Celestial pearl danio feeding habits

[JCKH]

Hi guys, i recently got 3 cpds for my 10g tank (will be adding more as time goes by, i do not want any ammonia spikes). They are a really shy bunch and they hardly ever eat the food i throw into the aquarium unless it has sunk to the floor. I have noticed that if they feel like eating they will swim towards the bottom of the substrate and look for food. If they see some hikari micro pellets, they will shove the food into the water and then eat it. I think they are doing quite well as they chase each other and show a few dance moves each other (typically almost the entire day). Is it normal for cpd to eat off the floor?? I have read a few threads that say they need to feed at middle level. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[ClownLurch]

@seangee is your man for these fellers.*


*apologies to any other CPD keepers who I’m sure have equally as interesting tales of em to tell and knowledge to pass on. I’ve not been here long enough to remember everyone’s tanks. It’d be nice if fish kept and water parameters were part of signatures.

 

[AilyNC]

@seangee is your man for these fellers.*


*apologies to any other CPD keepers who I’m sure have equally as interesting tales of em to tell and knowledge to pass on. I’ve not been here long enough to remember everyone’s tanks. It’d be nice if fish kept and water parameters were part of signatures.

I keep forgetting signatures are a thing (don't show up on mobile).

I think @Ch4rlie had CPDs in past too

 

[seangee]

Here is one idea

As you have already discovered these are very shy fish and really need to be in large groups - I would suggest at least 20 in a 10G. And since they do form hierarchies it would be best to add all at once. They are slow feeders and their eyesight is poor. So for example they love bug bites but it sinks too quickly and they can't find it once it hits the substrate - so in some ways pellets are a better idea. For a long time mine would not feed from the surface, which made this a bigger problem. I did manage to get mine to eat from the surface using this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000GB7G3M/?tag=. They love it and it floats for ages - I turn my filter off at feeding time. Since I have started using this they also accepted crushed flakes once they realised there is food to be found at the surface. Now I only have to turn off the filter for them to move to the surface - but any sudden movements from me and they dive back into cover.
Edit: They naturally feed from the middle of the water column - so you have to condition them to finding food elsewhere. They also love (live) microworms which means they find food where they expect it to be.

 

[Ch4rlie]

@seangee is your man for these fellers.*


*apologies to any other CPD keepers who I’m sure have equally as interesting tales of em to tell and knowledge to pass on. I’ve not been here long enough to remember everyone’s tanks. It’d be nice if fish kept and water parameters were part of signatures.

I keep forgetting signatures are a thing (don't show up on mobile).

I think @Ch4rlie had CPDs in past too

Think most folks do have signature with what they have kept, mine did, well I did keep them as I don’t have any running tanks at the moment!

If you turn your mobile phone sideways, you should be able to see folks signatures, handy wee tip there!

And yes, I did keep 15-20 odd CPDs in my 3 foot tank alongside Lambchop rasboras, marvellous little combo that worked real well.

I fed them a mixture of things but normally were fed Hikari Micro pellets, live foods every once in a while, frozen cyclops and daphnia as well and they will peck on a algae wafer too that I leave out for the shrimps and snails.

Don’t feed them any large frozen or live foods as their mouths are pretty small and food like bloodworms can be too large and get stuck in their mouths, caused me a few worrying moments the first and last time I fed them bloodworms thinking was a nice treat for them but no, don’t!

Never really had an issue with these guys, as my tank was pretty densely planted 3 foot long tank and had all these guys in a decent sized shoal so never really saw any skittish behaviours or feeding issues, think they are far more skittish if kept in too few numbers and in more open tanks, they do appreciate floating plants as this provide more cover for them so as not to feel too open.