More than 24hrs in transit...fish hasn't ate for 3 days!

[tdsounds]

I got a powder blue tang and in the bag it was super colorful and plump. I got another fish, bluejaw triggerfish and as soon as I open up the bag to acclimate, he tried to jump out. Both of these fish are in separate holding tanks (40g breeders with good water parameters) currently as I have better success of trying to get fish use to captivity and to eat. Usually I get fish in within the 12hr range, and sometimes I can get them to eat the first day. They stay in for a couple of weeks than I let them in the main display.

These two have been given live adult brine and live mysis. Green seaweed. I have tried garlic and selcon to entice the fish. No luck. So far the fish has no sign of disease. I see a spot or two but can't determine if its ich or just sediment. I hate to lose these fish. Are these guys guaranteed to be goners? Anything else to do?

 

[coral88]

give them time I've had fish go a lot longer than that without eating and still come around.
Do they have live rock or something to hide in?

 

[stunreefer]

give them time I've had fish go a lot longer than that without eating and still come around.

For sure... I've had fish not accept prepared foods for over 2 months (granted they picked at the rocks but...), and I've also had fish take 24+ hours to get to me.

I'd try offering as many food types as you can, try to get some live macro for the tang and maybe a clam for the trigger. Generally speaking, if a fish is collected in good shape, most fish can go about two weeks without eating and still be OK assuming they accept prepared foods soon thereafter.

I'd also recommend insuring the fish feel comforatable, i.e. all parameters are great, places to hide, not too much foot traffic, etc.

Don't be in panic mode yet, just take your time, keep the water as perfect and more importantly STABLE as possible, and try some other types of foods.

GL!

 

[Ladipyg]

Feeling secure is very important, especially if they are wild caught. I keep black construction paper taped on all four sides of the tank so the fish feel secure. I cut a couple of peep holes so I can observe them. The more secure they feel, the happier and quicker they will adjust. I have had great success getting fish that don't want to eat started on live clams from the seafood counter. Just stick them in the freezer, crack them open and lay the half shell in the tank for a little while. The smell of fresh clam is hard for them to resist...I have also used this technique to get medicine into fish...just inject it into the clam. Of course I wouldn't advise this if you were going to be keeping clams in your tank....bad habit to start. This also works with a whole baby squid or octopus....most oriental grocery stores sell them as well as herring and fresh anchovies. A hunk of either rubberbanded to a piece of rock or stuck to the side of the tank with a suction cup food holder would work. It's the smell that entices them. You can do this frozen and as it thaws they begin eating. Of course I was doing frequent water changes with this method...but it gest them eating and that's what counts. Also...most tangs can't resist grape caulerpa...eat off the grapes one by one before attacking the stem.
I used this clam method to get a 13" Emperor Angel to eat after it refused to eat for almost 3 weeks and was getting very skinny.

 

[tdsounds]

Hmm. Interesting, I put in the grape calupera and the powder seems to be pecking it. Not sure if he got anything. Guess I need to not panic and keep trying. Gonna have to be careful and do water changes. I'm thinking about 20% water changes every 3 or 4 days. Constantly adding live brine and live mysis and if it doesn't get eaten may pose some problems.

I got plenty of live rock and caves for the fish to hid. So the trigger is hiding in the cave, but refuses to eat or swim around. Its a good thing the tanks are in a room where barely anyone goes in. The only lighting I have right now are actinics. Should I be turning those off too?

Thanks for the feedback. I should start posting here more often, at least I can use the search function unlike the forum I usually go to.

 

[Ladipyg]

Try silversides for the trigger...they prefer something good and meaty as opposed to small pieces. A full piece of raw shrimp, shell on or a big hunk of krill, would probably get him eating too. Most triggers prefer to go to a natural behavior, like biting chunks out of something. Give it a try.

We're glad to have you here...stick around....I went to a lot of different sites before I found this one....it has many great advantages and if you become a premium member you get included in a lot of special drawings...this month the drawing is for a frag of Hybrid PPE's. Just find it on the forum and read up....it's a great deal for the money...$20 I think (senior moment...I don't remember)

 

[tdsounds]

An update guys. I finally got the trigger to eat. This one didn't like live mysis, but went after frozen pe mysis. Go figure! Now I gotta train it to eat pellets and flakes.

The powder blue tang is another story, he is offered dried nori soaked in garlic and occasinally nips at it. Most of the time just tearing it and letting it float away. I really don't think he eating any of it. Unfortunately, he doesn't like flakes, pellets, live mysis, live brine, or frozen mysis. Hope he turns around.

 

[JuniorMC8704]

when i helped out an LFS for a while, i was always able to get picky triggers to eat blood worms by the dozens. Might try them. Keep us updated.

 

[Hypertek99]

Try a piece of raw shrimp or scallop if that don't work.

 

[cloakerpoked]

I'm thinking about 20% water changes every 3 or 4 days.

This COULD change your parameters more than help them. There shouldn't be a need to do all that work and introduce that much new water to the tank. If the tang is nipping, at least it shows that he has something like a desire to eat, and I'd give him a while to come around. Glad to hear the good news about the trigger!