Anthias

[bambam]

How do I get my new Anthias to eat flake food? They will only eat frozen Cyclopeeze, Brine Shrimp, and Mysis Shrimp.

 

 

[Brian Ward]

Moving to General Discussion ....

[Coral Hind]

It normally takes a couple of days until they realize that is the only food they are going to get. I would wait until they are fat and healthy, then go cold turkey.

[Brian Ward]

Common way to switch Butterflies over is to mix prepared with live. They may start eating the flake if you give it along with the other stuff.

[Chris-]

Just be glad they are eating. many a thread people try to get theirs to eat.

 

Definitely give Coral Hind's way a try, thats what I am gonna do as soon as my scallops run out, but, $5 buys a lot of scallops and I have a ways to go, lol.

 

P.S. / FYI - flake is bad to put in a tank because it has so much phosphates in it, need to be careful with that stuff.

[zygote2k]

 

P.S. / FYI - flake is bad to put in a tank because it has so much phosphates in it, need to be careful with that stuff.

 

chris- where do you get this misinformation from?

Edited April 16, 2010 by zygote2k

[Brian Ward]

chris- where do you get this misinformation from?

 

flake food, as with most other foods does contain phosphates. But it's no worse than anything else - only downside is that you can't rinse it. The real thing to consider is that most fish like a varied diet, and need to consume additional fatty acids that flake doesn't generally provide (or mysis or brine, for that matter). So feeding only flake isn't recommended for best health and color.

[Chris-]

Out of al the foods that are plentiful to get and prepare, flake is "considered" to have one of the highest phosphate contents out there. Not the only one, just the highest, be it 100% 10% or 1%. I did not say it is equivalent to battery acid and will kill the fish.

 

OP is trying ot get her fish to eat flake, so, what do you think is going to happen? She is going to dump flake after flake after flake, and, if nothing eats it, guess what is going to happen? High nitrates! Now I do not know if she has anything that will eat it all, all I said was to be careful.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Chris-

[OldReefer]

I have 6 Bartlet anthias that are doing great. They eat anything that hits the tank. I would suggest soaking flake with Selcon. It makes fish go crazy and it is really good for them as well. I do that at every feeding when I am around to make up for the times I have to use and automatic feeder.

[bambam]

Out of al the foods that are plentiful to get and prepare, flake is "considered" to have one of the highest phosphate contents out there. Not the only one, just the highest, be it 100% 10% or 1%. I did not say it is equivalent to battery acid and will kill the fish.

 

OP is trying ot get her fish to eat flake, so, what do you think is going to happen? She is going to dump flake after flake after flake, and, if nothing eats it, guess what is going to happen? High nitrates! Now I do not know if she has anything that will eat it all, all I said was to be careful.

 

 

No i will not dump flake after flake, my skunk clown fish and cardinal eats them and so will my porcelin crab and my prime reef flake has low phosphate. but thanks for the comments

[Chris-]

Ever get any of the Anthia's to eat flake? No go on my end.

[Jan]

Anthias, blennies, clowns, dottyback and my engineer goby all eat flake food. The only one that I've not seen eat it is my manderin. I soak mine in garlic juice.

[bambam]

My Anthias, i tried soaking it in phytoplankton, still no go.

 

 

[mogurnda]

Out of al the foods that are plentiful to get and prepare, flake is "considered" to have one of the highest phosphate contents out there.

Without numbers to back statements like this up, this isn't very meaningful. Plus, there is presumably a wide range of variation between different formulas. You may be right, but it would be useful to know the source.