Royal Gramma diet

[dinki]

Hey guys, I bought a royal gramma last week. I read that they would eat frozen, pellet and flake foods. I normally feed my other fish (two clownfish) Spectra pellets. The gramma seemed interested in it when I first got him. He would suck up a pellet then spit it out, then suck it up again, spit it out. He'd do this a few times before he became disinterested in the pellets.
I feed some frozen food and he was all over it. I've been feeding frozen ever since as now he won't even touch the pellets that float by him. Does anyone know of another dry food that grammas like? I'd prefer not to have to feed frozen all the time.
Thanks!

 

[hunt]

flakes. I have a 29 gallon tank with a six line wrass, valentini puffer, and two clownfish. I had a royale gramma but it died do to ammonia poisining. All fish need a varied diet. They can be fine off just pellets but is much better if you feed a variety. I feed frozen mysis shrimp and a pinch of Ocean Nutriton prime reef flakes. I dont feed pellets because they just sink to the bottom and my fish dont seem to be into them. The royale Gramma should eat flakes if you buy them, but i would also continu to feed frozen also(the clowns shoould eat the frozen and flakes also.

 

[stanlalee]

mine eats anything frozen and pellets. If yours doesn't like dry food he'll just have to eat when your feeding frozen or gets hungry enough to down the pellets.

 

[locogato]

I've had a royal gramma for quite some time, he's really grown a lot. I feed a combination of Ocean Nutrition formula 2 flake, Hikari Marine tiny sinking pellet & dried Hikari Ocean Plankton. I've found that all my fish really like the Marine S tiny pellets. You can also try a little drop of garlic to entice them to feed. Of course they all love the frozen brine, but that can get to be a pain. I have an automatic fish feeder that I just load up every week or so, making their feeding very routine even if I'm not home. They know what time it starts dispensing, they wait under it every morning! Good investment. I get all that from Dr Foster & Smith website.

 

[hunt]

i agree with the garlic. It is also great for there ammune systems. One time i had ick (not very bad, but ick is ick right) and i started feeding with garlic and it accually cleared up. I still feed garlic.

 

[locogato]

If you do feed the pellets & they sink to the bottom, the shrimp & various other "critters" I have love to clean that up! Horseshoe crabs & other crabs & some snails will eat those pellets. I actually brought some kind of snail (sorry forgot the name) home from Florida beach 2yrs ago, put them in my tank & they are alive & well. They bury in the sand until they detect some pellets on the bottom, then they come up out of the sand to feed. Neat to watch. Guess that's why I don't have any left overs!

 

[rlablan]

That diet didn't do it for me. I gained 20 lbs the first week!

haha jk

 

[rlablan]

nah but seriously, I think it's just your fish. My gramma would eat anything.
Also, watch out with the flake food. It's not very nutritious and certain flake foods are also known to contain a ton of phosphates. They can really screw with your system... just don't over do it on those.
Also, there is nothing wrong with feeding just frozen food.
There are atleast 6 different types of frozen foods. mysis, brine, bloodworms, reef plankton, cyclopeez, emerald entree (all veggies), marine cuisine... As long as you alternate feeding these and soak them in garlic and or vitamins... you will be good.

 

[95harley]

certain flake foods are also known to contain a ton of phosphates. They can really screw with your system... just don't over do it on those.
QUOTE]
REALLY! I didn't know this, wonder if this has been my problem? I feed ON Formula 1 & 2 are they in this group.
Sorry to Hijack this thread. I'm sure it will be back on the tracks shortly.

 

[rlablan]

Yup, I learned that from this site. Meowzer and Cranberry, I believe... But either way... frozen is more nutritious.