Anthias not eating a lot

[MarineTeng]

My sunburst anthias won't eat much at a time, he'll eat 1 maybe 2 frozen mysid shrimp and then lay underneath some rocks, wondering if this is normal for the first few days or should i be worried, i don't want to address this when it's already too late, should i raise my rock so there's more overhangs and stuff?

 

[barrierreefcf]

You might try some frozen or dried cyclop-eze also. Most anthias and chromis go crazy over it. Sunbursts are notoriously shy when first introduced. As long as the other fish aren't bothering it he should become more bold with time. You don't want it to become weak from lack of food in the meantime.

 

[NaH2O]

This thread started off discussing Sunburst Anthias: Anthias Compatability

I agree with Cy, give the sunburst a few more days to acclimate, make sure it has plenty of hiding spots, and try some frozen cyclopeeze. How long have you had it?

 

[MarineTeng]

ya i have a lot of rocks and such with tunnels more than ledges and such, but he tends to like one place, he's started venturing a bit more and i've seen him come out a bit, i'll pick up some cyclop eeze though and see how he does it it, nothing is pikcing on him, all i have in there is a blue tang, 2 bond pair at least ocellaris, and the 7 chromis and a cleaner shrimp

 

[Snowboarda42]

ya i have a lot of rocks and such with tunnels more than ledges and such, but he tends to like one place, he's started venturing a bit more and i've seen him come out a bit, i'll pick up some cyclop eeze though and see how he does it it, nothing is pikcing on him, all i have in there is a blue tang, 2 bond pair at least ocellaris, and the 7 chromis and a cleaner shrimp

Please tell me you don't have 11 fish in a 30G.

As for eating, try garlic (my anthias love it) with the Mysis. I use a garlic press and end up with about 3-4 mysis size chunks with the 1/2cube of mysis. Also, your LFS might sell something called SweetWater Zooplankton

My fish look like their on crack when I feed this. I don't even use garlic with it.

Otherwise, give him some time to adjust. Anthias are really shy in the beggining but now mine follow me from end to end, and hide when someone they don't know is over.

Picture Whore Time!

Frozen Cyclop-eeze is great too.

 

[TWallace]

I can vouch for anthias LOVING frozen cyclopeeze. I feed that to my goniopora and my two squammipinnis anthias practically attack the turkey baster trying to get at the cyclopeeze. I feed the fish other food on the far side of the tank from the goniopora to distract them from the goniopora, but the anthias always spot me feeding it and charge over. Here's one of the nuisances caught in action:

 

[MarineTeng]

ya, they're not all in a 30, it's a 55 and given 7 of them are small chromis all together eating less than my tang probably, i'm going to get some cyclopeeze

 

[MarineTeng]

alright, i just thought i'd let you all know that my anthias has become more bold with time, hopefully even more later and i see him out now before i walk into the room, though when i come next to it he slowly goes back to his hiding place, he's been accepting frozen mysis, and i still haven't quite gotten around to getting cyclopeeze though i will since i'm now out of mysis as of yesterday, thanks all for your help