Feeding An African Butterfly Fish

[fish_keeper2]

i just got an african butterfly fish today. i was told they love crickets so i picked up 5 very small ones(which died on the way home cuzz it was so cold out) and they were gobled up in no time. about an hr later i tried a few freeze dried blood worms and he didnt go for those much so either he just doesnt like em or hes full from the crickets. the ABF is about 2 inches atm. so i was wondering what foods are good to feed my ABF. i understand that the food has to float on the water. also is it possible to "train" this guy to accept frozen foods straight from an eye droper(ive gotten one of my dwarf puffers to do so)? oh and how often should i feed him?

 

[Fella]

i just got an african butterfly fish today. i was told they love crickets so i picked up 5 very small ones(which died on the way home cuzz it was so cold out) and they were gobled up in no time. about an hr later i tried a few freeze dried blood worms and he didnt go for those much so either he just doesnt like em or hes full from the crickets. the ABF is about 2 inches atm. so i was wondering what foods are good to feed my ABF. i understand that the food has to float on the water. also is it possible to "train" this guy to accept frozen foods straight from an eye droper(ive gotten one of my dwarf puffers to do so)? oh and how often should i feed him?

I'd wait. When mine is full, he wont eat anything else.

Yes, I have fed mine successfuly from a dropper before (and my hands). I have fed earthworms of tongs also (he loved these).

Also, mine will eat any shrimp foolish enough to swim near the surface.

Also eats flake and pellet

 

[fish_keeper2]

thanks. how often should i feed mine? once a day? anything else i can feed?

 

[Fella]

You might want to take a quick look at the signature guidelines, that picture is huge!

I feed mine twice a day, which a lot of people would say is overkill.

Foods I've successfully fed -

Shrimp
Floating pellet
Flake
Bloodworm from a dropper
Earthworm

And a few others. They'll eat anything meaty really.

 

[fish_keeper2]

thanks.

btw i know the sig rules, im trying to figure out how to shrink the pic.

 

[bballking]

i just place a freeze dried shrimp in front of his mouth and he downs it. just today i did the same with an earthworm for the first time and he loved it

 

[ringham]

I am thinking of buying a ABF but I need to know what size they grow to. I want to keep him in a 450 litre tank but am worried that if they stay small he may get eaten.

 

[Fella]

I am thinking of buying a ABF but I need to know what size they grow to. I want to keep him in a 450 litre tank but am worried that if they stay small he may get eaten.

I'd imagine he would quickly become lunch in something that big, if you are stocking with large fish, I can see him being an attractive snack.

 

[CaptMicha]

Mine loves crickets (any that he can fit into his mouth), flies, moths, basically anything that struggles in the water. That sounds aweful! I've been unsuccessful with worms. Also with dead crickets, he doesn't show much interest.

He's on a staple diet of tropical fish flakes with a cricket as an ocassional treat. It's very easy to keep a breeding supply of live crickets on hand.

 

[ringham]

I am thinking of buying a ABF but I need to know what size they grow to. I want to keep him in a 450 litre tank but am worried that if they stay small he may get eaten.

I'd imagine he would quickly become lunch in something that big, if you are stocking with large fish, I can see him being an attractive snack.

I thought so.......oh well

 

[CaptMicha]

Yeah, they don't get that big.

 

[Nevergone815]

i just did a quick search to find out what size they get for sure. they get to be around 4". they would be an expensive snack most likely