New Mag - What To Feed?

[vertwake]

We just got our 2nd Mag after the first one ended in disaster. (Pretty sure the last one got too cold during shipping and never recovered. Mouth gaped the entire time, and then it just kind of disintegrated. Made a HORRIBLE mess. We were really bummed about the loss.)

We've never had a nem before so we're pretty stressed, especially after the last round was a complete fail. Trying to do everything we can to make sure this one makes it. This one looks night and day better than the previous one we received from a different vendor. Hasn't deflated at all. Attached right away. Mouth is closed up tight as a button. We ran it for the first 48 hours with no light. Today we finally turned on the lights, but I have several layers screening it from full blast. Plan on gradually removing them. Still pretty early in, but we're hoping this one is successful.

Couple of questions:
1. What should we feed it? I've read shrimp, scallops, silversides, etc. Do you just buy those at the grocery store and chop them up? Anything in particular to watch out for, to do/not do?

2. How soon do we start feeding it? It doesn't seem interested in mysis or Rod's food, they just blow away. But maybe it's too early to be feeding it yet...

3. Will the tentacles sting you, or are they safe to touch when you try to feed it?

Thanks

[vertwake]

Full Tank Shot

[garygb]

It looks good in the pic. I hope it settles in for you. As far as food, all the things you mentioned are fine. You can buy fresh trout at the seafood dept., fresh shrimp too. Silversides come from the lfs. It's not unusual for a mag not to eat for a week or so when newly introduced into a tank. I would just try a fresh piece of meat, such as shrimp, squid, or silverside daily until it eats. Place the food item near the mouth on the inner tentacles. A small piece the size of a pea is a good start until it starts grabbing and eating with vigor. As far as the sting, the only time I've had welts with mine is when I've touched thinner skin like the back of my hand or inside of my wrist. Fingers have thick skin and shouldn't be a problem. I use feeding tongs to feed mine, but at first you might want to use your hand for more precise placement. I would say, a fresh piece of shrimp is likely to be more eagerly ingested compared to a piece of frozen food that's been in the freezer for a while. they don't like old food that's freezer burned.

[vertwake]

It looks good in the pic. I hope it settles in for you. As far as food, all the things you mentioned are fine. You can buy fresh trout at the seafood dept., fresh shrimp too. Silversides come from the lfs. It's not unusual for a mag not to eat for a week or so when newly introduced into a tank. I would just try a fresh piece of meat, such as shrimp, squid, or silverside daily until it eats. Place the food item near the mouth on the inner tentacles. A small piece the size of a pea is a good start until it starts grabbing and eating with vigor. As far as the sting, the only time I've had welts with mine is when I've touched thinner skin like the back of my hand or inside of my wrist. Fingers have thick skin and shouldn't be a problem. I use feeding tongs to feed mine, but at first you might want to use your hand for more precise placement. I would say, a fresh piece of shrimp is likely to be more eagerly ingested compared to a piece of frozen food that's been in the freezer for a while. they don't like old food that's freezer burned.

Thanks!

[LesMartin]

I would say, a fresh piece of shrimp is likely to be more eagerly ingested compared to a piece of frozen food that's been in the freezer for a while. they don't like old food that's freezer burned.

How true. Mine won't eat previously frozen mussels at all but give it a fresh one and down it goes. FWIW I've found that finicky eaters will almost always react to a piece of squid.

[OrionN]

Most important is not to over feed him. I would not recommend any more that two pencil erasers size every two days to start with. Once he eat well then you can increase it. It really set them back badly if you over feed them.