How to Feed Finicky Saltwater Fish: Mandarins, Anthias & More
Some of the most beautiful saltwater fish are also the hardest to keep fed. Mandarin dragonets, anthias, and a handful of other picky eaters have starved in countless tanks not because they were sick, but because they simply wouldn't eat what was offered. At Tropical Treasures in Cheyenne, we always have an honest conversation about feeding before anyone takes one of these fish home.
The good news: with the right setup and a little patience, finicky fish can thrive. The secret is understanding why they're picky and building a tank and routine that works with their instincts instead of against them.
Mandarins: the pod problem 🦄
Mandarin dragonets are grazers that hunt tiny live foods, especially copepods, all day long. A mandarin in a brand-new tank usually starves because there aren't enough pods to sustain it. The fix is patience and population: keep mandarins only in mature tanks (often 50+ gallons with plenty of live rock) that have built up a thriving copepod population. Adding a refugium and seeding extra pods helps the food supply keep up with a hungry mandarin.
Training mandarins onto prepared food 🍽️
Some mandarins can be trained to accept frozen foods like enriched brine and small mysis, which takes huge pressure off the pod supply. Target-feed in a quiet spot, try live blackworms or pods first to spark interest, and be consistent. Captive-bred mandarins are often already eating prepared food, so ask us which we have in stock.
Anthias: little fish, big appetite 🐟
Anthias are different. They're not picky so much as high-metabolism plankton feeders that need several small meals a day. In the wild they pick at drifting zooplankton constantly, so one feeding a day leaves them thin and stressed. Plan on three or more small feedings daily of enriched frozen mysis, brine, and finely chopped seafood. An automatic feeder or a midday top-up feeding makes this far easier to sustain.
Other picky eaters 🦐
Many wild-caught butterflyfish, some wrasses, and certain gobies can also be slow to eat at first. Across the board, the same tricks help: offer a variety of foods, use scent with garlic-soaked or enriched frozen, feed when the tank is calm, and watch closely to confirm each fish is actually eating. Quarantine helps you monitor a new fish before it competes in the display.
Should you get a finicky fish? 🤔
Be honest with yourself before you fall in love at the store. A mandarin belongs in a mature, pod-rich tank, not a fresh setup. Anthias need a feeding schedule you can actually keep, often three-plus times a day. If your tank is young or your routine is tight, it's kinder to wait or choose a captive-bred individual already eating prepared food. There's no shame in picking a fish that matches your setup; it's the difference between a thriving fish and a heartbreaking one.
The bottom line 🐚
Finicky fish aren't impossible, they just demand the right conditions and steady effort. Build the food supply first, feed often and with variety, and confirm every fish is eating. Do that, and a mandarin or a school of anthias becomes one of the highlights of your reef. Thinking about adding one? Talk to us first. Visit Tropical Treasures or call 307-369-1118, and we'll help you set it up for success. More guides live on our Tank Buddy Blog.