Leaf Scorpion Fish - suggestions how to feed with aggressive tank mates

[sawrip]

Hi fellow reefers,

I have a 98 gallon predator tank consisting of three dwarf lions ( antenna, fu manchu, radiata) snowflake eel and a blue spot dwarf puffer and a pair of large maroon clownfish.

I have recently added a medium sized leaf scorpion fish and was after advice how best to target feed it. I breed my own endless supply of guppies and ghost shrimps which I gut load for the gang, I believe feeding live enriches thier lives and health.

Due to the aggression of the others I'm figuring it's going to be a little tricky to feed this guy in the usual manor so thoughts would be most welcome, particularly from @lion king

My intitial idea is to place a few shrimps in a small net and place the net in front of the leaf fishes face to see if that works or maybe an acrylic rod with a fishing line and a shrimp?

 

[lion king]

Yes net feeding is a good idea. You can also use an acrylic rod to block and push other fish from swooping in to steal the food meant for the leaf. Don't be shy about using the rod to place at the base of the pectoral fin and gently maneuver the other lions away. I also use an acrylic rod to herd ghosties or fish into the area of the fish I'm trying to feed. My acrylic rods are the clear airline tube from the lfs. You can use the net as a blockade to prevent other fish from swooping in as well.. They are slow and clumpsy and providing enough food for them is a challenge.

 

[sawrip]

Yes net feeding is a good idea. You can also use an acrylic rod to block and push other fish from swooping in to steal the food meant for the leaf. Don't be shy about using the rod to place at the base of the pectoral fin and gently maneuver the other lions away. I also use an acrylic rod to herd ghosties or fish into the area of the fish I'm trying to feed. My acrylic rods are the clear airline tube from the lfs. You can use the net as a blockade to prevent other fish from swooping in as well.. They are slow and clumpsy and providing enough food for them is a challenge.

Thanks for the suggestions, I've purchased a small shrimp net where I can put a few in at a time and place in front of his face. I guess it will probably be best to target feed when doing my other feedings as this will reduce the focus of the net with additional food in.

 

[sawrip]

Yes net feeding is a good idea. You can also use an acrylic rod to block and push other fish from swooping in to steal the food meant for the leaf. Don't be shy about using the rod to place at the base of the pectoral fin and gently maneuver the other lions away. I also use an acrylic rod to herd ghosties or fish into the area of the fish I'm trying to feed. My acrylic rods are the clear airline tube from the lfs. You can use the net as a blockade to prevent other fish from swooping in as well.. They are slow and clumpsy and providing enough food for them is a challenge.

I am pleased to say that today I loaded four shrimp into the net and tried to place in front of him, sadly some escaped the net before I got it in front front of him but the two that stayed in he went for when they started to climb out.

I think I need to modify things to maybe have some trapdoor or cover over the net so I can position it then release them in front of him. Main thing is he's now eating and I can modify / adjust things to work. I thought my Fu Manchu was tricky but this guy is going to be a real challenge.......

 

[michael_cb_125]

Wean him onto frozen food, it will be a challenge, but will ultimately make your life easier.

I feed my leaf and other scores with a large syringe with an opening large enough for pe mysis. All of my scores recognize the syringe and will eat directly from it. This is a neat way to interact with them, and it also reduces waste in the tank.


~Michael

 

[sawrip]

Wean him onto frozen food, it will be a challenge, but will ultimately make your life easier.

I feed my leaf and other scores with a large syringe with an opening large enough for pe mysis. All of my scores recognize the syringe and will eat directly from it. This is a neat way to interact with them, and it also reduces waste in the tank.


~Michael

Thanks for the suggestion, although I feed my lions live food they do now snack on frozen mysis shrimp during other fish feeding which takes some pressure off.

Can I ask two things

How did you wean them onto frozen - did you use a clear stick with fishing line or something similar? I do intend to feed live but would love to be able to add frozen as well to fill in missed feedings.

Also what size syringe do you use, do you put your hands in the tank and then feed them from it or use a tube and direct it to thier mouths? I do worry about regularly placing my hand in the tank with so many predetors that can sting, and bite .....

 

[michael_cb_125]

My current leaf fish took straight to frozen foods. That said he will only eat mysis or krill if they have the heads/eyes attached. I assume that having the eyes is what is triggering a feeding response.
I use a syringe that came with a salifert test kit, so not very large. I started feeding by just getting the syringe near the fish and squirting out a few mysis at a time. After a few days of this, both my leaf and barbfish recognized the syringe as the source of food. Now I have them used to my hands and both will hop into my hand for feeding. I lift them to the surface and they feed from the syringe. This works great for me, since I have a bass that is an aggressive feeder, I am able to be certain the scorps are getting plenty of food. It also reduces any waste from uneaten food, as there is none.

I have used this method of feeding for well over 10 years, and it works for me.
Yes, there is risk. Yes I have been stung. For me, the interaction is worth some discomfort if I make a mistake. Always remember that scorps do not attack, you have to "sting" yourself, lol.

On my leaf fish and cockatoo wasp fish that were finicky feeders, I have used 30 pound flourocarbon fishing leader. It is rigid enough to pierce PE mysis and other foods, but thin and clear enough that the fish seem to not notice it. You can jig the food around the fish to trigger a feeding response.

~Michael

 

[sawrip]

My current leaf fish took straight to frozen foods. That said he will only eat mysis or krill if they have the heads/eyes attached. I assume that having the eyes is what is triggering a feeding response.
I use a syringe that came with a salifert test kit, so not very large. I started feeding by just getting the syringe near the fish and squirting out a few mysis at a time. After a few days of this, both my leaf and barbfish recognized the syringe as the source of food. Now I have them used to my hands and both will hop into my hand for feeding. I lift them to the surface and they feed from the syringe. This works great for me, since I have a bass that is an aggressive feeder, I am able to be certain the scorps are getting plenty of food. It also reduces any waste from uneaten food, as there is none.

I have used this method of feeding for well over 10 years, and it works for me.
Yes, there is risk. Yes I have been stung. For me, the interaction is worth some discomfort if I make a mistake. Always remember that scorps do not attack, you have to "sting" yourself, lol.

On my leaf fish and cockatoo wasp fish that were finicky feeders, I have used 30 pound flourocarbon fishing leader. It is rigid enough to pierce PE mysis and other foods, but thin and clear enough that the fish seem to not notice it. You can jig the food around the fish to trigger a feeding response.

~Michael

Thanks for taking the time to write this, in truth this has rather blown my mind, training them to syringe feed whilst on your hand, what incredible fish!

So good news is that net delivery of live shrimp works well providing they don't escape and I've also managed to trick him to eat some defrosted krill using a glass rod and fishing line. My worry about him not eating and wasting away is now no more

I need to refine things but live food via net delivery is the solution for some of his feedings and then I'm going to try with the syringe and PE mysis. I have all the time in the world now he's feeding so will start injecting some in front of his face daily and see if I can convert him. Can I ask is he bothered about seeing your hand or syringe at all? Nothing seems to phase my one, just sits there watching the world go bye!

 

[michael_cb_125]

My leaf fish to completely unphased by anything, either inside the tank or out.
At this point my hand is recognized as a good thing (food) and I have to be careful as my fish follow my hand around when doing maintenance. So ultimately the way I feed (in my hand) is unsafe and nobody should try this.

But the syringe method works phenomenally.

~Michael