Spotted hawkfish not eating all of a sudden

minireef8

Have tried getting much advice from local fish specialty stores but I still seek more info. 29g biocube set up about a month, tank parameters are perfect. Already have a healthy and eating royal gramma, 2 clowns, damsel and I recently added the hawkfish before I had added my clowns from my other SW tank. The hawkfish was healthy and doing GREAT, eating like a pig, (live feeder shrimp, frozen, and pellets) and active for about 5 days that I had him. Just the other day noticed he went into hiding and refuses to eat. Its been 4 days and he is getting pale and thin and still refusing to eat. Have tried live, and target feeding, still nothing. I heard they can be somewhat like lion fish and all of a sudden stop eating but now hes not looking good. Has anyone else had a problem with hawkfish not eating? The water quality has not changed

onefish2fish

have you tried soaking food in a garlic enhancer?

minireef8

I have not but the pellets I have tried giving him are garlic enhanced. But I could certainly try that, Is it something you can buy at a pet store or super market?

cerianthus

Try frozen plankton/krill/prawn!

minireef8

Have tried frozen krill and plankton, no luck even :(

Pasfur

Remove the Damsel.

minireef8

Today I FINALLY got him to eat! Thanks for everyone's advice. here's what I did in case anybody ends up with the same problem. I noticed him trying to eat a rock on the bottom so I defrosted some krill, HOWEVER I did not dangle it in front of him instead I put a small rock on top of it (that way it wont float) and just let it sit there, sure enough he came over and ate it! seems like he was only interested in dead-non moving food.

Pasfur

Is this the same tank with the Cyno problem?

The experience in me is telling me that there is reason to be concerned. When the little things start to add up, it is time to take a deeper look at the situation.

minireef8

Cyno problem? no that is not my tank... I think my tank is fine, Hawkfish is probably just being stubborn like lion fish and randomly starves and eats again

Pasfur

Sorry, I was confusing your tank with another.