Caribbean Rock Beauty what are people feeding them?

[robbyg]

I remember back in 2006 I tried on two occasions to keep Rock Beauty's and in both cases they just withered away and would not eat. The first one I dismissed as just bad luck but when the second one was not eating I started to do some research and people speculated that they only ate sponges. Fast forward a few years and it is was a known fact.
Today I am reading that people are not only keeping them alive but they are breeding them also. So I assume someone found something else that they eat other than live sponges? Does anyone know what they feed them?

 

[pcon]

Lots of frozen angelfish preparations include sponge as a major ingredient. Hikari mega marine angel, SFBB angel and butterfly, ocean nutrition pigmy angel formula, all include sponge. There are dry foods like panta rhei nouri sponge. There are also additives with various vitamins and amino acids to replicate sponges like brightwell angelixir.

 

[robbyg]

Lots of frozen angelfish preparations include sponge as a major ingredient. Hikari mega marine angel, SFBB angel and butterfly, ocean nutrition pigmy angel formula, all include sponge. There are dry foods like panta rhei nouri sponge. There are also additives with various vitamins and amino acids to replicate sponges like brightwell angelixir.

Do you have a Rock Beauty that is eating the pigmy angel formula foods or know someone who does? I am thinking of getting one but I do not want it to die.
Thanks for the help

 

[rc1626]

I've had 2 over the years with just acquiring the 2nd about a month and a half ago. First one was from Divers Den. He came in eating right off the bat. Mysis, flake, pellet, frozen prepared, just about anything. Fat and super healthy. Had that one for about 5 years until it jumped. Never fed sponge specifically but was in a very well established tank. Never noticed it eat sponge either.

Newest one was a little different. Ordered from kp aquatics. This one was on the smaller side as advertised and looked in great shape. Unfortunately it refused to eat anything. Rods, Lrs reef frenzy, live blackworms, mysis, flakes, pellets...nothing. This went on for about a week and a half. Would mouth the food on occasion but spit it out. Suddenly at about that week and a half point it started eating most frozen prepared foods. Not sure what clicked but once it started it never stopped. I wish I knew why.....lucky I guess.

Happy to say it's been eating great since. The fish was and still is quarantined in a tank with a decent amount of matured live rock. Before eating I would see an occasional picking at the rock. Not sure if the environment played a role but I'm sure it didn't hurt. Again, not feeding sponge specifically although there is a very small amount on the rocks.

One last thing to consider is fish collection practices. From what I've read in recent years is that safer collection has lead to better specimens being available. This could contribute to the success your seeing in recent times.

 

[vetteguy53081]

These guys can be finicky and not the easiest to feed.
pretty much hit and miss when it comes to diet

 

[pcon]

Do you have a Rock Beauty that is eating the pigmy angel formula foods or know someone who does? I am thinking of getting one but I do not want it to die.
Thanks for the help

I don’t have one myself but know some people who have had them. Seems the tricky part is getting them to eat. Once they are eating, frequent feeding of a varied nutritious diet ideally with some sponge supplementation seems to sustain them. There is debate if sponge is actually an essential component of angelfish diets, similar to the debate around coral and obligate coralivores. However with its availability on the market, low cost, and ease of useit seems silly not to include sponge in angel’s diets.