Can I feed Goldfish food to my Clownfish?

Yes, I am a newbie. I have a 10 gallon tank that is about 4 weeks old. The parameters were decent, so I put a clownfish in last week (false perc).

I purchased some Tetra Marine flakes, but he refuses to eat them. At first I thought he was just scared and on some type of hunger strike. But, then I noticed that he occasionally would go up to the flake, take a nibble, spit it out, and swim away. After 5 days of not eating, I was getting a little concerned (I tried to go to the LFS to pick up a different type of food, but the LFS was closed by the time I got off of work). Also, I am getting concerned that the uneaten food will spoil the tank.

So, I decided to put in one small Tetra Goldfish granule. The clown ate it right up, no hesitation. (Thus, the fish is not scared to eat, he just does not like the flakes). I compared the ingredients of both the Tetra Marine and the Tetra Goldfish granules, and they had many common ingredients. So, I put in a few more to try to keep the clown’s nourishment up.

So my questions are:

[1] can I feed the clown a few Goldfish granules until I have time (and money) to go get a different type of Marine fish food? Or, is it better to keep on trying to feed the Tetra Marine flakes? I know this is not a permanent solution, but I am just asking if this will be ok for a few days.

[2] Knowing that the clown seems to like the texture/taste of the Tetra Goldfish Granules, is there an appropriate Marine food that you could recommend?

Thanks,

-Adam

 

i dont think feeding him that temporarily will do any harm

 

Short-term, no problem. But I wouldn't recommend it long-term.

Try this:

Aquarium Fish Foods: Ocean Nutrition Formula One Flake & Pellet Food

 

For the next few days keep feeding it what it will eat. After 4 or 5 days feed him less and drop in the pellets that you want to eat. After a few days of this cut back more on the food that he eats. He'll learn that he can eat the other food too. Be careful not to put in too much though.

Most fish will eat what they can to survive, you just need to supply the right nutrition, point being that most fish wont starve, but will perish if mal-nourished.

 

I think that he eats you are in good shape, I bought a clown that died on me after 16 days he would do the same thing yours was doing, nibbling on it then spitting it back out. never a good sign, if yours is eating give him variety of foods don't let him get used to just one kind, but if they don't eat nothing else you might can get some cyclo-peeze is what a lot of tank raised fish are brought up with.

 

yeah it wont hurt.. i fed mine goldfish food for quite awhile.
They actually liked it.
JJ

 

mine was a little picky till I brought home some brine flakes, all my fish love them, and also frozen brine shrimp is a cheap way to feed them something they will love...but i dont see a problem, with the goldfish stuff short time, I give my african cichlid some brine shrimp as a treat on occasion, also have tossed him some of the marine food from time to time with no ill affects...clowns are pretty tough little fish so as long as its eating it should be ok...heck it was my only fish to survive my tank crash, lived in a bucket overnight while "rebooting" my tank...

 

Try some mysis shrimp or cyclopese mine love em'

 

Hi all,

Thanks for your suggestions. I have fed the clown a bit more of the goldfish granules (he loves them). I am just glad he is finally eating something! In a few more days I will try to wean him of the goldfish food an on to a more appropriate diet. -Adam