Benggai Cardinalfish Not Eating

[monarchckey88]

I have a stubborn benggai cardinalfish who is on day 11 of a hunger strike. Running out of food options and training ideas, unfortunately.

I'm also open to new ideas if anyone's gone through this and had luck. I've tried a lot of different strategies with no success. He's interested in eating but spits out anything I offer.

Definitely the most challenging fish I've had to feed. Currently in a 10 gallon QT system with a hermit and two snails, observation only. Behaviors look normal, just will not eat anything at all.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Have you tried newly hatched brine shrimp? That usually gets most finicky fish eating IME. Once eating something they usually start to accept other foods.

 

[monarchckey88]

Have you tried newly hatched brine shrimp? That usually gets most finicky fish eating IME. Once eating something they usually start to accept other foods.

I was looking into that yesterday. I've never done it before but I'm vaguely aware of it.

Is it challenging? I'm worried I won't have enough time to get the materials, learn how to do it, and then actually do it.

I've been searching for live copepods and live baby brine shrimp at nearby LFSs and online community since that'll be fastest, but no one seems to have any.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Its very easy, I use an inverted plastic coke container, there are youtube videos showing you how to do it, search for the diy videos that way you can find ways to do it for free. A bag of artemia eggs cost about $8 and lasts a long time, but takes 48 hours to hatch them though.

In the meantime, I've also had good luck with can o cyclops, and roe, these also are good to get fish onto foods. I wouldn't spend the money for pods, the pods will instinctively scatter to hide in the rocks. Frozen cyclops is also good IMO. Others will have other suggestions, good luck (but regardless, look into hatching brine shrimp, its fun to feed the fish and watch them go for the live food, they love it)

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

I have a stubborn benggai cardinalfish who is on day 11 of a hunger strike. Running out of food options and training ideas, unfortunately.

I'm also open to new ideas if anyone's gone through this and had luck. I've tried a lot of different strategies with no success. He's interested in eating but spits out anything I offer.

Definitely the most challenging fish I've had to feed. Currently in a 10 gallon QT system with a hermit and two snails, observation only. Behaviors look normal, just will not eat anything at all.

Is this a fish that used to eat and stopped, or a new fish? If it has eaten for you before, what has it eaten?

 

[monarchckey88]

Is this a fish that used to eat and stopped, or a new fish? If it has eaten for you before, what has it eaten?

It's a new fish. Captive bred. All the others that came with him at the lfs look good and plump when I went back today. Strange

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

It's a new fish. Captive bred. All the others that came with him at the lfs look good and plump when I went back today. Strange

Have you tried frozen Picene Energetics (PE) Mysis? I can't find it here right now, though. They may be sold out for the season. My Banggai eats San Francisco Bay brand frozen mysis just fine. I have also had great success with Larry's Reef Services (LRS) Reef Frenzy (a high-quality frozen sea food mix). Also, find out what the LFS is feeding the others.

 

[Fish Fan]

It's a new fish. Captive bred. All the others that came with him at the lfs look good and plump when I went back today. Strange

A captive bred Cardinal shouldn't be challenging to feed. Loss of appetite can be a symptom of disease as well. You might want to ask one of the R2R Fish Medic team what they think.

#fishmedic

Good luck!