Sometimes things don't work out ..

**Brookfish** · 01-12-2009, 06:16 PM

A few months ago I was in my local LFS and I spied a beautiful
Clown Knife fish that someone had returned due to lack of tank space,
the CK was already 14" and growing, but the worst thing was that the
previous owner had fed it exclusively on feeder fish.
I got talking to the LFS owner and he said he was looking £40 for the CK,
But I talked him down to £20 by explaining that I would have to wean
it off live feeder fish etc..
Anyway I got the big fella home and put him in a 100g with some 4" convicts
(The cons were for size reference only, they were removed from the tank
and were not injured by the CK.)

The CK as you can see was in great condition and looked very healthy,
it was also very active, but I wasn't prepared to feed it exclusively on
feeder fish, so here's what I tried ...

I didn't feed the fish for 3 days figuring if he was hungry he would take
another food source, but not Mr CK , It turned it's nose up at prawn,
shrimp, shrimp pellets, flake food, bloodworm and even earth worms
that all my other fish go crazy for ...

I tried to fast the CK for another 3 days, offered it all the foods again
but still no response, eventually I dropped 5 1" cichlid juvies in the tank
to see what it's reaction was and they were all caught and eaten in
less than 3mins

I had tried my best to wean the CK of feeder fish but things unfortunately
didn't work out, I traded it to a mate for a pair of blue acaras and he kept
it and was happy enough to feed it feeder fish.

A couple of questions ...
Is there a point of no return where fish will not change their diet
no matter what?
Is there anything else that I could have done to be successful in
weaning the CK of the feeder fish?

**rageybug** · 01-12-2009, 06:25 PM

I'd say that a knife of that age would be extreamly hard to change. It's feeding routine is pretty much written in stone a that point. Nice fish though!

**Brookfish** · 01-12-2009, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by rageybug

I'd say that a knife of that age would be extreamly hard to change. It's feeding routine is pretty much written in stone a that point. Nice fish though!

Yes it's a pity I couldn't convert him, he was a beauty.

**Red** · 01-12-2009, 06:50 PM

You could do it. I have seen it with three year old Armatus that fed on feeders, but the person starved it for 2 months untill one day it accepted shrimp.. A fish will never starve itself to death and will take food sometime..

**rageybug** · 01-12-2009, 06:50 PM

If you had more time to invest and a load of patience you may have made some progress. It's kind of like getting an lion to eat salad...

**rageybug** · 01-12-2009, 06:58 PM

We used to have a 9" clown knife in a nicely planted 45g. It would eat just about anything we offered it, even flakes. We were away for 2 weeks on vacation and had our neighbour taking care of the pets. This neighbour was VERY new to fish but how hard is it to feed some fish right?

We came home to a wet carpet and a very sorry neighbour. As the story goes, the guy came home late from the bar one night and remembered he had to feed the pets. As he came in, I guess the dogs were happy to see him and jumped up on him. Being half corked, he fell over and knocked the tank to the floor. SMASH goes the tank and theres the knife on the floor with two excited dogs and three hungry cats in the room. In a panic he grabs the knife and puts it in the closest tank.... oops, it has a 11" red bellied pirahna in it. Thats the last anyone saw of the clown knife, and the last time we used our neighbour as a pet sitter.

**Red** · 01-12-2009, 06:59 PM

IMO a clown knife should not been in anyhting smaller then 250..

**Brookfish** · 01-12-2009, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by The Red Severum

You could do it. I have seen it with three year old Armatus that fed on feeders, but the person starved it for 2 months untill one day it accepted shrimp.. A fish will never starve itself to death and will take food sometime..

Red i'm not sure if i'd fast a fish for 2mths, i'd be afraid it's immune system
would go and it would die, i'm not saying it can't be done, it just seems
a long time, did you mean 2 weeks?
In any case I could have fasted the CK for longer huh ..

Great story rageybug, not sure if i'd like to be coming
home to that mess though.

**rageybug** · 01-12-2009, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by The Red Severum

IMO a clown knife should not been in anyhting smaller then 250..

A 9" clown would look pretty silly in a 250g tank. I agree that a full grown clown knife would need at least 200g but it's a bit of overkill when it is small.

**rageybug** · 01-12-2009, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Brookfish

Red i'm not sure if i'd fast a fish for 2mths, i'd be afraid it's immune system
would go and it would die, i'm not saying it can't be done, it just seems
a long time, did you mean 2 weeks?
In any case I could have fasted the CK for longer huh ..

Great story rageybug, not sure if i'd like to be coming
home to that mess though.

The mess was pretty much gone when we got back. The carpet was still wet but the glass and gravel were cleaned up.