once a month when I'm home for a stretch. The "extra" is some what of a treat and the corals thrive and color up beautifully.
Lol....... is this clear as mud? (just woke up)
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
I've been feeding 1/2 cube of Formula One every day, perhaps this is to much? Do you think I should cut back to 1/4 of a cube every day or 1/2 every other day? If I start feeding mysis, brine, and rotifers will my LMB eat that as well? My LMB isn't really picky, in fact he absolutely LOVES the Formula One. I just want to make sure that its a food they can all eat, and I want to be really careful about not overfeeding them as well. I already have some frozen brine, that I can mix with the mysis. I'm not familiar with rotifers though. Does it come in a frozen form?
How do you use Selcon and garlic?
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3427567
I've been feeding 1/2 cube of Formula One every day, perhaps this is to much? Do you think I should cut back to 1/4 of a cube every day or 1/2 every other day? If I start feeding mysis, brine, and rotifers will my LMB eat that as well? My LMB isn't really picky, in fact he absolutely LOVES the Formula One. I just want to make sure that its a food they can all eat, and I want to be really careful about not overfeeding them as well. I already have some frozen brine, that I can mix with the mysis. I'm not familiar with rotifers though. Does it come in a frozen form?
How do you use Selcon and garlic?
Yes, rotifers come frozen.
Using garlic: you take a clove of garlic, squeeze it, and then take the juices that are extracted and soak the food in it. I do this and I think that it really positively benefits my fishes' health.
 
orca t

orca t

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3427567
I've been feeding 1/2 cube of Formula One every day, perhaps this is to much? Do you think I should cut back to 1/4 of a cube every day or 1/2 every other day? If I start feeding mysis, brine, and rotifers will my LMB eat that as well? My LMB isn't really picky, in fact he absolutely LOVES the Formula One. I just want to make sure that its a food they can all eat, and I want to be really careful about not overfeeding them as well. I already have some frozen brine, that I can mix with the mysis. I'm not familiar with rotifers though. Does it come in a frozen form?
How do you use Selcon and garlic?
I go to the grocerery store and buy some garlic whole, great in pastas too, but I take out a clove grab a butcher knife and give it a good WHACK. Take off the paper stuff (peel) and cut the clove in half. Sometiimes I cut little slits in the half clove to get some of that good stuff out and put the half in the bowl with the defrosted mysis. The Selcon, a couple of drops over the food and thats it. Mix in the rotifers and feed just enough for the fish to eat up in a minute or two. Nothing more nothing less.
Now, keep in mind please, someone will surely argue this, but I only do this every other preparation of food. Just every now and again. Like I said before, the fish and corals will get there fill of what they need in the food alone.
The Coral Reefs and fish don't have garlic nor Selcon in the ocean. I do this to keep the residents a little healthier only because I have zero clue on what is in this food. Come to think of it Tirtza, these are fresh water mysis, lol! but the points the same.
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Thank you so much for the explanation! You are the first person whose actually explained the garlic thing in detail and I really appreciate it. I'm horrible in the kitchen, but this process I think I can actually do!
So how often do you feed this mix, once a month or more frequently?
I have no problem using an actual clove of garlic, but just out of curiosity is the "garlic" they sell at the LFS the same or work as well as an actual clove of garlic from the grocery store?
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3428519
Thank you so much for the explanation! You are the first person whose actually explained the garlic thing in detail and I really appreciate it. I'm horrible in the kitchen, but this process I think I can actually do!
So how often do you feed this mix, once a month or more frequently?
I have no problem using an actual clove of garlic, but just out of curiosity is the "garlic" they sell at the LFS the same or work as well as an actual clove of garlic from the grocery store?
No, the "garlic" they sell at the LFS is much worse than fresh garlic. It looses a lot of nutritional value.
Feeding it every time is best; but once a month is fine too; it would still benefit the fish.
 
S

siptang

Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3427573
Yes, rotifers come frozen.
Using garlic: you take a clove of garlic, squeeze it, and then take the juices that are extracted and soak the food in it. I do this and I think that it really positively benefits my fishes' health.
There is no scientific backup to back this theory. selcon however does contain vitamins that will benefit your fish directly. From my personal experience, garlic enhances the appetite of the fish by smell and entices them to eat more and as you know, if you eat well, you stay healthy. (as long as other parameters are in tip top shape)
I use garlic when my fish is sick or newly introduced and are refusing to eat. It seems to help. Also having tank full of pig fish does help initiate the feeding as well.. (I have triggers and tangs)
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Siptang http:///t/388505/need-help-feeding-my-fire-fish-goby#post_3428580
There is no scientific backup to back this theory. selcon however does contain vitamins that will benefit your fish directly. From my personal experience, garlic enhances the appetite of the fish by smell and entices them to eat more and as you know, if you eat well, you stay healthy. (as long as other parameters are in tip top shape)
I use garlic when my fish is sick or newly introduced and are refusing to eat. It seems to help. Also having tank full of pig fish does help initiate the feeding as well.. (I have triggers and tangs)
I said that I think so. I wasn´t saying that it does. But fresh garlic, imo, is better than any selcon stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top