Feeding a Regal Angel

[elwallacejr]

I picked up a Regal Angel about 5 weeks ago and she seems to be losing weight. I’ve seen her nibble a little here and there but not really go after any thing vigorously and fear she’s not getting enough nutrition. So far I’ve tried:

 

PE Mysis, Nori, Spirulina Brine Shrimp, LRS Nano, SF Plankton, and Masstick.

 

Has anybody had luck with these foods for a Regal or are there other suggestions that I can try.

 

Thanks,

 

Ernie

 

 

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[YHSublime]

Ernie, going through this right now with 4 (really 3) angels atm.

Is it by itself in the tank? What size tank? Are you treating (some medicines can suppress appetite, like copper.)

I’ve found live black worms usually start some feeding with the wriggling, I try to soak them in selcon. I also keep offering, and generously, LRS.

Could also try a clam from your grocery store!

[elwallacejr]

Thanks Isaac - she’s in 100g (48x24x21h) and with a juvi chevron tang and a lyretail anthias. She’s about 4-5inches. I have some frozen blood worms I can try. So I’ll give that a shot.


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[JJKK]

I have had the same issue a few months back.  The Yellow Belly Regal Angel would eat one or 2 bites of the LRS Fish Frenzy or the frozen littleneck clam and swim away.  He was very plump when I first got him then I noticed a flattened area where the pectoral fins are, presumably where the stomach is.  I did noticed that it would hunt around the live rocks for amphipods throughout the tank.

 

I then Prazipro the whole tank with a full treatment(prazi according to tank volume, 20% water change 4-5 days and Prazi again for another 5 days).  Meanwhile getting thousands of amphipods for him to snack on.  After the full treatment, he was eating more vigorously.  Now I feed it the frozen clam and it would take 15-20 deep bites.  I also now feed it Hikari Mega-Marine Angel cubes with forceps and it would take chunks off of that.  He then would go after any free floating bits that melted from the cube.  I think I am out of the woods as I have had this fish since the end of Jan, but it is not plump.

 

I tried everything else that you feed, including live black worms.  It didn't eat until I Prazi.  I would suggest you take it out to Prazi or Prazi your DT if it is in there already.  I would have also fresh dipped if I could have caught him from the display, but I did not.

 

Good luck.  They are beautiful fish.

[WheresTheReef]

I am a firm believer in using a QT and prophylactic treatment. Even if you don’t treat, you can observe and let the fish relax from shipping stress. You can also find which foods it enjoys without competition. I have wanted a regal for a long time, but haven’t tried one due to its very shy nature and its tendency to decline.

 

Removing it from the DT now can cause additional stress so I would do this only if it continues to decline. Did you contact the vendor to see what it ate at their facility? Unless they just did a quick turn around it must have been eating since it came in with some weight. It sounds funny, but I have gotten shy fish to eat by adding food and hiding to observe. Shy fish tend to be less threatened when they don’t see you around.
 

I personally don’t like full tank treatment, especially a DT. I also prefer api general cure as it has both prazi and metro that treat a wider spectrum of parasites. I have not created medicated food, but it can help as a fish can obtain more meds than just absorbing from the water. Make sure and research any treatment options and fully understand their effects if you decide to go that route.

[davelin315]

My experience with them has been to not do anything other than a freshwater dip until they are solidly eating.  4-5” poses some additional difficulties as well as it is probably firmly set already in its diet and not as likely to eat what is offered.  For the first 30-60 days I would say give it whatever you can and present it in a way that it might eat accidentally by squishing it to rocks where it picks at things.  Once you fatten it up and have conditioned it then start QT treatments.  If it is in the company of aggressive eaters or other fish that might be too bold it may not get comfortable enough to eat so solo or with smaller more docile fish is the way to go.  Also, if you can, avoid much light if any at all as they are cave dwellers in their juvenile stage.  I wrote an article on these for WAMAS years ago.  Here’s a link: https://wamas.org/forums/blogs/entry/27-the-regal-angelfish-dave-lin/

[YHSublime]

My experience with them has been to not do anything other than a freshwater dip until they are solidly eating.  4-5” poses some additional difficulties as well as it is probably firmly set already in its diet and not as likely to eat what is offered.  For the first 30-60 days I would say give it whatever you can and present it in a way that it might eat accidentally by squishing it to rocks where it picks at things.  Once you fatten it up and have conditioned it then start QT treatments.  If it is in the company of aggressive eaters or other fish that might be too bold it may not get comfortable enough to eat so solo or with smaller more docile fish is the way to go.  Also, if you can, avoid much light if any at all as they are cave dwellers in their juvenile stage.  I wrote an article on these for WAMAS years ago.  Here’s a link: https://wamas.org/forums/blogs/entry/27-the-regal-angelfish-dave-lin/

Are all juvenile Angelfish cave dwellers?


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[davelin315]

5 hours ago, YHSublime said:

Are all juvenile Angelfish cave dwellers?


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It’s more that their food source is located in cave like areas and overhangs so they stick to these areas is my understanding.  Given they are spongivores/tunicatevores (is that second even a word?) their behavior and habitat is greatly influenced by where they can find their food.

[moga]

i have been keeping the regal angel for 5 years now.. i started out with giving them real tiger shrimp cut in small pieces.. and Mussels and squid pack from Asian market. 

just leave in the corner and see if he/she eats it. now my angel fish eats off my finger tips.. brine shrimp, pallet, marine fish formula, Nori.. .. 

 

good luck .. he/she needs to eat something to gain some weight.

Edited May 7, 2020 by moga