The Beast Maker - Renee's Predatory Training Tank

[Lionfish Lair]

That's the name of my predator training tank. Yes, I've named my tank. I started referring to it as such when it seemed like every fish I put in there turned out to be a very aggressive feeder, hence the name..... The BEAST Maker. The rock in there has the bioload to support a whale and is probably about 17 years old.

Why am I posting such an ugly tank in the nutrition section? Well, today the Beast Maker is going to get a new victim. I'm going to try to capture the different things I do to switch my preds from live to frozen foods. The camera is ready to roll.

The little scorp I have coming is eating only live shrimp and will not look at fish. That means he could be a little difficult to train, as he clearly identifies with a very specific food already.

Without further ado.... I give you... The Beast Maker!!!

 

[Sandroni]

Wow seems like a handful, sounds really cool good luck!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Sometimes it's like a battle of the wills....

Gathering up my supplies to make the newcomer his own feeding stick.

 

[revhtree]

Very cool thread!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

The challenger....

 

[Maritimer]

That is one cool, cranky little scorpionfish!

~Bruce

 

[GHsaltie]

Good luck! I'll be cheering you on with my pom poms from the back seat!

P.S. He's so cute!!!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Thanks

When you bring your bag of shrimp home from the store, they will probably have the appearance of being well fed. This is why I put them in a holding tank overnight. You don’t even want to know what’s in their belly… old bacteria-filled fish poop, flesh of rotting fellow feeders, the Cheeto that someone dropped into the feeder tank (you get the idea). Live feeder food tanks are traditionally not the cleanest nor the healthiest kept tanks. In the morning, their holding tank floor is littered with the nasty output and your shrimp are now “blank” as I like to refer to them as. Feed your shrimp daily with a high quality flake food, change the water often and remove any dead shrimp as you see them. You don’t want them eating rotting friends and you don’t want them hungry because they will eat even their BEST friends. Keeping your food healthy will help keep your fish healthy.

These are newly bought shrimp. The arrows are pointing to their full bellies. The purple ink is circling a female with eggs.

These are "blank" shrimp.

Here they are after enriching them with Spirulina and Astaxanthin. NOW they are nice and healthy feeds.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

This fish is going to be tough to convert. It doesn't even take live that well!

 

[Maritimer]

What is up with the challenge fish lately?!

If anyone can bring him around, it'll be you.

~Bruce

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Day #1: I squat down in front of the tank and made sure he saw me looking. I then fed him 4 live shrimp.

Day #2: I squat down in front of the tank and fed him a live shrimp while putting the feeding stick in the water at the same time. Fed him 1 shrimp. Squat down and looked at him some more. Gave him a second shrimp. Noted he liked to jump on the shrimp when they turned away from him

Day #3: Today he ate frozen ghost shrimp from a stealth stick. Thread over. O.O LOL!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The challenger....

ahahaa

 

[Baby Ray]

That didn't take long

 

[carlson]

Thanks

When you bring your bag of shrimp home from the store, they will probably have the appearance of being well fed. This is why I put them in a holding tank overnight. You don’t even want to know what’s in their belly… old bacteria-filled fish poop, flesh of rotting fellow feeders, the Cheeto that someone dropped into the feeder tank (you get the idea). Live feeder food tanks are traditionally not the cleanest nor the healthiest kept tanks. In the morning, their holding tank floor is littered with the nasty output and your shrimp are now “blank” as I like to refer to them as. Feed your shrimp daily with a high quality flake food, change the water often and remove any dead shrimp as you see them. You don’t want them eating rotting friends and you don’t want them hungry because they will eat even their BEST friends. Keeping your food healthy will help keep your fish healthy.

These are newly bought shrimp. The arrows are pointing to their full bellies. The purple ink is circling a female with eggs.

These are "blank" shrimp.

Here they are after enriching them with Spirulina and Astaxanthin. NOW they are nice and healthy feeds.

Fascinating, never would of know but now I will definitely try this if I ever feed shrimp.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

This was him taking live a few days ago.... took him about 30 minutes to line up the strike. The shrimp was even touching him and after he strikes, you can see said shrimp walking off to the right. You can hear my opinion of the situation there at the very end.



This video was just taken and THAT my friends is Salmon at the end of the feeding stick. He's officially taking frozen foods.

 

[carlson]

Are you also trying to turn the Eagle eye polyps into beast eating machines [emoji23] haha just kidding

 

[Lionfish Lair]

LOL! It's also my coral QT tank, right now. I don't want to put it too close to the rock because the rock has some nuisance algae.

 

[carlson]

LOL! It's also my coral QT tank, right now. I don't want to put it too close to the rock because the rock has some nuisance algae.

I would be careful, I wouldn't want my coral to turn rabid [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Lionfish Lair]

This is my shrimp freezing setup.

 

[carlson]

You don't give them live shrimp?