Training fish what to eat?

[Jase4224]

Is it possible purchasing fish as small as possible (assuming healthy specimens) and training them to eat aquarium foods in qt for a month or so may help mitigate picking on or eating coral? I’m thinking of centropyge Angelfish specifically.

I understand that being broadcast spawners juveniles may end up having to eat slightly different foods from their parents therefore if this is correct it may be possible to train young fish to eat certain foods as long as
a) their nutritional requirements are met
b) they are well fed in sufficient quantity to prevent the need to find food

 

[glb]

Is it possible purchasing fish as small as possible (assuming healthy specimens) and training them to eat aquarium foods in qt for a month or so may help mitigate picking on or eating coral? I’m thinking of centropyge Angelfish specifically.

I understand that being broadcast spawners juveniles may end up having to eat slightly different foods from their parents therefore if this is correct it may be possible to train young fish to eat certain foods as long as
a) their nutritional requirements are met
b) they are well fed in sufficient quantity to prevent the need to find food

You could find a store that already feeds the kind of food you want to feed. That might be easier.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have found that no matter what you may try, Centropyge are hit-and-miss with coral.

Even throughout their life their diet changes and shifts. Some species are facultative or opportunistic cleaners, but stop as they mature. So even if 'trained' on other foods as juveniles, they can still develop a taste for coral later.

 

[cancun]

I have found that no matter what you may try, Centropyge are hit-and-miss with coral.

Even throughout their life their diet changes and shifts. Some species are facultative or opportunistic cleaners, but stop as they mature. So even if 'trained' on other foods as juveniles, they can still develop a taste for coral later.

I totally agree with @eatbreakfast! 50/50 imo for Angels....they say better luck with the Genicanthus Angels....but I recently had a small Lamarck angel, and he started picking on my Acans a few days after being in my tank. He ate frozen Mysis like a pig too but still went after my Acans. I took him back to the LFS.

 

[Jase4224]

I have found that no matter what you may try, Centropyge are hit-and-miss with coral.

Even throughout their life their diet changes and shifts. Some species are facultative or opportunistic cleaners, but stop as they mature. So even if 'trained' on other foods as juveniles, they can still develop a taste for coral later.

Interesting I hadn’t considered that..

 

[Jase4224]

I totally agree with @eatbreakfast! 50/50 imo for Angels....they say better luck with the Genicanthus Angels....but I recently had a small Lamarck angel, and he started picking on my Acans a few days after being in my tank. He ate frozen Mysis like a pig too but still went after my Acans. I took him back to the LFS.

That’s a bit unlucky, never heard of Genicanthus eating coral. I guess anything is possible.