Dumb Feeding Question...

[Calab]

I've got a silly question here...

I've got a new 10 gallon tank. In the tank I have an under gravel filter as well as a small power filter. I've got a bubble wall as well. With all this going in the tank there is a lot of movement in the water at the top of the tank.

Trying to get betta pellets to my betta can be a pain. Flake food zooms around and eventually ends up in the bottom of the tank.

Am I correct in assuming that fish won't take the food floating on the top of the water if it's moving around a fair bit? Am I worrying over nothing? Is there anything I should be doing about this?

 

[OldMan47]

A betta is more likely to take food from the top surface than from the gravel. I don't think it occurs to them that food could be anywhere else. If the current is too much for your betta to catch his food, shut off the flow for a few minutes. It won't hurt anything and will keep much of the food off the bottom of the tank.

 

[Calab]

A betta is more likely to take food from the top surface than from the gravel. I don't think it occurs to them that food could be anywhere else. If the current is too much for your betta to catch his food, shut off the flow for a few minutes. It won't hurt anything and will keep much of the food off the bottom of the tank.

Thanks!

I ended up stopping at the pet store today and found a "feeding ring". It suckers to the side of the tank, and a floating ring sits on the surface of the water. Putting food in there works great! Only problem is that the Betta is pretty protective of it, so I have to put his pellets in, then add flake, etc. elsewhere.

I also found the posting to cut down on the turbulence of my power filter with a plastic soda bottle. It works great as well.

I'm sure my fishies are much happier now.

Now I just need to figure out why they're so hungry!!!! I must have fed them four times in the last two hours. They go nuts for the food and none is left. I'm worried that there won't be anything for my Pleco!

 

[OldMan47]

Calab, you can use algae wafers for the plec. Since they prefer a diet rich in plant matter, it will prefer the algae wafer anyway.

 

[Calab]

Calab, you can use algae wafers for the plec. Since they prefer a diet rich in plant matter, it will prefer the algae wafer anyway.

Yup... Doing that already. Just the other fish go after those a well! I checked on them a few times and it looks like they did leave enough behind for the Pleco.

Thanks!