Yellow banded possum wrasse

[immaman2011]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what the possum wrasse diet should consist of? I see him glass surfing sometimes and trying to graze on the glass and rocks. The only thing he eats is the frozen mysis shrimp when I drop them in. He's a new addition so may not be used to what I'm feeding them already. I heard they do like pellets but it's hard to get them to eat flake or pellet foods. Seems like he may have been searching for pods and worms. My tank probably doesn't have any pods right now because it's still fairly new even though it's cycled. He is pigging out on the mysis shrimp though so I'm not too worried just looking for some advice or strategies for him to eat more stuff.

 

[DJF]

I’ve had mine for years and haven’t seen him eat anything prepared- he’s a pod hunter

 

[rtparty]

They are major pod hunters and search for them all day. Mine eats all kinds of meaty foods but prefers to eat pods. They definitely benefit from a more mature tank full of life.

 

[immaman2011]

I’ve had mine for years and haven’t seen him eat anything prepared- he’s a pod hunter

Mine gobbles up mysis shrimp. LFS said he eats brine and mysis. But they didn't say anything else about his diet. I guess it's a good thing he eats frozen foods.

 

[immaman2011]

They are major pod hunters and search for them all day. Mine eats all kinds of meaty foods but prefers to eat pods. They definitely benefit from a more mature tank full of life.

Yes I was thinking about adding pods into the tank, he's the only pod eater I have or plan to have. So if I add between 3000 to 6000 pods they should reproduce fast, and will sustain as long as I also feed the mysis shrimp. Or so I'm thinking.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They graze on the rocks and glass for algae and uneaten foods. While not common, many will adapt to and eat spirulina brine shrimp, small plankton, LRS Fish Frenzy, finely chopped clam and squid as well as raw shrimp and anything flea like

 

[rtparty]

Yes I was thinking about adding pods into the tank, he's the only pod eater I have or plan to have. So if I add between 3000 to 6000 pods they should reproduce fast, and will sustain as long as I also feed the mysis shrimp. Or so I'm thinking.

Adding a thing of pods is a great idea and beneficial to the whole tank

 

[immaman2011]

They graze on the rocks and glass for algae and uneaten foods. While not common, many will adapt to and eat spirulina brine shrimp, small plankton, LRS Fish Frenzy, finely chopped clam and squid as well as raw shrimp and anything flea like

I think he was trying to eat the brown algae/diatoms. But kept turning away from it right when he would strike at it. The only thing I've seen him eat so far are the frozen mysis shrimp. It's like $6 for 30 frozen cubes so it's pretty cheap. As long as he eats that then I'm satisfied. I paid a good $70 for him so I want him to eat good.

 

[immaman2011]

Adding a thing of pods is a great idea and beneficial to the whole tank

It's just confusing which pods i should actually buy and add. So I went for the cheapest ones I could find on Amazon. $25 for a bottle/jar of 3000 assorted pods.

 

[DJF]

I think he was trying to eat the brown algae/diatoms. But kept turning away from it right when he would strike at it. The only thing I've seen him eat so far are the frozen mysis shrimp. It's like $6 for 30 frozen cubes so it's pretty cheap. As long as he eats that then I'm satisfied. I paid a good $70 for him so I want him to eat good.

Maybe try soaking some mysis in selcon to make them a tad more nutritious.

 

[immaman2011]

Maybe try soaking some mysis in selcon to make them a tad more nutritious.

What is selcon and how do you use it? I've seen it but people say that you really only need it for flake or pellet foods. Not sure.

 

[DJF]

canned verbiage: Selcon is a vitamin supplement for marine fish and invertebrates. Use to help maintain a healthy reef system, increase disease resistance and bost nutritional intake for breeding fish. Combine with freeze-dried or frozen foods or feed to brine shrimp to enhance the nutritional value.

Looks like this- you put a couple drops on your food while prepping and let it soak in (the longer the soak the better) It does work better with dried foods (they sell dried mysis) but i put drops on my frozen cubes too as they thaw. He’s likely getting a balanced diet with pods and mysis but this would help with all your fish.

 

[Hairyteeth]

Mine doesn’t eat anything prepared yet, raising live brine shrimp has been my go to to keep things a lil cheaper… only wants live lol

 

[immaman2011]

Mine doesn’t eat anything prepared yet, raising live brine shrimp has been my go to to keep things a lil cheaper… only wants live lol

I heard some of them are super picky lol, my LFS got him to eat frozen mysis shrimp. I'm assuming its a lot cheaper to manage then pods or live food. Just happy he's not starving himself like I hear on other people's posts. And hey, at least yours is eating something lol.

 

[immaman2011]

canned verbiage: Selcon is a vitamin supplement for marine fish and invertebrates. Use to help maintain a healthy reef system, increase disease resistance and bost nutritional intake for breeding fish. Combine with freeze-dried or frozen foods or feed to brine shrimp to enhance the nutritional value.

Looks like this- you put a couple drops on your food while prepping and let it soak in (the longer the soak the better) It does work better with dried foods (they sell dried mysis) but i put drops on my frozen cubes too as they thaw. He’s likely getting a balanced diet with pods and mysis but this would help with all your fish.

I'll have to try it eventually but I will try pods first before I introduce too many new things at once. Thanks for the info!

 

[Chrisv.]

Mysis is a very nutrient rich food. I really wouldn't worry about finding additional foods, since he will hunt pods and worms and what have you all day long. You're lucky that he is going for frozen foods at all! Mine mostly hunts amphipods and anything else he picks from the rocks.

 

[immaman2011]

Mysis is a very nutrient rich food. I really wouldn't worry about finding additional foods, since he will hunt pods and worms and what have you all day long. You're lucky that he is going for frozen foods at all! Mine mostly hunts amphipods and anything else he picks from the rocks.

Last time I fed mysis to him he ate between 10-15 pieces varying in size. He's greedy lol. I guess my LFS trained him to eat frozen before I bought him.

 

[DJF]

I'll have to try it eventually but I will try pods first before I introduce too many new things at once. Thanks for the info!

Sure thing. Never hurts to add pods but one thing to consider is with enough natural food around, he may no longer opt for the prepared. (not a bad thing but may explain behavior down the road) congrats on the yellow possum! Mine has been a model citizen and a great addition.

 

[Chrisv.]

Last time I fed mysis to him he ate between 10-15 pieces varying in size. He's greedy lol. I guess my LFS trained him to eat frozen before I bought him.

Honestly I'm a little jealous. Wish mine would eat mysis!

 

[immaman2011]

Sure thing. Never hurts to add pods but one thing to consider is with enough natural food around, he may no longer opt for the prepared. (not a bad thing but may explain behavior down the road) congrats on the yellow possum! Mine has been a model citizen and a great addition.

Maybe I shouldn't add pods then because if he eats them all and refuses frozen ill be screwed into buying pods every week. I have a tempered glass tank so no refugium or sump because I can't drill it. Think I'll stick to frozen mysis for now.