Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus) are notorious for frustrating aquarists with picky eating behaviors.Having a fish that refuses to eat anything offered—or having a specimen that had been eating suddenly lose all interest in food—is a problem virtually every marine aquarium hobbyist can expect to encounter at one time or another. While such “hunger strikes” can be extremely frustrating and disconcerting, they can usually be overcome with patience, persistence, and a little ingenuity. Here’s how: First, an ounce of prevention As regular salties know, I’ve emphasized the following point in many previous posts, but it bears repeating: It’s critical to make sure that any fish you’re planning to bring home is eating before you buy it. Ask the dealer to feed it right in front of you. This doesn’t guarantee the specimen won’t go off feed due to the stress of transfer, but at least you’ll know it had been eating (which means it will likely do so again) as well as what it was eating, which will give you a good starting point for reintroducing foods. Check water quality and watch for health issues A fish going off feed is often one of the first signs of a water-quality problem and should prompt one to test all parameters to ensure they’re in the appropriate ranges. Likewise, refusal to feed is a very common early symptom of disease, so it’s important to observe any hunger-striking specimen closely for other symptoms that might arise—and be prepared to treat as necessary. Match the food to the fish The more similar the food items being offered are to the fish’s natural diet, the more likely the specimen is to accept them. More: How to Handle a Hunger-Striking Saltwater Fish… More:
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