How to get a fish to eat pellets? Feeding advice?

[Crested]

Hey everyone! I just got my first saltwater fish yesterday (a beautiful firefish goby) and tried feeding him omega one marine pellets this morning and he just sort of watched them float by and wasn't too interested so I gave him a pinch of mysis shrimp out of curiosity and I was surprised to see that he ate it without hesitation! So I'm wondering if he will ever take pellets? Is there a strategy to getting fish to eat pellets? After I brought him home I realized I forgot to ask the owner of the lfs what he was feeding him so I'm kind of kicking myself for that but at least he's eating something right? Also, what is a good amount to feed a single firefish? He's the only one in my tank so I just fed small amounts over a couple minutes to make sure he got most of it but he never really slowed down. I feel like I'm not feeding enough because the mysis is so small haha. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Crested]

And here's a picture because I love showing him off haha

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Best bet is to feed a variety of foods anyway but for the meantime just give him a bit. He's new and should acclimate.

If it is slow to take dry foods, try defrosting some mysis with pellets, so that they absorb the mysis liquid. That should make them more attractive to the fish. You probably won't need to take that step though. firefish are usually pretty good about taking prepared foods.

Just make sure you have a tight fitting lid...

 

[Katrina71]

I have a new pair. They eat pellets and frozen. I think sometimes the best way is when they watch other fish eat.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Don't even try pellets for a week or 2. Once he associates you with food, he'll eat just about anything, including pellets.

Be careful not to overfeed. Their stomach is only about as big as their eye. So a better suited for smaller, but multiple feedings.

 

[davocean]

I've often soaked pellets in the same cup I'm thawing mysis or other frozen, softens them and probably adds some familiar flavor that gets them started.
I've found once they get used to pellets they go nuts for them.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Don't even try pellets for a week or 2. Once he associates you with food, he'll eat just about anything, including pellets.

Be careful not to overfeed. Their stomach is only about as big as their eye. So a better suited for smaller, but multiple feedings.

I've often soaked pellets in the same cup I'm thawing mysis or other frozen, softens them and probably adds some familiar flavor that gets them started.
I've found once they get used to pellets they go nuts for them.

Basically, both of these posts. Getting them to eat pellets is just a matter of time IMO. Start out feeding what he's eating so he associates you with food and then introduce pellets. Soaking it in the mysis and feeding it at the same time will help.

 

[Jesterrace]

Just me, but I have never been a fan of pellet food. I get it's durability factor and I do keep some PE Mysis Pellets on hand for a backup/emergency. Just a dirtier food source for your tank IMHO.

 

[NoobReeefer]

ime if they don't eat pellets right away i won't even try for a few weeks. after they get acclimated, comfortable and associate you with food usually they will at anything you put in the tank. mix a few pellets with frozen and usually that will trick em and they will realize the pellets are good. ive even went as far as starving em for 3-4 days then feed pellets only and most of the time they are so hungry by then they eat em.

 

[Lasse]

In my latest aquaria I took a decision to try not to use other foods than frozen (or fresh) natural foods. Now I have feed my aquaria with frozen artemia (sometimes mysis) and freshwater copepods for 31 months. And it works very well.

Your aquarium is new - start to feed the fish very slowly. Just some small amounts of mysis (around 10) every second day. Start it slow - after a week try to give the same amount every day - not more. Mysis is a very good start feed - wait with the dry food

Sincerely Lasse

 

[CherBear811]

I've never had much luck with Omega food. I am a big believer in pellets though and had pellet food keep all my fish in my last system healthy and fat over many years. That pellet food was New Life Spectrum Thera+A. Fed it for years and still do. The LFS I worked at mostly fed that food as well, and most fish adapted to it pretty quickly. The other problem with Omega for a lot of fish, is the pellet is just too big. I like the small and medium sized Ther+A; really small fish get the small pellet and fish that are 3"+ or so get the medium size. I also really like the Piscene Energetics Mysis pellet food - and have had a couple of fish that strongly prefer it. Finally, the other "pellet" I feed is Blue Zoo Aquatics house blend that they feed their fish. I quoted it because it's a mix of everything from pellets to flake like pieces to dust, but the fish go crazy for it. I don't feed it often because it's kind of a dirty food (due to the range in particles).

To get finicky eaters started, the best two foods in my opinion is calanus and fish eggs. Calanus/Cyclops are very small and brightly colored planktonic food. Great for finicky eaters with small mouths. Just about any fish will go nuts for fish eggs.

I agree with the other advice... get a frozen food and thaw out a tiny piece with a few pieces of pellets so they absorb the juice, and feed your tank very lightly, since it's new and the one fish has a small mouth and stomach.

 

[ca1ore]

Just me, but I have never been a fan of pellet food. I get it's durability factor and I do keep some PE Mysis Pellets on hand for a backup/emergency. Just a dirtier food source for your tank IMHO.

I generally agree with this. If you travel a lot, and rely on an auto feeder; or have a particularly temperamental fish that will only eat them, then pellets may be necessary. I have one of the latter so feed pellets under protest, but frozen still makes up the majority of food input.

 

[Deanmal]

I have soaked them in garlic before and it does wonders. Fish go into a frenzy when the garlic scent hits the water

 

[vetteguy53081]

All my firefish not pellet fans . not saying they wont eat it.
Soft foods/frozen are the chosen favorites as is flakes. Feed sparingly as their intestines are small

 

[nanonoob0]

Small pellets? I crush mine up a bit and everything loves them

 

[Crested]

All my firefish not pellet fans . not saying they wont eat it.
Soft foods/frozen are the chosen favorites as is flakes. Feed sparingly as their intestines are small

What else do you feed them other than mysis? Ever try bloodworms?

 

[Katrina71]

Please contact Sustainable Aquatics for pellet food. I just got some and my firefish love it! I got the .8 size pellets. My tank went crazy for it! Including the firefish.

 

[ReefClutz]

Hey everyone! I just got my first saltwater fish yesterday (a beautiful firefish goby) and tried feeding him omega one marine pellets this morning and he just sort of watched them float by and wasn't too interested so I gave him a pinch of mysis shrimp out of curiosity and I was surprised to see that he ate it without hesitation! So I'm wondering if he will ever take pellets? Is there a strategy to getting fish to eat pellets? After I brought him home I realized I forgot to ask the owner of the lfs what he was feeding him so I'm kind of kicking myself for that but at least he's eating something right? Also, what is a good amount to feed a single firefish? He's the only one in my tank so I just fed small amounts over a couple minutes to make sure he got most of it but he never really slowed down. I feel like I'm not feeding enough because the mysis is so small haha. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve had luck with mixing the pellet with some frozen foods so they taste and smell just like a normal frozen food. We’ve used this technique for our very picky blue hippo tang as well as our sea Betta.

 

[Idoc]

Good looking firefish! I have a feeling he's going to get spoiled, lol.

 

[Crested]

Good looking firefish! I have a feeling he's going to get spoiled, lol.

He totally is haha
I first saw this fish when I was like 10 and knew I had to have one someday!