Catfish

[sannesley]

I currently have 6 tetras and 2 platys in my tank. I added a catfish today and was wondering do they require any special feeding methods? I know they eat food from the bottom of the tank. If I sprinkle food on the surface so that someof it will sink to the bottom the other fish have eaten it all befre it gets anywhere near the bottom.

Now I don't want the little guy to starve, so I was thinking that I could put a little food in with the lights out so the other fish don't get it. Then it would sink t the bottom and he could eat it. Is it worth a try??

 

[tetraman]

You can put some flake food in the gravel for him now, but I would recommend getting catfish pellets ASAP.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Do you know the species of catfish? Some predatory catfish will come right up to the top and feed from the surface. I don't think that's what you have though, it's probably a cory, in which case you would best find some catfish pellets or other types of sinking food.

 

[Talkmuch]

What species is the catfish??

 

[erk628]

I currently have 6 tetras and 2 platys in my tank. I added a catfish today and was wondering do they require any special feeding methods? I know they eat food from the bottom of the tank. If I sprinkle food on the surface so that someof it will sink to the bottom the other fish have eaten it all befre it gets anywhere near the bottom.

Now I don't want the little guy to starve, so I was thinking that I could put a little food in with the lights out so the other fish don't get it. Then it would sink t the bottom and he could eat it. Is it worth a try??

As mentioned above it depends on the type of catfish you have. I have black fined sharks (catfish) which I found out the hard way are not fresh water but Brackish. Anyways if I put flakes in they come right to the top and go crazy on the flakes. I usually feed my fish frozing beef heart. The catfish love this and while I'm holding in the the water until it softens up they come up and eat out of my hand. Your safest bet as others have said is to get some sinking pellets.

 

[sannesley]

It's a bronze Corydoras catfish. So I think I'll be visiting the local pet shop today for some catfish pellets. I feed my other fish flaked tropical food and the ocassional treat of bloodworm. This food usually floats at the surface before they pull it under. Will the catfish pellets sink to the bottom of the tank?.

Are there any issues with getting a second bronze cory in time? I'm pretty sure there would be no issues but I just wanted to check.

 

[dwarfgourami]

It's a bronze Corydoras catfish. So I think I'll be visiting the local pet shop today for some catfish pellets. I feed my other fish flaked tropical food and the ocassional treat of bloodworm. This food usually floats at the surface before they pull it under. Will the catfish pellets sink to the bottom of the tank?.

Are there any issues with getting a second bronze cory in time? I'm pretty sure there would be no issues but I just wanted to check.

Far from it, corydoras are actually schooling fish, so he's probably quite lonely. As long as you have room in the tank, the best thing would be to get him at least 2 mates eventually.

 

[sannesley]

Far from it, corydoras are actually schooling fish, so he's probably quite lonely. As long as you have room in the tank, the best thing would be to get him at least 2 mates eventually.

That's what I thought. I think that after christmas I'll get him another friend and 3 more glowlight tetras to bring up their numbers.
That would mean that at that stage I would have:
2 Bronze corydoras
2 platy
5 neon tetra
5 glowlight tetra
I'd love to add a few tiger barbs as well, and maybe some clown loaches or danios all in good time

 

[dthoffsett]

Corys really do better in groups of 3 or more. You'd be amazed at their personality change the more you add. I had two for several months, and they were occasionally active, but usually only at feeding time. About a month ago, I added 3 more and all 5 spend most of the day snuffling through the sand and just hanging out together. Before adding another species of fish (such as the tiger barbs mentioned), I'd get the corys numbers up, they'll love you for it. As for the catfish pellets, they sink right away.

 

[Neal]

Your best off rethinking that stocking a little bit. IMHO i'd get.
3-6 Bronze corys
6 Neons
6 Glowlights
3 Platys

What size is your tank? I am suspecting it is too small for clown loaches, as they need 75Gal+ tanks. Danios may be good, but depends on the size of your tank, also tiger barbs are fairly aggressive so you should get 6 or so of them, but this also depends on your tank size. How many gallons does it hold and/or what are the dimensions?

Neal

 

[300hp+vr6]

do you feed catfish ie corys purely on catfish pellets or do they eat flake??
iv been told that the pellets muck the tank up and should only be used 3-4 times a week??

 

[sannesley]

Tank is:
Juwel Rekord 80
Volume: approx 80 litres
Lighting system with 1 x 18/20w tube
Juwel Filter system: Compact S
Heater/stat

Dimensions are: 81cm (w) x 36 (h) x 32 (d). I'd say that when all the furniture and stones are accounted for it holds about 70 litres of water.