Queston about regal angel

[psilentchild]

I bought my regal angel 2 weeks ago from bluezoo.Is it normal for them to skip a day of eating?Mine will eat good for about 3 days and then skip a day then eat for another 3 days.

[DGee]

Thats kind of odd... what are you feeding and how often? Maybe try a larger variety of food.

[psilentchild]

Is the main problem with these fish getting them to eat?Would this fish be better in a reef tank because my 430 gallon is fowlr?I have a buddy of mine that has a 100 gallon reef tank.My lfs has a 10 inch french that my buddy said he would by and trade with me.Should I trade or would he be ok in fowlr tank.He is eating though my kole tang was somewhat the same way in my qt but once he was moved to the dt he start being greedy.I feed a mixture of mysis shrimp,angel and butterfly mix,seaweed delight,emarald entree,and marine cusine.I also put nori in there but I'm not sure if he is eating it or my rabbitfish.

[gildorph]

I feed my regal a similar mixture and he is happy and healthy. If you recently picked him up, make sure he is actually eating these foods. FWIW mine won't touch pellet or flake food but eats anything frozen. He also tears up all types of marine algae. If indeed 3 good eating days and 1 day not eating is what you are observing, I wouldn't be overconcerned. You could always buy some live sponge and throw it in if you want to increase variety.

[psilentchild]

I sit there and watch him eat when I feed.So I know he is eating.Live sponge from where?Would that be something my lfs would sell?

[gildorph]

Good, then you know he is getting healthy food multiple times a week. Yes, some LFS do sell sponge, although the angel/butterfly mix should have sponge in it as well. If you just want to see him eat more or with more appetite, I had great success with clam or mussel on a half-shell put up like nori. Mine took months to go from a few bits of mysis to eating plenty of whatever is offered (except the flakes/pellets). I've heard and read this "finicky" eating is very common with regals and you just have to be patient and persistent. The fact yours is eating lots of frozen means you probably in good shape.

[psilentchild]

I guess I just have to give him time to eat more.Its sound like yours did the same thing for about a month.I cant wait till he goes into my DT.I have a blue hippo that come out of my qt in a week then the regal and orange spotted rabbitfish in two and a queen angel in 3 weeks.The queen angel and regal are not in the same qt if you are wonder.

[psilentchild]

My regal still wont eat but he grazes all day.He is still fat I have had him about a month now.What all could I but that he could graze on?The funny thing is that he begs for food when he see me just like all my other fish he just doesnt eat anything.

[Chihuahua6]

I'm a bit confused. You said he eats for a few days and then skips a day but your last post said he won't eat and just grazes. Which is it?

He will still look fat and healthy even if he is starving so don't go by that. Once I know the answer to the above question I can help you more.

[gildorph]

+1 on the confusion. I can again say from personal experience that my regal took almost two months of multiple small feedings a day (mysis, clam, mussel) to breakthrough into other prepared foods. That is why I stress patience. If by grazing you are referring to you have a lot of live rock with pods, sponge, etc he is is also intaking that as food.

[psilentchild]

Sorry about that he has stop eating all together and just grazes.What I meant was he is still not eating like I want him to.He stoped skipping a day about 2 weeks ago and just grazes off my LR.

[gildorph]

Ok, so zero eating of prepared foods that began for the first time 2 weeks ago after a period of eating every few days?

How big is your tank, how much and how "live" is the live rock that you have, what other fish do you have and what size is your regal? These things will help explain, a) what other food sources exist (e.g. are there other sponge eaters like dwarf angels or butterflys) b) how much competition c) is he having a chance to "learn" to eat prepared foods from other fish, which seems to happen sometimes.

Are you using any appetite enhancements like garlic and/or a seachem product called Entice?

[snorvich]

Will it eat Nori?