Using NLS
 

Awhile back, I was introduced to the cncept that large predatory fish have a hard time adjusting to processed foods (such as pellets). For the most part they remain loyal to live foods or frozen remains of once live foods.
I was shown a thread that had three Pterois volitans eating NLS Fish Formula Pellets. At first I was a little skeptical of this, but then decided if it was true then I should be able to duplicate the results myself. I already had the volitan, he was already eating frozen mysis, krill and silversides. I figured might as well give it a go. I ordered up some NLS ExLg. Fish Formula, a 7.5mm floating pellet, and proceeded to feed it to my volitan.
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At first the fish didn't even look at the pellets. I figured as much, so with determination I decided it was time to starve the volitan again (last time I did this was to ween it off live feeders to frozen). After the first 5 days of minimal food, the fish finally struck at the pelets. To make the transition a little easier, I am using the same feeding stick that he is use to. After tasting the pellet he promptly spat it back out.
After about three weeks of this starve and feed method, I finally got him to eat and digest the pellets.
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It has been over four weeks since convincing my volitan that pellets are good.
I don't even need the feeding stick anymore, I just toss a few in the tank and he will come grab them right off the surface. He is not even fussy as to which pellets I toss in now, presently he eats both the ExLg. Fish Formula and the Spectrum H2O Stable Wafers with gusto.

Any and all of you out there with large predators that are tired of defrosting foods and buying live feeders. I would highly recommend to give these pellets a try. It does require a bit of patience and willingness to starve your fish, but the payoff is well worth it.

A parting photo of my volitan after being on a diet of just NLS pellets and the occasional frozen mysis it steals from the porcupone puffer (bare in mind I have only had the Porc for a week and a half).
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Go Paul. WHoo hooo.

How has his Ummmm... Whats a good way of putting this?
Ah his waste production changed since getting him on pellets?

my volitan ate flake food if i gave it to him....

NLS makes flake food as well, but a mature volitan would never survive long term on an exclusive diet of flake, unless it was eating it by the fist full.


Paul, it will be interesting to document the growth & vitality of this fish over the next sevral months. Keep us posted!

This would be a good way to feed these guys when you go on vacation too, you could use a fish feeder this way, and a 2 week vacation wouldn't be such a big deal.

Never paid any attention to this matter. There is no (or very little) decaying fecal matter smell. I do a 15-20% water change bi-weekly, so can't forsee a change in this. There is also a puffer temporarily in this tank, so hard to say what's from the volitan and what's the puffer's.

I was trying to find an older pic of the volitan, as he was in the process of fading color on his silverside and krill diet. Once I got him finally switched over to pellets, his color has come back and he look healthy and active. Can't say its only because of the pellets, a few factors changed all at the same time. He finally outgrew his old tank and got moved to the 90 gal around the same time this food experiment came to be. As for updates, I will try to keep ontop of them. Never remember to take phots too often.
I will also post some pics of the fish in my reef as they are all exclusively fed NLS Marine Formula. And all are nice and fat, even my mandarin, who loves the pellets.