First fish added (purple firefish). Feeding question

[maxpare79]

Ok guys tank is cycled now, so I decided to add my first livestock, a purple firefish!

I did spend 1h acclimating it in the bag yesterday, with gradually adding tank water, etc... Lights have been off for a day, but it remains hidden in the rocks.

My question is, do I still drop food in the tank? Will he "smell" it and come out? Or will it go to waste and I should wait for him to come out?

I have a lot of fw tanks and never had a fish going into hiding like this because I never had so many places to hide in my tank

 

[Familyman2010]

Ok guys tank is cycled now, so I decided to add my first livestock, a purple firefish!

I did spend 1h acclimating it in the bag yesterday, with gradually adding tank water, etc... Lights have been off for a day, but it remains hidden in the rocks.

My question is, do I still drop food in the tank? Will he "smell" it and come out? Or will it go to waste and I should wait for him to come out?

I have a lot of fw tanks and never had a fish going into hiding like this because I never had so many places to hide in my tank

It took a day or so for my fire fish to come out but with the lights off he comes out alittle more in the beginning. Drop a few or you can try use a turkey baster of something to put the food by the area where he is hiding. Mine eats brine and also some frozen algae cube

 

[maxpare79]

It took a day or so for my fire fish to come out but with the lights off he comes out alittle more in the beginning. Drop a few or you can try use a turkey baster of something to put the food by the area where he is hiding. Mine eats brine and also some frozen algae cube

OK cool, I bought some frozen Mysis Shrimp... But the problem is I lost track of where he went and without moving the rocks (which will stress him out even more) I have no idea where he is...

 

[Bfragale]

Personally I would feed a little food. Not a lot but something- might entice him to come out of hiding and start to associate you with food -

if you have pellets - they may sink and stay longer then frozen or flake- give him a little time to come out and inspect. I would do only a little in case he doesn’t eat it, but if you have clean up crew it should take care of what it doesn’t eat.

also- after you feed- take a few steps back. I find shy fish sometimes come out when I’m not right at the glass- may help the fish feel a little more comfortable.
Good luck my friend!
Post some photos! Would love to see your new fish!
Happy reefing!

p.s. just for fun- here’s my new fish in my softie/macro algae tank:

 

[maxpare79]

Personally I would feed a little food. Not a lot but something- might entice him to come out of hiding and start to associate you with food -

if you have pellets - they may sink and stay longer then frozen or flake- give him a little time to come out and inspect. I would do only a little in case he doesn’t eat it, but if you have clean up crew it should take care of what it doesn’t eat.

also- after you feed- take a few steps back. I find shy fish sometimes come out when I’m not right at the glass- may help the fish feel a little more comfortable.
Good luck my friend!
Post some photos! Would love to see your new fish!
Happy reefing!

p.s. just for fun- here’s my new fish in my softie/macro algae tank:

Yeah I also have pellets, no CUC yet, I wanted to build a bit more waste before adding them. Some diatoms have started to show but not much. Guess I will go buy a few snails tomorrow then and start dropping a few pellets and see where it goes from them. Thanks

 

[Familyman2010]

OK cool, I bought some frozen Mysis Shrimp... But the problem is I lost track of where he went and without moving the rocks (which will stress him out even more) I have no idea where he is...

I wouldn’t move rocks but dropping alittle to find his hiding spot won’t hurt. How big of a tank do you have?

 

[maxpare79]

50 gallon (36x20)

 

[ItalCanadaReefer]

Ok guys tank is cycled now, so I decided to add my first livestock, a purple firefish!

I did spend 1h acclimating it in the bag yesterday, with gradually adding tank water, etc... Lights have been off for a day, but it remains hidden in the rocks.

My question is, do I still drop food in the tank? Will he "smell" it and come out? Or will it go to waste and I should wait for him to come out?

I have a lot of fw tanks and never had a fish going into hiding like this because I never had so many places to hide in my tank

Just drop pellets or frozen food with a turkey baster towards his cave and he will surely come out to eat. If he doesn’t the first time around, be patient he will. They always peak out to see what’s going on so even later as wavemakers push the food by their hiding spot they will see it and eat it for sure.