Help with Toby

I have a leopard toby, just got it on Friday. Can't get him to eat, anybody have any ideas.

 

what do you normally feed your tank? Flakes wont cut it. Try fresh open clams or pieces of fresh squid

 

Thanks I finally got him to eat after about 4 days. He did eat an opened clam and l have him on live brine shrimp now.

 

A lot of new fish generally skip eating for the first couple days, usually up to a week. Glad to see yours finally came around. They're usually good eaters. I'd try frozen whole krill. The shell is good for their beaks.

 

You might want to look into making your own fish food. As i always say; a good healthy diet can get you a long way in fish keeping

Reef brings up a good point, thier beeks will continue to grow to the point where it wont be able to eat anymore. You have two options, make sure it bites on something hard that will consume its beak as reef mentioned.

Or do like me (though it would be better to have him naturally consume his teeth) fish him out and trim back his teeth with small nail cutters. Make sure not to cut to high though to avoid damage.

My heart sinks every time i have to do this (once every couple months) but its either that or see him slowly starve to death. That should be your mark if your going to attempt this, when your tobys belly starts to cave in, its probably time to bite the bullet (pun intended)

Mine puffs up when i hold him and at times even emits a "gnneeaawww" sound. Obviously he isnt happy about it but when i put him back in the water he deflates right away.

 

That's a new one, I've never heard of trimming a fishes beak but you have to do what you have to do. I was just getting a little worried about him not eating for that long. Never had one go that long. Right now he likes picking at the live rock,I'm hoping that helps with his beak.

 

well regarding this ever growing beak story I wont put my hand in fire for your particular species, but i believe it is the case for mine (Canthigaster solandri). I swear I read somewhere that its a general toby/puffer characteristic though but I may be wrong. either way just keep that in mind when you look at him... rock does help but if yours becomes as lazy as mine soon all he will be biting and tasting (literally) is anything new you throw in your tank, from shrimp to clams to your very own fingers, like a baby i swear.