Pinecone fish/pineapple fish

[Still_human]

Does anyone happen to know what a skinny(not eating)pinecone fish looks like? Or if they're even ABLE to get skinny with the armor plates? Although I've never seen it even show the SLIGHTEST bit of interest in any food, whatsoever, I think my little guy IS eating, but only in the dark as they sometimes do, and so he's too stuffed to care about food in the day/early night. I THINK he MIGHT look "full", but I can't remember how his stomach looked when I first got him, and all online pics are adults, bad angles, and look the same, so I have absolutely zero points of reference. If they're stomachs even CAN change with the tight plates, I'm still not sure because the wide part could be either the chest, OR the stomach. I doubt I'll find anyone with such specific pinecone experience, but doesn't hurt to ask:)

 

*Counting the shrimp won't work. Other variables.

[Still_human]

Nevermind, happily I can tell now that hes been stuffing his face!

I'd go ahead and delete this thread if I could figure out how. Is that possible, or are these just here for good?

[Origami]

Nevermind, happily I can tell now that hes been stuffing his face!

I'd go ahead and delete this thread if I could figure out how. Is that possible, or are these just here for good?

They're pretty much here for good.

 

Be sure you start a thread somewhere documenting your experience and adventures with this species. We all may as well tag along for the journey and learn as you learn.

 

Thanks!

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

Agreed with origami......

[Still_human]

Sure thing. Should I just start it here in general discussions, or is there a better place for that?

I plan on joining WAMAS for real probably next week-I'm getting a bandit angel on Sunday, so obviously I'm a little strapped till after that.

[flowerseller]

This is as good a place as any.

 

What was it stuffing it's face with?

[Origami]

Sure thing. Should I just start it here in general discussions, or is there a better place for that?

I plan on joining WAMAS for real probably next week-I'm getting a bandit angel on Sunday, so obviously I'm a little strapped till after that.

 

Sure. You can start another thread or continue this one. Either way. 

[Still_human]

Apparently it HAD been eating the live ghost shrimp. I'd sit there for like 1/2 hour easily, picking out just the smallest shrimp, cause he couldn't eat the big ones. The store keeps the shrimp in fresh, but I guess they're pretty hardy cause they survive in salt too. I couldn't tell if it was eating them or not cause some die constantly; least a couple or few a day, and many were small enough to fit through the filter slits into the back area, so it was impossible to keep track of them. I had to just keep tossing a bunch in regularly. My store ran out of shrimp tho(luckily, it turns out), so I figured I'd try some P.E. and cross my fingers, cause I didn't wanna hafta be making hour plus round trips every few days to find more. I have a dozen little hermits, 2 big peppermint shrimp, and a sand sifting star in the tank to clean up any uneaten food(which also made it near impossible to tell if he was eating the mysis). Luckily the current leaves them all in a small circle eventually, so if they're uneaten, they'll be right there. This is about the time I was getting worried and started this thread, cause I still hadn't seen him show any interest, and couldn't tell if he was getting fat or thin, or what. Thankfully, cause I was putting a good amount in, I started noticing his belly getting real big, and then I started noticing him hanging out near the food spot awhile after feeding, so I gave it a shot feeding in the daytime, and if I check 5 or 10 minutes after putting the food in, he'll be over there eating......TRYING to eat! Watching him eat, I don't understand how they possibly survive as a species!!!! He's so slow, and if the mysis are swirling or moving at all, he seems to be at a loss of what to do. I guess he just fails until one temporarily stops moving long enough for him to float his slow-ass over a centimeter, angle himself perfectly, and decide when he thinks it's a good moment to strike at his..."elusive prey", or when a shrimp hits a sweet spot where it gets dropped out of the little spinning eddy, leaving it available for him to "stalk".