Tiny clownfish getting outcompeted for food

sunkim622 · 11/29/2017, 04:19 PM

I recently purchased a tiny (probably a little more than .5 inch) mocha clownfish for my nano. It's hosting my anemone and will rarely come out. It was raised on pellets so it won't really eat anything else. The problem I'm having is when I throw pellets in, the other fish eats all of it before he can get to it. I have another clownfish that is about 1.5" and he basically eats anything that comes near the anemone before the other one can get to it. Just wondering if anyone has suggestions on how to feed the little guy. I'm thinking about using a turkey baster and shooting a bunch of pellets into the anemone

humphreyhh · 11/29/2017, 04:22 PM

I had one almost that small too. I use turkey baster to squirt food around him. He is not afraid at all. Overtime he will come to the tube whenever I want to feed him. I have a 2 inch bigger one that doesn’t let him eat at all, but this method worked for me. Now he is 1.5 inch and they paired so no problem anymore.

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sunkim622 · 11/29/2017, 04:28 PM

That's my exact scenario. Bigger one is super fast and will eat everything before the little one can get to it. The smaller one seems to also have trouble locating the food. I'll try using the turkey baster today

Kinetic · 11/29/2017, 05:04 PM

how recent is recent? I've had new clowns that won't eat for almost a week, and then go to town once they're hungry enough. They'll eat anything eventually.

The only thing is, a .5" clown is probably really too small to be able to fend for himself against larger fish. At 1" they'd be OK. I would distract all the other fish with a bunch of food away from the mocha, and then target feed when the coast is clear.

sunkim622 · 11/29/2017, 05:41 PM

I've had him for almost 3 weeks now. I used to have a clownfish harem tank with a bunch of juvenilles and it was fine because most were around the same size but I'm finding out that having just one with other fish is tougher. So he ate like crazy at the LFS and he still eats when food comes to him but the problem is that it just never gets to him because he won't leave the anemone.

Kinetic · 11/30/2017, 12:11 AM

Well, I guess you have two options:
1. Hope he gets hungry enough to leave the anemone or he'll just die
2. Spot feed him while the others are busy

pfan151 · 11/30/2017, 08:22 AM

Have you tried flakes? I would be surprised if a CB clown would not take flakes and the flakes would take longer for the other fish to eat so the small one will have time to get some.

sunkim622 · 11/30/2017, 10:26 AM

Tried flakes before but ignores the small ones and the bigger ones are too big for its mouth. The only thing he really eats is pellets.

So I tried shooting some garlic soaked pellets into the anemone while putting in mysis for the other fish. It ate a few pellets which is pretty much all he needs. I guess I'll just keep doing this until he gets bigger lol

11/29/2017, 04:19 PM	#1
sunkim622 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 24	Tiny clownfish getting outcompeted for food I recently purchased a tiny (probably a little more than .5 inch) mocha clownfish for my nano. It's hosting my anemone and will rarely come out. It was raised on pellets so it won't really eat anything else. The problem I'm having is when I throw pellets in, the other fish eats all of it before he can get to it. I have another clownfish that is about 1.5" and he basically eats anything that comes near the anemone before the other one can get to it. Just wondering if anyone has suggestions on how to feed the little guy. I'm thinking about using a turkey baster and shooting a bunch of pellets into the anemone

11/29/2017, 04:22 PM	#2
humphreyhh Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 581	I had one almost that small too. I use turkey baster to squirt food around him. He is not afraid at all. Overtime he will come to the tube whenever I want to feed him. I have a 2 inch bigger one that doesn’t let him eat at all, but this method worked for me. Now he is 1.5 inch and they paired so no problem anymore. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11/29/2017, 04:28 PM	#3
sunkim622 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 24	That's my exact scenario. Bigger one is super fast and will eat everything before the little one can get to it. The smaller one seems to also have trouble locating the food. I'll try using the turkey baster today

11/29/2017, 05:04 PM	#4
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	how recent is recent? I've had new clowns that won't eat for almost a week, and then go to town once they're hungry enough. They'll eat anything eventually. The only thing is, a .5" clown is probably really too small to be able to fend for himself against larger fish. At 1" they'd be OK. I would distract all the other fish with a bunch of food away from the mocha, and then target feed when the coast is clear.

11/29/2017, 05:41 PM	#5
sunkim622 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 24	I've had him for almost 3 weeks now. I used to have a clownfish harem tank with a bunch of juvenilles and it was fine because most were around the same size but I'm finding out that having just one with other fish is tougher. So he ate like crazy at the LFS and he still eats when food comes to him but the problem is that it just never gets to him because he won't leave the anemone.

11/30/2017, 12:11 AM	#6
Kinetic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,230	Well, I guess you have two options: 1. Hope he gets hungry enough to leave the anemone or he'll just die 2. Spot feed him while the others are busy

11/30/2017, 08:22 AM	#7
pfan151 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: FL Posts: 1,897	Have you tried flakes? I would be surprised if a CB clown would not take flakes and the flakes would take longer for the other fish to eat so the small one will have time to get some.

11/30/2017, 10:26 AM	#8
sunkim622 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 24	Tried flakes before but ignores the small ones and the bigger ones are too big for its mouth. The only thing he really eats is pellets. So I tried shooting some garlic soaked pellets into the anemone while putting in mysis for the other fish. It ate a few pellets which is pretty much all he needs. I guess I'll just keep doing this until he gets bigger lol