Lyretail anthias feeding

[tundraguy1106]

Hi,

So I recently purchased 4 lyretail anthias from my LFS. 3 females and 1 male. The three females eat everything I throw in the tank, but the male doesn’t. I’m currently feeding 2-3 times a day. In the morning I feed Hikari marine S pellets dosed with vitachem. Sometimes I add a few drops of Reef nutrition R.O.E. At night I feed frozen PE Mysis shrimp. The females will eat it all. The male at first would eat the ROE and PE Mysis but never touched the pellets. He’s more concerned in chasing the females away from the food than eating it. As of the past few days he’s even become picky with the PE Mysis and ROE. He’ll take it in his mouth and then spit it out.

I have a 120 gallon 4x2x2 system with live rock. I have approximately a 30 gallon sump with a refugium running Chaeto. I just added Tisbe pods and phytoplankton for the first time earlier today. The tank is brand new but cycled and these were my first fish I added along with a couple cleaner shrimp, scarlet crabs and nassarious snails.

Just checked my parameters:
PH - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5 ppm
API test kit

The anthias are always active and swimming around, just this male isn’t eating. Not sure what to do??? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[hdsoftail1065]

My anthias really don't care for pellets. I usually mix a little lrs fish frenzy or lfs reef frenzy with a cube of mysis and all the fish devour it.

 

[NeverlosT]

i got mine started on cyclopeez (small so they dig it) then baby live brine, then bloodworms and frozen food. Mine have been captive for 4 years now and still wont touch pellet food. Good luck!

 

[tundraguy1106]

I’m gonna go to the LFS in a couple days so I’ll pick up a variety of stuff to try. The females love the pellets. I just wanna have them eat pellets for when I’m away on vacation and maybe an auto feeder eventually. It’s just convenient.