[jedimasterben]

Had him nearly two weeks now and he hasn't eaten a single feeder I've put in the tank for him. I keep seeing the feeders disappearing, but then I find them later dead on the bottom or stuck to the filter intake.

Literally, he had a feeder sitting on his head earlier. Then, the three feeders I have in there now seemed to be schooling with him! Then, my leopard ctenopoma decided to stalk the feeders and used him as cover! I wish I had a better camera to try and capture all of this!

I'm starting to get a little worried about him. I know that fish can go two weeks without eating and be ok, I just don't know why he isn't actively stalking prey yet. I've even held feeders in front of him with tweezers and he doesn't even turn and look!

I think I'm going to go and get him his own 20gal high and see if I can scape it to be a little more his style (plus, it'll give me another tank I can plant ). I have a 10gal tank set up as a hospital right now, but I think it's far too small for him to enjoy, plus keeping his specific water parameters in check would be more difficult.

Maybe once my other ctenopoma becomes better (swim bladder issues, starving him now and added some copper to treat any possible bacterial/fungal infections [he had a fungus on him before his swim bladder issues]), I can put him in the 10gal temporarily and see if he starts eating.

If he doesn't, I may have to force feed him, but I'm not sure how I would force a live fish into his throat, or what could happen if I do so. Anyone have any experience with that?

 

[WallaceGrover]

You say "feeder" but what are you actually using, specifically?

 

[jedimasterben]

Small guppies. 1/4" to 1/2" in length.

 

[zachary908]

Try ghost shrimp and live insects.

 

[WallaceGrover]

Ok, maybe you should try something different. Here is a list of food I found on mongobay:

Live; small fish, mosquito larvae, earthworms, aquatic insects, Tubifex , crustaceans


http://fish.mongabay.com/nandidae.htm

 

[jedimasterben]

Try ghost shrimp and live insects.

He doesn't go to the bottom or middle of the tank where the ghost shrimp are, he stays at the surface with his head pointing down at all times unless I chase him to the bottom (in which case he doesn't pay attention to anything down there except getting the hell away from me, and goes right back up to the top).

Ok, maybe you should try something different. Here is a list of food I found on mongobay:

Live; small fish, mosquito larvae, earthworms, aquatic insects, Tubifex , crustaceans


http://fish.mongabay.com/nandidae.htm

Please see above. I have not tried insects yet, but I have no reliable source of them, except for crickets, which he didn't touch when I found one in my house and dropped him in a few days ago.

I do need to find a good source of live worms, however, for my new eel I got Sunday. Just wish I could find one locally.

 

[zachary908]

How big is he currently?

 

[jedimasterben]

How big is he currently?

Fully grown, 4" long.

 

[zachary908]

There's a good chance he will go for worms. I know you said he doesn't go to the bottom, but I'd still try ghost shrimp, typically they love them.

Also, where did you get the leaf fish, and what did they have it feeding on?

 

[jedimasterben]

There's a good chance he will go for worms. I know you said he doesn't go to the bottom, but I'd still try ghost shrimp, typically they love them.

Also, where did you get the leaf fish, and what did they have it feeding on?

I just put another 9x ghost shrimp in there today, in addition to the ~12 in there before, so he has the option.


He was purchased from my LFS that stocks from Segrest Farms (I picked him up about 10 minutes after he arrived, so the LFS never even took him out of the shipping bag), I will go tomorrow and have her call Segrest and see what they gave him to eat, I never even thought of that lol.

 

[zachary908]

He was purchased from my LFS that stocks from Segrest Farms (I picked him up about 10 minutes after he arrived, so the LFS never even took him out of the shipping bag), I will go tomorrow and have her call Segrest and see what they gave him to eat, I never even thought of that lol.

