Featherfin Catfish

[tameem]

I recently purchased a featherfin catfish (or squeaker, they call it). Its a really cool fish. I understand it is a little territorial and thats what I need bcause my clown loaches did not treat my cute cory catfish well, so I had to remove them.

What kinds of food do the featherfin catfish eat? Flakes? sinking wafers? I read the posting about it in the species section, but I also want to find out what experienced others have had.
I want to make sure he stays healthy.

Thanks

 

[three-fingers]

If it's a small one start off with something like king british catfish pellets, small brown sinking pellets, mine used to love these when he was small. There are other brands that make them pretty much the same.

Also supplement with algae wafers, even with those pellets above mine used to chase my plec away from the wafers, and now eats algae wafers whole .

That's what I would feed, practically any sinking foods are ideal though, also love frozen foods like bloodworm and brine shrimp and will often come to the surface to eat these.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi tameem

I'm going to move your thread to the "Other Catfish" section. You will probably get more answers from members who keep that kind of catfish.

 

[tameem]

I do have the sinking hikari wafers but those darn clown loaches attack it. I just got the catfish and this evening the entire time the cute thing was hiding inside the rock ornament and sometimes poking its head out, especially when I dropped the sinking wafer.

I do have algae wafers, maybe I will try that. I have heard of brine shrimp but Ive never dealt with the frozen type in cubes. I would like to add variety and try these but Im not sure whats the best way to add this to the tank. I undrestand it can make water very murky and y0ou should thaw it in tap water, and rinse through a brine shrimp net. Sounds like a lot of work.

What about freeze drived brine shrimp? do these float, if not, will the catfish know to come out to get the food before the clown loaches get to it?

Thanks for your replies.

 

[tameem]

I just dropped algae wafer and the catfish definitely seems to like it. I had three cory catfish but they were getting mistreated by one of the clown loaches. I was told this catfish would hold his own and wont get pushed around. I saw him eating along with the clown loaches and it definitely looks like he doesn't get scared and doesnt allow other fish to push him around.

 

[three-fingers]

I undrestand it can make water very murky and y0ou should thaw it in tap water, and rinse through a brine shrimp net. Sounds like a lot of work.

What about freeze drived brine shrimp? do these float, if not, will the catfish know to come out to get the food before the clown loaches get to it?

Thanks for your replies.

I just dump the cubes right in, never experienced any problems, while it is probably better to thaw and rinse first, it's not too much work.
Fish much prefer frozen food to freeze dried stuff, you will notice a difference in behavior when feeding.
Freeze dried stuff isnt a supposed to be nearly as good nutritionally, and does not sink fast.

Remember, your featherfin is nocturnal, and will be mainly active at night, so try feeding then .

 

[San O Fisher]

I undrestand it can make water very murky and y0ou should thaw it in tap water, and rinse through a brine shrimp net. Sounds like a lot of work.

What about freeze drived brine shrimp? do these float, if not, will the catfish know to come out to get the food before the clown loaches get to it?

Thanks for your replies.

I just dump the cubes right in, never experienced any problems, while it is probably better to thaw and rinse first, it's not too much work.
Fish much prefer frozen food to freeze dried stuff, you will notice a difference in behavior when feeding.
Freeze dried stuff isnt a supposed to be nearly as good nutritionally, and does not sink fast.

Remember, your featherfin is nocturnal, and will be mainly active at night, so try feeding then .

You can feed them just about about anything, I have rarely seen mine turn down anything from flakes, to frozen blood worms to pellets. I have a syno eupterus and he got big in a hurry. as far as being territorial, he will go in spurts, but does not touch the cory's, mostly just my plec!

 

[SharonCC]

Mine( Frank) will eat anything! He has a very large belly and I worry that the Cories aren't getting enough food. I try to sneak food in for the Corys, and Frank's belly just gets larger!

 

[tameem]

well, maybe yours takes after its owner? ive been known to sneak up to the tank quietly so they dont see me and throw food in there, especially when I had those darn tiger barbs which went after everything! but that still didnt work