Yellow Longnose butterfly not eating

[stoney7713]

I'm looking for ideas, I received him Friday from NYaquatics. He had a pelvic fin injury but it looks to be healing ok.

I've tried black worms, mysis, BBS, clam, masstick, spirulina mysis, ROE and oyster feast, I've used garlic, and I'm running out of ideas. He nibbles at best.

I took the chaeto out of the refugium and harvested pods and amphipods and he did eat those better but not great.

I've read they don't like quarantine tanks but due to his injury I wanted to watch him for a bit. He is in it with a Copperband who is eating okay and half his size. No aggression, they sometimes swim along together.

Should I try to introduce him to the DT to see if he would be more comfortable there?

I plan on trying white worms tomorrow and I have frozen butterfly mix too.

I've also ran doses of general cure in the quarantine tank.

A bit lost on what else to try.

 

[EliMelly]

It seems to me that you tried everything… display tank might be only option if you’re not worried about disease.

 

[stoney7713]

It seems to me that you tried everything… display tank might be only option if you’re not worried about disease.

I haven't seen any signs of disease or parasites. He looks healthy otherwise. Good colors, I don't see any beak damage. But of course it doesn't mean he doesn't have any.

I figured the pods would have got him really eating, it did the CB. He poked around at them and just didn't seem super interested.

He does go around the tank eyeballing food, side eye, like looking for it, at it, like he's thinking about it, just isn't eating really.

If it's the last option I might try putting him in the DT.

 

[ninjamyst]

What fish do you have in your display? I would never put a fish thats not eating into my main display. Fish may be sick. Fish is probably shy which means it will get bullied.

If anything I would get your copperband out so it's the only fish in your QT and you can feed it without worrying that the copperband is bullying it or taking all the food. Just because you don't see aggression when you are looking doesn't mean it ain't happening when you are not looking.

 

[stoney7713]

What fish do you have in your display? I would never put a fish thats not eating into my main display. Fish may be sick. Fish is probably shy which means it will get bullied.

If anything I would get your copperband out so it's the only fish in your QT and you can feed it without worrying that the copperband is bullying it or taking all the food. Just because you don't see aggression when you are looking doesn't mean it ain't happening when you are not looking.

I had a divider in the tank, I look it out to see if having a tank mate eating might help the LNB eat. The copperband isn't at all aggressive eating, I'm still working with him, but does eat.

 

[stoney7713]

@tbrown what's your suggestion

 

[tbrown]

The last picky eater I had wouldn't eat anything (Leopard Wrasse). I got some Oyster Feast at one of the he local CFM shows and decided to dump a tablespoon in the tank she was in. She was all over that. After a couple of days she started eating everything.

I know Longnose Butterflies are slow, picky eaters usually. Have you tried printing something like the Mandarin feeders?

 

[stoney7713]

The last picky eater I had wouldn't eat anything (Leopard Wrasse). I got some Oyster Feast at one of the he local CFM shows and decided to dump a tablespoon in the tank she was in. She was all over that. After a couple of days she started eating everything.

I know Longnose Butterflies are slow, picky eaters usually. Have you tried printing something like the Mandarin feeders?

No I haven't, I have tried with flow on, flow off, dump food in front of him, sprinkle it on a rock.

He looks at it, he might nibble, but mostly side eye it like what the heck is this! Food??

 

[Tamberav]

@tbrown what's your suggestion

White worms, its the only thing my two butterflies will eat even though I have had them awhile now... well that and natural worms on the rock like feather dusters.

I bought from here and it came with enough to feed right away while culturing more at the same time.

Live White Worm Starter Culture in 3 Cup Container - for live fish food and more | eBay

This is a starter culture. Live white worm starter culture in 3 cup container. My husband and I started with white worms as the result of a catastrophe. Our reef tank busted unexpectedly. Sadly, we ended up losing a few fish.

www.ebay.com

 

[stoney7713]

White worms, its the only thing my two butterflies will eat even though I have had them awhile now... well that and natural worms on the rock like feather dusters.

I bought from here and it came with enough to feed right away while culturing more at the same time.

Live White Worm Starter Culture in 3 Cup Container - for live fish food and more | eBay

This is a starter culture. Live white worm starter culture in 3 cup container. My husband and I started with white worms as the result of a catastrophe. Our reef tank busted unexpectedly. Sadly, we ended up losing a few fish.

www.ebay.com

I have a white worm culture I bought a few weeks ago, it's not doing real well but I'll try to harvest some.

 

[Tamberav]

I have a white worm culture I bought a few weeks ago, it's not doing real well but I'll try to harvest some.

Try and it and see, if it works, buy from the seller above (or they are on etsy), it comes with an absolute TON of worms and are doing well for me. I didn't have much luck with other sellers. Also I have seen zero of those annoying flies some sellers have. Seems like a nice clean high density culture. They are actually the wife of a member on here (I wish my husband would grow worms for me lol).