Blue jaw

jennmac415 · #1 01/11/2008, 01:36 PM

Well, yesterday, after eating like crazy the first night I had him and all the first day too, the new blue jaw spent most of the day hiding and did not eat. Of course, now I have overfed my tank trying to get him to eat ANYTHING at all...late in the day, he acted like he wanted to eat, but would spit out the food...

Today, he is out and about a little more, I overfed AGAIN.. trying to see what he liked... fed a variety of pellets, flakes, cycloppeze, mysis...blood worms..all soaked in garlic,... yes, way too much and I am sure my tank will be paying for it soon...anyway...he ate a little bit, but nothing like he did the first night and day... what is UP with the fish? It also, looks like there might have been some scuffling in the night because one of my Bowtie DAM sels looks a little roughed up....but ate like a pig... in fact, all my other fish are very happy I am overfeeding! LOL

Is he just still adjusting or is he sick???? I HOPE NOT!!!... He was at the store for over 2 months and I saw him eat at the store before I bought him...
please help me with my new Blue Jaw... I really want him to do well!

Thanks.

rustybucket145 · #2 01/11/2008, 01:52 PM

Be patient.... ever think that he might just be full?

Seriously though, give him some time alone with the other fish to settle in. Don't feed for a day or two, give him a chance to get hungry. Then feed him.

Also, triggers are very partial to squid, clams and that type of food. It's more natural to them than brine or mysis.

jennmac415 · #3 01/11/2008, 02:26 PM

aha... yes, he might just be full... never though of that... had always heard what pigs they were LOL Is there a frozen mix with those things in it... I really don't want to mess with buying it at the seafood counter right now, I might later on...

he is out swimming alot more today...not hiding... everyone is being very good, no fighting..

thanks!

crvz · #4 01/11/2008, 02:44 PM

Hey Jenni! Could be a couple of things, including the fish's comfort level in the new tank, being full (though probably not very likely

), or it could be an internal issue from either disease or collection methods (I pray it wasnt cyanide caught). Overfeeding for a few days is ok, but they're not known for having particularly picky diets.

jennmac415 · #5 01/11/2008, 02:49 PM

hey!!! you found me! LOL I am surely hoping he is still just adjusting and doesn't like pellet or flake food...he gave him frozen squid at the store... guess I need to get that...he actually just chased one of the DAMsels away from him, so I think he has some spunk...he is not hiding at all today ... yesterday he hid most of the day... good sign right????

crvz · #6 01/11/2008, 02:57 PM

not a bad sign. good luck!!

rustybucket145 · #7 01/11/2008, 03:04 PM

sounds like you're on the road!! You need to find a pet store that sells larger fish, like sharks, groupers or rays. They will almost always have squid or clams packaged. Also, there's a saltwater multi-pack that I've found at petsmart before that has squid as one of the packs.

jennmac415 · #8 01/11/2008, 05:30 PM

I bought a flat pack of squid at the LFS that I work at every other weekend.... I have not tried it with him yet... figured I will wait awhile so he is good and hungry...I will let you know.

jennmac415 · #9 01/11/2008, 08:19 PM

OK, just tried him with the squid... He went after it...and ate it... problem is, he is still kind of a timid eater and all my other little pigs are eating machines... and they also loved it. So, now my problem is how to make sure that he gets it and not the other "pig-fish"???? they are all surely about to burst!

sean48183 · #10 01/11/2008, 08:56 PM

He will get it and probably out eat all of them in no time. Just be patient. I didn't see my snowflake eel for 3 days after I dropped him in now I see him too much.

jennmac415 · #11 01/11/2008, 09:22 PM

Thanks, I realy hope so, I just think he is so cute! All of my other fish are really "buds" so he is kindof the odd man out right now... they are NOT showing any aggression towards him though so hopefully they can all be one big happy family soon.

jennmac415 · #12 01/11/2008, 09:53 PM

he keeps looking for more food... but if I feed him again...the rest will probably get it instead... I can't stand it though... i know he is hungry and actually got a taste for something he likes... what do I do?

jennmac415 · #13 01/11/2008, 10:16 PM

anyone????

Reeftanks6 · #14 01/11/2008, 10:32 PM

maybe he does not like the food you are giving him try something else

jennmac415 · #15 01/11/2008, 10:36 PM

noooo.... if you read... I finally found something he likes but all the rest of my tank gluttonly eats it too...how can I feeds him and be sure he gets it and not the rest of my little piggies???

Reeftanks6 · #16 01/11/2008, 10:39 PM

feed a little more then you do and feed on both sides of the tank

DrBegalke · #17 01/11/2008, 10:39 PM

I think it will just take a few days until he adjusts.

My blue jaw really liked shrimp, I just used a bad of small shrimp from the grocery store...

jennmac415 · #18 01/11/2008, 10:42 PM

I have way over fed for the last 2 days trying to get this little blue jaw to eat... finally I bought some squid and he loves it... problem is so does everyone else...but I can tell he is still hungry...do I feed again?

Reeftanks6 · #19 01/11/2008, 10:46 PM

how can you tell just do your regular feeding and then maybe one extra a day just to get him use to it and feed on both sides and maybe the fish will go every other way and he will come out and nip at some

jennmac415 · #20 01/11/2008, 10:48 PM

I can tell because now, after finally getting a taste of the squid that he liked he keeps looking at the water's surface... just looking looking for food...he did not eat all yesterday, no matter what I put on the tank

skey44 · #21 01/11/2008, 11:18 PM

if hes on the surface he'll get it right? I over fed my tank for 6 weeks trying to get my Regal Angel to eat (he eventually did yay!)... you aint got it that bad with this blue jaw. ime the blue jaws or a more timid trigger (relative remember) and it takes a little time to get them out of the rocks and what not (especially if he didn't qt first and just got dumped into a big tank of "buds" straight outa the ocean from an online retailer). The reason they are "reef safe" is because unlike other triggers this one is a planktonivore- like most fish we keep in reefs, therefore he will prefer plankton like food(I like mysis shrimp) If hes eating something just keep up with it until he gets enough... just don't throw food at him if he;s not eating simple right? O yeah on another note triggers often carry many internal parasites so i recommend giving that mysis a soak in praziquantinel and metrondiazole for a few days- turn off the skimmer for the prazi it will go "nuts" for an hour or so if on. I have also had these fish eat themselves sick before to... so on another note he might really be full.