I got my first 2 fish for my display tank this weekend. They are in quarantine right now (and for a while.) We bought 2 pajama cardinalfish and are they ever cute! Thanks to everyone for helping me get to this point!
First Fish!
- Thread starter becky_e
- Start date
It's so much nicer to read about new fish when you had the sense to put them in a q-tank. Good job.
Take this time to get to know them and let them get used to you and "the big giant hand". Feed 'em really well but not too much- variety in food is the key to good health.
Take this time to get to know them and let them get used to you and "the big giant hand". Feed 'em really well but not too much- variety in food is the key to good health.
OK, thanks... how often should I be feeding them? I've been doing about 2 feedings of frozen food a day. They eat all the food that I give them. I am only giving them meaty frozen foods because the book I read said no flakes or pellets.
Heh... Would anybody recommend what ratio of cocktail shrimp (cut up fine), frozen mysis, and live baby brine shrimp to feed pajama cardinals?
I can only speak for myself, but I feed all my fish the same way.
I do feed them 2-3 times per day, but I stand/sit there and drop it in piece by piece s-l-o-w-l-y until somebody misses something they could have easily gotten. Then I think they've had enough.
Fish in quarantine are stressed, and introduction to a new environment (even one as special as the reef tank I have created) is also stressful. So I use quarantine as a time to build them up as healthily as possible. To that end I may offer food even 4-5 times per day but in only one or two bites at a time.
You know yourself best. If you cannot help but overfeed and consistently find food on the bottom or haven't the time to feed this way then maybe my method is not best for you, and a simple once a day might be best.
My marine q-tank fish get Formulas 1&2, Prime Reef, frozen mysis, minced frozen silversides/squid/shrimp etc from the grocer, live (gutloaded) brine shrimp, nori sheets, broccoli, live blackworms- and anything else I might have in my hand that I think they will eat. I try never to feed the same foods two days in a row.
I also vacuum my barebottomed q-tank everyday and change a small portion of the water.
I do feed them 2-3 times per day, but I stand/sit there and drop it in piece by piece s-l-o-w-l-y until somebody misses something they could have easily gotten. Then I think they've had enough.
Fish in quarantine are stressed, and introduction to a new environment (even one as special as the reef tank I have created) is also stressful. So I use quarantine as a time to build them up as healthily as possible. To that end I may offer food even 4-5 times per day but in only one or two bites at a time.
You know yourself best. If you cannot help but overfeed and consistently find food on the bottom or haven't the time to feed this way then maybe my method is not best for you, and a simple once a day might be best.
My marine q-tank fish get Formulas 1&2, Prime Reef, frozen mysis, minced frozen silversides/squid/shrimp etc from the grocer, live (gutloaded) brine shrimp, nori sheets, broccoli, live blackworms- and anything else I might have in my hand that I think they will eat. I try never to feed the same foods two days in a row.
I also vacuum my barebottomed q-tank everyday and change a small portion of the water.