Oh, if that's the case I wouldn't be worried honestly... He probably just needs more time to adjust, just keep trying. Segrest knows their stuff, so they should be able to help you out. roud:

 

[jedimasterben]

Oh, if that's the case I wouldn't be worried honestly... He probably just needs more time to adjust, just keep trying. Segrest knows their stuff, so they should be able to help you out. roud:

This is why I only buy fish from my LFS or Petsmart, as both stock from Segrest, and they are just a phone call away! My LFS' rep always answers and is incredibly knowledgeable about their stock.

How much more time should he need, though? It's almost been two weeks, and he won't even start exploring the rest of the tank, minus the fact that the first five days he spent at the right side of the tank, now he's on the left side lol.

 

[jasonpatterson]

If you look around outside, can you find a container that has collected water? If so you should be able to get some mosquito/midge larvae to try feeding it. Just a thought.

 

[jedimasterben]

Haha, I live on top of Lake Okeechobee, this town is mosquito central, so that won't be a problem. I will ask my grandpa about a good place to get earthworms (I remember him telling me about a place to buy grass [ghost] shrimp for ~$1 per bucket full at an old fishing place here), if anyone knows, he will.

 

[JasonG75]

Try floating dried shrimp, MINE loves em.

JUST some info..These guys LOVE hiding spots, loves heavily planted tanks. They are also nocturnal (hints such big eyes) they will sit there in a almost vertical position and WAIT for prey to come around. THEY love to HUNT.

 

[jedimasterben]

Try floating dried shrimp, MINE loves em.

JUST some info..These guys LOVE hiding spots, loves heavily planted tanks. They are also nocturnal (hints such big eyes) they will sit there in a almost vertical position and WAIT for prey to come around. THEY love to HUNT.

Pretty sure we're talking about two different fish. You don't have a leaf fish if he eats non-live food.

Also, they are not nocturnal, they are diurnal.

 

[JasonG75]

Pretty sure we're talking about two different fish. You don't have a leaf fish if he eats non-live food.

Also, they are not nocturnal, they are diurnal.

You have much to learn about the Force.

"my leopard ctenopoma decided to stalk the feeders"
Also known as Spotted Climbing Perch, Spotted Bushfish and Leopard Ctenopoma. YES we are talking about the same FISH!!!


This is WHAT you're speaking OF right?

"Carnivores, Leopard Ctenopomas will eat live, frozen, and prepared foods such as krill or ocean plankton, as well as floating pellet food."

"These fish must have generous sources of hiding spots in driftwood, cavernous rocks and the like to be able to rest and lurk. Being nocturnal fishes (hence the large eyes) they enjoy a very densely planted tank in which to slide amongst the shadows. They are semi-aggressive, but can be good tank mates with other fish as long as the Ctenopoma has plenty of its own private caves/crevices which it will guard diligently. As well, tank mates should be larger than the Ctenopoma or else they will most certainly become a meal. The Ctenopoma does best with other fish who have mild temperaments, as this fish will fight when challenged."

 

[jedimasterben]

This is WHAT you're speaking OF right?

"Carnivores, Leopard Ctenopomas will eat live, frozen, and prepared foods such as krill or ocean plankton, as well as floating pellet food."

Forgive me, I did indeed mention the ctenopoma (leaf fish is an awful misnomer for them, I hate how Petsmart and the like label them, they are not leaf fish nor even somewhat related to them), however, the thread is about a South American leaf fish, monocirrhus polyacanthus.

Though I'm pretty sure I jinxed the second ctenopoma eating pellets as he started spitting them out this morning.

 

[JasonG75]

monocirrhus polyacanthus.

Ahh ok then..

 

[jedimasterben]

Attempt one at getting the leaf fish to eat:

Just suspended him in the net and dumped ~2 dozen feeders in there with him. He actually seemed to try and avoid them!

Attempt two:

Left him with 8 tiny feeders and three large ones. One of the big feeders died in there, so I took them all out and put them in my 10gal hospital tank with the sick ctenopoma (it's a swim bladder issue, so it won't spread). Hopefully he will start eating them in there. It's a lot darker than the other tank (one of the ballasts in the hood stopped working), so it may be better for him. *crosses fingers*