Neon Dottyback

[wla1610]

Does anyone have a neon dottyback in their tank? If so is it accepting flake food? I'm going on vacation at the end of october for a week and I'm trying to figure out if I can get by with a feeder or if I will have to have someone come in and feed for me. Right now I have a bunch of different frozen stuff that it eats, and I think it eats some of my freeze dried foods too.
Thanks

 

[ithorian_r]

you might try conditioning it to eat flake food before you leave for vacation. add a little in when you regularly feed. over time (it could take a while) he might start eating it. if he doesnt start eating the flakes, then i would suggest having someone feed them as usual when you are gone! jmo, good luck!

 

[wla1610]

I just dropped some flakes in and I noticed he took one that was moving across the bottom of the tank. He's only been in the tank for about a week so he's still pretty shy. I'm guessing that plays a big part in why I haven't seen him take any.
I only noticed becuase I stepped back a ways to watch.

 

[ithorian_r]

yeah just give him some time, and i think its best to back off while they are fairly new inhabs, while you feed. my new fish always ate better when i backed off a little.

 

[wla1610]

I've noticed that in the past few weeks. I usually do that, but I'm always worried about a new addition.
So far I haven't noticed him messing with any of my hermit crabs or my cleaner shrimp. I hope he stays that way or he might have to go.

 

[ithorian_r]

yeah neons have been known to get nasty. just watch him close. is he pretty small? hopefully he was aquacultured. if he is small and grows up w/ inverts u stand a better chance of no aggression than purchasing a wild caught or full grown neon.

 

[_nix_]

I had one for a while, he would eat just about anything.
I finally traded him back in, as any new fish, he would attack the hell out of.
Beautiful fish, just was too aggressive in my tank.