should i start target feeding?

I've had my helfrichi firefish for a little over a week and a half now, and is constantly hiding. When i feed it will come out once all food is gone and doesn't eat. I saw it trying to come out to eat the last little bit of food but then if one of my clowns would get near the area it would quickly dart back into hiding. I feed every other day and this is the second feedng where it has not gotten food.

I have a turkey baster so should i start squirting a little food into it's hiding spot to make sure it gets food?

 

bumpidy bump bump

 

feed a bunch to one corner of the tank. furthest from your fire fish then target feed while the rest are busy.

 

Hey Pufferchick

if your fish is constantly hiding. Im not sure would want to be shoving a large plastic object into its preffered hiding hole
you may end up scaring it more through kindness

nature is a wonderful thing and IMHO hunger eventually over rides other emotions

if the fish comes out after feeding time, it is probably doing this in reaction to the shadow(you) moving away from the front of the tank

it will eventually get used to your presence, lose the fear and take its place in the feeding routine IMHO

Slow the feeding time down a little to extend your presence in front of the tank, also try doing it from the side of the tank rather than directly in front

Steve

 

ok, that's a good idea, i'll try that next time. the fish seems to want to eat but just comes out to late and to slow, my clowns are HUGE pigs, i think i almost overfeed a little bit for only 3 fish, but the clowns eat everything leaving nothing left for the firefish

 

ok, i'll try this next time, i just don't want the little fish to starve to death lol i only have 4 more days until my 2 week guarantee is up he ate during the first few days but has since been in hiding. Good thing i'm not getting any more fish until after the holidays, hopefully during that time he will get more comfortable and come out

 

2 days isn't too long but I would try distracting the clowns like has been said before and then put a little food by the firefish's spot so it has more of a chance of getting some, it might help to turn the pumps off to keep the food in one place for a little longer too. I wouldn't squirt the food directly at the fish because that might spook it but gently leave some food to drift down in front of it.
I'm guessing your firefish is hiding from the clowns, especially if the clowns are much more established than the firefish.

IMO

 

i've been leaving the pumps on to let the food float around the tank but for now i'll turn them off until he starts eating. And yea he's been hiding from the clowns, the female clown is pretty aggressive but only towards the male clown. I have not seen the female go after the firefish at all, but i'm wondering if it's hiding because it sees the other two constantly fighting or just being new to the tank

 

Kinda weird but do you stand in front of the tank when eating that might scare he/she

 

I always turn my powehead off to feed. Gives everyone a chance to get something and very little of it hits the sand and have never had any measurable nitrates since the original cycle.