Longspine Cardinal Won't Eat

FishDad2 · #1 09/21/2005, 01:37 PM

It's been in the tank for a week now and still hasn't eaten a bite. It's offered at a couple of frozen brine shrimp but spit them right out.

I've offered frozen brine shrimp, prime reef and flakes. I've also soaked the food in VitaChem, Kent Marine C and Zoe Marine but, while the other fish have enjoyed the dietary variety, the Longspine hasn't eaten.

As well, I don't see the fish being bullied by any other tankmates...it just hangs out all day and is essentially ignored by the other fish.

I was planning to add several to form a small school in the tank, but if they're fussy eaters...

Any experience wih this breed or suggestions?

jgoodrich71 · #2 09/21/2005, 02:05 PM

Used to be that you couldn't kill them. Several years ago they started doing this. No matter what I tried, they would just starve themselves. If you get another, get one that is tank raised. You will pay alot more for it, but then again how much did you pay for this soon to be dead one.

They are also not a good fish to have a school of. If you get two that pair up, they will kill the rest.

FishDad2 · #3 09/21/2005, 03:29 PM

Interesting...the descriptions I'd read said they'd form a school with a strict hierarchy but would do so without aggression.

I think perhaps I'll let this one run its course and move on with another choice.

Any suggestions for a small, non-agressive schooling fish for the reef tank? I liked the longspine because it supposedly fit those criteria and it's not all that common...I'm looking for something other than the typical reef chromis and hopefully something that won't grow to a large size given that I want to keep the fish load in the tank relatively light.

The longspine seemed like a good choice...apparently not.

Thanks

fishfanv · #4 09/21/2005, 04:31 PM

i've heard, but could have heard wrong, that firefish school if you get them in large enough groups. this may or may not be true and if it is i do not know if they would form groups w/o aggression. i guess you'd have to research it more if indeed you were interested in a school of this kind of fish.

TheGrimmReefer · #5 09/21/2005, 05:36 PM

I would love to have a school of firefish (only have 1 right now) but have always heard that they fight if not kept in pairs (even then they can fight). It seems pretty weird to me, because I think they school in the wild. I would think that so long as they each have their own "bolt-hole" it would work in a meduim sized or larger tank, but evidently they do not carry over the schooling behavior in the aquarium. It is a shame, because otherwise they are small, peaceful fish that hover in the water column and would make for a stunning display if schooling were possible.

Jawfish are peaceful, reef safe (except when they spit sand over corals) and gregarious, and "technically" small fish. Though by aquarium standards, I would rate them as more like a small/mid-sized fish.

If there is some kind of Anthias species that gets to be 3" or less, that might be something to consider, although it would probably be one of those more obscure, difficult species if there is one that stays that small.

The last group I can think of off the top of my head (beside Chromis and Cardinals) would be a harem of fairy wrasses (small, reef safe, peaceful, make sure tank is covered for jumping), but that can get pricey if you pick an exotic species, which are of course the most desirable and beautiful ones.

ReeferMonkey · #6 09/21/2005, 08:29 PM

A local reefer has a school of 5 threadfins with no problems - he intends to add more once he upgrades to a larger system. All literature and anecdotes I've read/heard indicate they school well.

I too was hoping for a small armada of Longspines in my next system.

Sunburst Anthias are pretty neat and I'm pretty sure you can keep them in trios. Scissortail Gobies/Dartfish school nicely but aren't that colorful. I hear you on the Chromis - when small they're neat but they are damsels, after all.

TheGrimmReefer · #7 09/21/2005, 09:45 PM

Lol, just check out the Tank of the Month for February 2005 (Reefkeeping.com). There's living proof that it can be done. However, everything in this hobby is variable, and there is often more than a small amount of luck involved. But I have to agree with ReeferMonkey. I know that Bangaii Cardinals will not usually school, but I have always heard that if you were going to try your luck getting a group of Cardinals to school, then the Longspine was the way to go.

M68 · #8 09/21/2005, 10:34 PM

Do you mean Apogon leptacanthus? When I first got my three it was difficult to get them to eat too. What I did was give them gutloaded live brine, then once they were eating I would add cyclopeez with the brine. They eventualy got the point that it doesn't have to be moving to be food. I've even got them to eat flake.

