Feeding the Predator Community Tank

[dabossinokc]

Question that is related......I have a predator tank with V Lion Fish, African Mappa Puffer, Clown Trigger, Green Bird Wrasse. So my question is. The Clown Trigger is the "rudest PIG" that you ever did see. He will hover over the food and fight anyone including the puffer that is 10 times his size so that he can eat every last piece of whatever I am feeding. He eats sooo much that his bottom fin can't even go back in. Once he is done with his meal that was intended for the entire tank. He almost goes totally pale and attaches himself to a rock pretty much lifeless so he can digest the meal he just ate. I actually thought he had eaten himself to death last night because when I looked at him he almost looked catatonic until I saw him look at me. Now this can't be good and I don't know what to do because I have tried netting him to the other side of the tank but he always manages to monger the rest of the food in the tank. Now what I have fed so far is frozen, silversides, krill, and frozen trigger formula. 2nd question is the V. Lion fish is pretty dosile and he never gets any food during meal time because of the aggressiveness level of the other fish. He won't take food on a feeding stick. Any suggestions?

[leebca]

I started a new thread with your post, since the thread it was attached to was pretty old.

Feeding any community tank where there are 'bullies' or what I call assertive fishes and where there are docile fishes is a problem. This is one of the more subtle reasons for so much caution given to just what fish can be put in with other fishes.

Sometimes a single Triggerfish or Wrasse will just push away other predators to get at the foods they want. That is, after all, their predator instinct. These fish actively hunt and attack. But in the tank you speak about, there are predators that sit and wait for their food to approach (the Lionfishes) and fish in between. These two extreme types of predators don't do well together in the same tank, as you've already noticed.

It won't work in the long run until you decide that either you want the more docile predators or more active predators in the tank. Then take out/remove the opposites.

Some temporary 'fixes' are to get the bullies into a feeding frenzy in the corner of the tank where you can slip in a clear plastic, solid divider forming a 'triangle' column with the corner. Trapped in the corner the bullies are physically separated from the other eaters. You can then feed the rest of the fishes and accomplish two things at one time: not overfeed the bullies and making sure the rest get their foods. This will become tedious. Also, the smarter fish will learn what you are doing and find ways to avoid being trapped. The first suggestion would be best for all (all fishes and the aquarist) and that would be to separate the two extreme types of predators.

Even though the above is a generality, the fish 'personality' has to be figured in, too. Even though the fish may be of the 'bully kind' its personality can be more relaxed and lay-back in the aquarium. It seems your bully fish has both traits -- naturally an active predator AND a boost in personality to get into a feeding frenzy.

[dabossinokc]

Thanks for forming a new thread. So what about him going pale and becoming still after overeating....Is this normal? I mean he turns stark white almost.

[Ixthys]

I do not turn off my pumps when I feed (not that you do, just that many folks do this). Instead, I add the food in front of the pump inlet so that the pump blows the food all over the tank. This spreads food everywhere and forces the fish to separate. Plus, they love the thrill of the chase!

[leebca]

A fish's reaction after overeating can vary. I think off hand it could be signs the fish is on the edge of a heart attack or negative reaction to the intake. The compacting/over-filling of the digestive track can have serious negative side effects. Does this fish do the same even when you only provide a small portion for it to eat? What does its fecal matter look like (like the food was when eaten? or truly digested)? Have you ever seen the fish regurgitate (vomit) up some food? Has the fish been de-wormed?

I've never seen a fish do this specific thing, but I've seen some other peculiar behavior after eating.

[dabossinokc]

The fish does not do this if I just put a tiny bit of food in the tank. What he eats when he does do this is usually what is intended for everyone in the tank So his name which is "rude" fits him well when it comes to feeding time. The next time I feed I am just going to have to seperate him totally by stirring his curiousity in another part of the tank. The rest of the fish in the tank only eat normal portions and feed normally. I have not dewormed him, Actually I don't think I even know how to do that. Please elaborate.

[dabossinokc]

Was trying to feed the lion fish tonight and of course "rude" wanted to entice himself. So my GF put a net around him on the other side and the little bugger jump out of the tank over it and swam to where I was feeding the lion fish. I believe I have a "one of a kind" clown trigger on my hands.

[leebca]

I had thought of luring the fish to another part of the tank during feeding time, but I thought it not worth mentioning. With a fish so frenzied for food, the lure would likely be useless. I've done the 'fake out' routine before on tangs and Butterflyfishes, but I doubt it would have much success with a fast-moving, very aware, and frenzied Triggerfish.

De-worming is easy. Covered here: Strange Excrement from Fish -or- How to be a Super Pooper Snooper

Sometimes when a fish is infected with intestinal worms, it overeats to compensate for the nutrition that the worms are taking. It's worth doing on all fishes from the wild. It's a one-time process and once done doesn't have to be repeated. Quarantined fish should be thus treated before getting into a tank/display with the fish that have already been de-wormed.

A Lionfish that eats whole fish can easily be treated by stuffing the medicine inside a living marine feeder fish for the Lion to immediately eat. Dosage details are in the above post.

Good luck!