New Fish!

Another question: So for awhile I'm thinking Spike is going to be really shy. How should I try to feed him? He was eating Mysis shrimp at the LFS. This morning when I fed my tank he hid down on the sand in the back of the tank. I wanted to try to squirt some food in front of his face, but all my other fish eat all the food before it even gets within 5 inches of Spike's face.

So, how should I get food to him? I also think as soon as he sees the feeder tube he's going to freak out and hide.

 

Give him a couple days. It may be 2-3 days before he thinks about eating - the fish will be fine. The less you poke at him the more relaxed he will be. Takes a couple days for some fish to settle in - my record was bout 4 days for my diamond goby. I didn't see much of him at all, and any time he poked out and saw anything he darted for cover. Now he stares at me and makes my tank look like a snow globe if he's really going after the sand :

 

Okay, thanks. I guess I'm just nervous because none of my fish ever had issues after joining my tank. All of them were out swimming around within a few minutes and eating that same day.

I'll give him time. He's just so cute! I always go up to look at him and he gets scared of me

 

Great looking fish! He is tiny!
I agree, give it a few. If he was eating mysis just keep trying that. I have had fish hide and not eat upwards of a week after adding, so no worries yet. Some just are bolder than others.

 

Nice looking fish. Looks like a hawk fish, just wondering if they would brother any shrimp.

 

He is the tiniest thing! Makes me wonder how they even find these fish in the wild...

Here's a pic I took today (before he freaked out and hid)!

 

Thanks! They are also called Geometric Pygmy Hawkfish, because they look and act so much like hawkfish. But they are actually in the Anthias family.

They stay really small, usually under 2 inches, but they can bother extremely small shrimp and other small inverts (I was told).

 

he's so cute. I wanted the flame hawk but decided against because of the possibility of eating shrimp and inverts.

 

The hawkfish are really cool! Too bad you couldn't get one. I really wanted one, but most get too big for my tank, and also the issue about eating inverts. So this guy was a good compromise!

 

Awww Its so wittle!!!... Hopefully soon the little guy will start eating. Like everyone said before, just give him time!