Mine seem to school fine. They even try to school with my clownfish.

killagoby · #9 09/21/2005, 10:38 PM

Try feeding it live. Also use this: Entice. It worked great for getting my Fairy Wrasses to eat...

FishDad2 · #10 09/22/2005, 08:19 AM

Yes, Apogon leptacanthus.

I'll try some live brine shrimp tonight and see what happens. And Ill see if they have a small bottle of Entice and some cyclopeez at my local shop...can't hurt to give it a shot.

Does anyone know of a quality source for Apogon leptacanthus? Perhaps even tank raised? If I can get this one to eat, I may try to add some more, but the shop I got this one at "can't remember the last time" they had Longspines in, so...

Thanks

FishDad2 · #11 09/22/2005, 10:50 AM

Mine has a bit more blue in it than this one, but this is the troublemaker I'm talking about.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...atId=1428&cc=1

If the link doesn't work for some reason, you can go to the LiveAquarium website and search for apogon leptacanthus...that's how I found the page.

TacoKing · #12 09/22/2005, 11:00 AM

I have 9 in my tank and there is no aggression what so ever. Actually, I know two of the fish are holding eggs right now. They all stay close, don't fight and school great. I've been feeding flake ever since I got them and they took to it quite quickly. Just keep feeding the same food, they'll learn.. Or so we hope

FishDad2 · #13 09/22/2005, 11:08 AM

Thanks TacoKing...can you spare 3 or 4? :-)

Triggerman1964 · #14 09/22/2005, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FishDad2
Yes, Apogon leptacanthus.

I'll try some live brine shrimp tonight and see what happens. And Ill see if they have a small bottle of Entice and some cyclopeez at my local shop...can't hurt to give it a shot.

Does anyone know of a quality source for Apogon leptacanthus? Perhaps even tank raised? If I can get this one to eat, I may try to add some more, but the shop I got this one at "can't remember the last time" they had Longspines in, so...

Thanks

Try some raw jumbo shrimp cut up into small pieces.This is the main course for my cardinals.
It is hit or miss in getting cardinals to school.I have only had one pair get along.I just had to get rid of a large pyjama cardinal because my other pajama chased him to no end for months.His fins were constantly shredded.
They almost always have to be added at the same time.
Here's the fulll grown cardinal that I've had for four years.
He thinks the whole 100 gallon is his.He will ocassionally charge the coral beauty.

Good luck

dvmsn · #15 09/23/2005, 11:25 AM

I have four of these. This is my second group. I lost my first group after an equipment related tank crash. Both groups refused to eat for approximately a week and then only picked for a couple after that. Once established, they became hardy indiscriminate eaters (understanding I only feed frozen food) I had one in my second group that refused to eat for about a month. He got so skinny I was sure it would dye. One day it started eating and is still alive.

dougc · #16 09/23/2005, 12:30 PM

I have a school of six that I got from LiveAquaria. I think they are easier to acclimate in a group. They were very shy when I first got them. None of them ate much for the first day or two, but then one started eating frozen mysis, which is still their favorite. Once the first one started eating, the others started eating within a few days. Now they will eat just about anything, although there are a couple that still don't take flake food.

I think that these fish benefit from a period of quarantine where they are not competing with other fish for food. They are initially shy and slow to start picking at food. In a tank with other fish, the food is gone before they get a chance to sample the fare.

FishDad2 · #17 09/30/2005, 01:33 PM

Well, at least it's eating the live brine shrip...that's a start. Hopefully it will start eating the frozen stuff soon...I don't want to start a brine shrimp farm just to keep this one fish alive!!

Thanks everone for your suggestions.

FishDad2 · #18 10/08/2005, 01:37 PM

For anyone who might actually stil be reading this thread, the little bugger finally ate some mysis soaked in VitaChem two nights ago...just a nibble, but it was a start.

Fed the same last night and it ate a bunch more.

May have turned the corner...keeping the fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone.

dougc · #19 10/08/2005, 02:14 PM

Good news. It will eventually start behaving like a pirahna. It's amazing how fast these little buggers can cover six feet of tank when food drops in the water.