Keeping my fish well fed

[Jedi1199]

Hi guys,

I have a bit of a dilemma here. I am stocking my new 180 tank and have a bit of a concern.

First, here is my stock list:
1 Picasso trigger (about 2.5")
1 Domino Damsel (about 1.5")
2 Yellow tail Damsels (about 1")
1 Talbot's Damsel (about 1.5")
1 Sunshine Damsel (about 1")
1 6 line Wrasse (about 1.5")
and finally 1 Scopas Tank (about 2.5")

So here is my concern... I work an extreme schedule.. I am generally gone for about 18-20 hours per day. What do you guys suggest to keep the trigger fed and happy so he doesn't make a snack of the smaller tankmates? He took the tail off of the 2nd Sunshine Damsel immediately after I added it to the tank today.

 

[Jedi1199]

I also should add, I definitely intend to add at least 1 Clown Trigger and 1 Volitan Lionfish.

Also, considering a couple 3 stripe damsels a few dottybacks and most likely a couple more tangs. I picked up a VERY small Atlantic Blue Tang today which is currently in my 32G. when he outgrows that tank, he will be going into the 180.

This will be a FOWLR tank. Intended to keep a heavy fish load. I want a tank full of life and movement.

 

[Jekyl]

Predators and prey don't usually mix well. Auto feeder may help but that's only for pellets and such.

 

[Jedi1199]

Predators and prey don't usually mix well. Auto feeder may help but that's only for pellets and such.

That is pretty much the problem. If there is an Auto-feeder for fish that need live or frozen foods like mine, I am unaware of it. I feed all of my tanks when I get home from work and again a few hours later when I leave. I feed several times per day when I am off on my weekends (Fri-Sun) but otherwise the tanks go unattended... I have autofeeders on my other tanks, but this one is a different level....

 

[Jedi1199]

Does anyone else have an issue similar? Is there a food that will last in the tank long enough to keep the triggers happy so they don't look at the rest of the tankmates as a quick snack?

 

[Jekyl]

I've never kept a predator tank. However I feel it's a matter of when, not if they eat your other fish. Whether it's a late feeding or just an instinctual response. I originally wanted a lion fish pretty bad. Found out I couldn't have anything that might fit in it's mouth and went a different direction.

 

[lion king]

The damsels and the 6-line are all potential food for the volitan. I only feed my large semi-aggressive tank once a day, which does include a picasso trigger. You can schedule your lights on during the hours you are home and adjust their sleepy time to your schedule. My tanks lights come on from 5pm to 11pm. The volitan will normally eat a couple of times a week(every other day at most when small), gorge/fast, overfeeding many times in the form of too frequent feedings leads to an early demise of lions in captivity. The aggression of the triggers toward the damsels will not be effected by feeding, that old "well fed" line is really bull. I think you are looking for alot of movement with the damsels, ever think about a trio or more of scopas.

 

[Jedi1199]

The damsels and the 6-line are all potential food for the volitan. I only feed my large semi-aggressive tank once a day, which does include a picasso trigger. You can schedule your lights on during the hours you are home and adjust their sleepy time to your schedule. My tanks lights come on from 5pm to 11pm. The volitan will normally eat a couple of times a week(every other day at most when small), gorge/fast, overfeeding many times in the form of too frequent feedings leads to an early demise of lions in captivity. The aggression of the triggers toward the damsels will not be effected by feeding, that old "well fed" line is really bull. I think you are looking for alot of movement with the damsels, ever think about a trio or more of scopas.

I honestly believe that the Volitan is a pipe dream at this point of the game. As you said and I have read in my research, if it fits in the mouth, it is food. Maybe in a year or so, after everything is grown out some I can "possibly" consider a juvenile Volitan. Not now with my current stock.

I have a Scopas now.. just got it today. Also, I have a beautiful baby Yellow tang and a VERY tiny ( i mean TINY) Atlantic blue tang that will probably be moved to the 180 when they outgrow the tanks they are in.

My goal with this tank is a very heavy fish load... no corals at all. a simple FOWLR setup but very heavily stocked. I will post a link to my inspiration tank as soon as I find it again

 

[HB AL]

He won't eat your other fish as long as they've been together for a little while unless you just stopped feeding completely for a week+. I have a Clown, Assasi, Pinktail, Niger, Huma and Black Hawaiian triggers in my tank. When I go on say 2-4 day fishing trips they don't get fed, and there's 9 other fish in there smallest a bicolor blenny.