Pajama Cardinal Fish not eating in QT, Looking for advice

[smalltownuser]

So I recently got a trio of pajama cardinals from Divers Den(which came the highest recommended through this community) and I set up my QT for them. I do a 25% water change every other day while I dose with Seachem stability and prime to make sure they arent being harmed by ammonia. Water temp stays from 78-79, and salinity is about 38(which I have found out today that that is too high, so I will fix that). Everything seems fine, water stays clear and clean, and on water changes I also vacuum the bottom of the tank to remove as much food waste and fish waste as possible. I have an air stone in the tank, as well as a power head aimed semi at the surface, and the fish dont seem to be disturbed by it. My only concern is I havent seen them eat yet. They arent swimming weird, they are acting just like you would expect cardinals to act (from what I have seen on videos and at my LFS). These are my first cardinals so I dont have much personal knowledge to rely on. I have tried feeding them multiple different foods, (chromo boost, formula 1 and 2, frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, etc) all of which are within their diet, however I just dont see them eat. They dont look sick, they dont look too thin, all signs honestly point to them being fine, I am just concerned that I havent seen them eat. I dont know if cardinals will eat off the floor like my tang will if they dont get the food as it drops. They have been in the QT for about 9 days so far, and I havent seen them eat a thing. I know sometimes with shipping and new environments they can be stressed and not eat, so I didnt even try to feed them for a full 24 hours after they went in the tank, but now more than a week later I was hoping to find some more information. They mostly sit around the bottom 3-4 inches of the tank, so they dont see the food falling. Will they find it on the floor and eat it, or should I be worrying about this?
Also to add, I have the seachem tidal 50 filter for the tank which has been the best brand filter I have ever tried. Not that the water is my concern, but just to add that water is being filtered properly. Any ideas on lack of eating, or at least no visible eating would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Uncle99]

Mine didn’t eat for almost 2 weeks, then just started, slow but sure.

 

[smalltownuser]

Mine didn’t eat for almost 2 weeks, then just started, slow but sure.

Ok that makes me feel better. I have 4 clowns, 2 tangs, 3 gobies, 2 damsels, 3 chromis, a blenny, and they all ate the next day. It just worried me that these ones arent eating. Should I still try to feed them, or wait a bit? I dont want to just drop food if it goes uneaten.

 

[blaxsun]

Trust me, they see the food falling...

 

[smalltownuser]

Trust me, they see the food falling...

Yeah I figured they must see it, but they dont make any movement to it, they dont even look at it. Im just a paranoid fish keeper. I have had traumatic failures with this and im still learning the hobby so I wanted to check on it

 

[Doctorgori]

you sure its not brooding? (or is it just Banggai that do this?)
I’ll try and look it up …

 

[smalltownuser]

you sure its not brooding? (or is it just Banggai that do this?)
I’ll try and look it up …

Im not sure what you mean by that

 

[Uncle99]

Maybe he nibbles when your not looking.
Change nothing, feed as normal, he should settle and will get hungry.

 

[smalltownuser]

Maybe he nibbles when your not looking.
Change nothing, feed as normal, he should settle and will get hungry.

To clarify, I bough a trio. There are 3 of them, and I havent seen any of them eat.

 

[Doctorgori]

Im not sure what you mean by that

I thought they were mouth breeders and don’t eat during that period …just a thought but perhaps not the case…could just be settling in …
But just for info:

Pajama Cardinalfish

…and Banggai. (I’ve found semi-grown cardinal fish in sump a few times)

Banggai cardinalfish reproduction begins when the female courts the male with a dance. She then releases about 40 eggs—which are all connected by filaments and referred to as a clutch—from her body and into the water, where they are fertilized by the male. Within seconds, he sucks up all the eggs into his mouth!Jul 28, 2014”
copied and pasted

 

[Uncle99]

To clarify, I bough a trio. There are 3 of them, and I havent seen any of them eat.

Other than “they” don’t eat, are they displaying any other out of character behaviors?

If no, just give the, some time. How many days have they gone so far?

Not to say that’s not important, of course it is, but, they are new and I find a bit skiddish at first.


I thought mine where going to starve. They didnt.

 

[smalltownuser]

I thought they were mouth breeders and don’t eat during that period

Pajama Cardinalfish

…and Banggai. (I’ve found semi-grown cardinal fish in sump a few times)

Banggai cardinalfish reproduction begins when the female courts the male with a dance. She then releases about 40 eggs—which are all connected by filaments and referred to as a clutch—from her body and into the water, where they are fertilized by the male. Within seconds, he sucks up all the eggs into his mouth!Jul 28, 2014”
copied and pasted

Well I bought them from Diver's Den, so they were shipped to my house, and I have had them over a week, and there are 3 of them. I would be surprised if they were breeding during shipping/right after entering a new enviornment, but even if they did, I have 3, they cant all be males if they have eggs in their mouth, so I dont think that would explain this instance. That is pretty interesting however, and good to know for future if they do end up breeding.

 

[smalltownuser]

Other than “they” don’t eat, are they displaying any other out of character behaviors?

If no, just give the, some time.

Not to say that’s not important, of course it is, but, they are new and I find a bit skiddish at first.

I though mine where going to starve.

All signs point to a health fish, I was just worried that I havent seen them eat at all.

 

[Uncle99]

All signs point to a health fish, I was just worried that I havent seen them eat at all.

Relax then, even though it’s hard.

I thought mine was doomed, until one night, say 14 days after entering the DT, I seen them grab a bite, not many, but had started.