Feeding...can't Work Out Whats Best

[Cris_L]

In my community I have 2 angels, 4 ghost cats, 1 small BGK, 9 young rainbows, 1 gold nugget plec, 1 small peacock eel, 1 tiny albino bristlenose, 1 ram.

As the GN and peacock are new additions I've been over feeding a bit, especially on the frozen food, to try and encourage them to eat. so I've been putting a block of bloodworms in most days, a few catfish pellets as well as the usual pinch or two of flake for the other fish. a couple of times a week I also add some muscle or prawn as I believe the GN will appreciate it.

After doing a recent test i found some nitrite (back to 0 now) so I guess I've been feeeding to much.

any suggestions on how much how often i should be feeding these guys. If i miss the flake on days when i feed frozen I'm worried that the rainbows etc will scoff it all before the GN and peacock get share!

 

[Athena]

I had a similar problem with feeding my two African Dwarf Frogs as they are so slow at grabbing food the greedy fish in the tank would scoff it all before the frogs got a look in.

I've devised ways of feeding the frogs now and maybe some of these suggestions might help you with feeding your eel and GN.

Don't just plonk the cube of frozen food into the tank because the more active, top/middle swimmers will get to it and devour it first - it also pollutes your water as the cube begins to thaw.

Best way is to get a small cup, add a little tank water, drop your frozen bloodworms into it and let it thaw for a couple of mins. Strain off the bloodied water and add a little more water from the tank to the cup. Then using tweezers add pinches of the worms a little at a time to the tank. Put the first few pinches on the opposite side to where your GN and eel are located - as all the fish rush over to have a feast, you can then POUR some of the bloodworms into the tank above where your eel and GN are. Pouring them in like that forces them to sink to the bottom faster and your bottom dwellers are more likely to get a chance at eating.

Another method you could try is using a large turkey baster - suck up some of the bloodworms with the baster (or whatever live or frozen foods you want to feed) and then you can aim the point directly at where the eel is hiding (e.g. in his cave) and just squirt a few at a time and watch to see if he's eating anything.

It could be that he prefers to eat at night so perhaps you could do the above once the light is off.

Good luck - Athena

 

[Cris_L]

thanks, i have tried target feeding but they tend to just take it ion their own time rather than rush at it. as for the eel I have trouble finding him at the best of times and worryingly he doesnt seem any more active at feeding time.

might be worth investing in a turkey baster though, it could get it right to them