Not eating!!!

meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Well it seems the horses like the opposite side of the tank that the food is on. I tried putting the bowl over there first, but it is not in a good current area, and due to the tank shape I can not change the way the water current flows. I dangled mysis in front of them today, and they turned their heads away....I put food in the bowl (hopefully they will go there), and I let some float around hoping they will catch it. Does anyone have any other suggestions??? Today is Sunday, and I have all day...tomorrow it is back to work
 
dingus890

dingus890

Member
I was so hoping they would eat for you.It may just be the brand of mysis that you are using.Seahorses are very finiky sometimes.You may want to email SWF.com and ask what brand they were feeding the horses.
I am sure they are eating live copepods.
But remember they were just shipped to you and are likely still stressed.
You may also have to buy some live feeder shrimp for them at your LFS.
I hope they will eat for you but try not to stress as fish can feel our stress.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
The mysis they suggested was hikari, and that is what I bought. I also bought brine. I know they have eaten some, they just don't seem to want it from me.
Can you order live feeder shrimp? I really don't have a local store. The one I go to is about 1 1/2 hours away. I go about once a month, but I don't know if I ever saw feeder shrimp.
I will try to be more patient...I still have all day today to watch them closely.
 
dingus890

dingus890

Member
How big are the mysis shrimp?And how big are the horses again?
The mysis may be to big for them if the horses are tiny.
Just hang in there.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
This is one reason you should always QT in a bare bottom tank. Most young captive bred horses are raised in a bare bottom tank so they have never seen live rock or sand. They may be freaked out right now. do you know how old they are and how they were raisied. There are places to order live food you will just have to search on line. You can buy live mysis but they are kinda expensive. Doese your tank have pods. Have you seen them hunting at all?
TeresaQ
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
No worries
Go to your LFS and purchase garlic juice. Soak the food in it for at least 10 minutes. Then serve. For whatever reason garlic really helps picky eaters to clean their plate.
Another thought~seahorses much prefer to eat pods. Are they searching all over the rocks and sand bed constantly snicking up food?
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
+1 what dingus said.....they'll probably come around. CB horses are raised on mysis, so they know it's food. I use the hikari brand and they scarf it, but it's very possible they're just still stressed. There is another product called mini-mysis, if you're in the mood for a drive you could call your LFS and see if they have it in stock.....but......I really think they'll turn around. ITM, at least you know they're getting some nutrition from the pods in your tank.
IMHO, if you're worried that they're not eating the mysis because of the size, then you shouldn't bother with the live feeder shrimp, which are much larger than the mysis.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Rykna
http:///forum/post/2812693
No worries
Go to your LFS and purchase garlic juice. Soak the food in it for at least 10 minutes. Then serve. For whatever reason garlic really helps picky eaters to clean their plate.
Another thought~seahorses much prefer to eat pods. Are they searching all over the rocks and sand bed constantly snicking up food?
YES!!! I know for a fact that I have a LOT of pods....they are all over the place..so this is a good thing??? I also know htat they have found some of the mysis floating. What do you think about brine? I also have krill...all are in the cubes. Should I buy it differently? (just got a bunch)
My mysis seems tiny, it is the stuff that comes in the cube. (swf.com) where I got the seahorses suggested this...the seahorses are about 3-31/2" tall...have no clue how old, I guess I will try to find out tomorrow.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2812699
+1 what dingus said.....they'll probably come around. CB horses are raised on mysis, so they know it's food. I use the hikari brand and they scarf it, but it's very possible they're just still stressed. There is another product called mini-mysis, if you're in the mood for a drive you could call your LFS and see if they have it in stock.....but......I really think they'll turn around. ITM, at least you know they're getting some nutrition from the pods in your tank.
IMHO, if you're worried that they're not eating the mysis because of the size, then you shouldn't bother with the live feeder shrimp, which are much larger than the mysis.
Do you buy the mysis in the cubes?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2812720
yup yup. hikari and minimysis both come in individual cubes
Well then I have the right food. I also bought brine & krill (same cubes) I know brine is ok, but what do you think about krill?
Was thinking (if they ever eat) that they may like a variety.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
well I've never tried my horses on krill, so I have no real way to make an educated response there. Brine, of course, is eaten by almost every saltwater fish I've seen....seems to be like the aquarium equivalent to M&M's......but it has about as much nutritional value as the M&M. They will probably take it, but they won't get much nourishment out of it. OTOH, if you're having problems getting them to start eating, brine shrimp may get them in the mood, and more receptive to the mysis later on.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
HAHA...YAYYY...One is in the bowl DEFINITELY eating...I guess they know what they need (I hope) and as long as I make it available they should be ok (RIGHT??) I hope.
 
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