Feeding Cory Cats....

[drewry]

were to start
tap water dosent contain ammonia you must ov tested it from the tank after you have added the water.
your tank hasnt had time to cycle and you,ve added to many fish in one go.
if uv added a filter from a fishless cycle it hasnt had time to build good bactaria up before moveing it from the another tank so basicaly ure starting from day 1 and thats were your going wrong.
2 weeks before doing a water change is to long you should be doing it every week at a minimum +

 

[Cory_Dad]

Thank's for the info (very thorough).

A couple of things:

It's better to do a 20% change once a week than a 25% change every two weeks, especially since you don't have any plants. The nitrogen cycle goes from fish/food > (ammonia) > filter bacteria > (nitrite) > other filter bacteria > (nitrate) > plants / water changes, so without the plants it's only the water change that lowers the nitrate. It is however also more of a pain in the ....

About the food, heh, ya I know. I only feed them frozen brine shrimp and frozen blood worms alternated once a week. Nutritious variety is all I'm stressing. It's not a mandatory but if you've spent all the money on a tank, filters, fish, etc. then a couple of extra bucks a week is a pittance.

Ah ha, from your previous comments I had a suspicion that you might be over feeding. That will increase tank ammonia > nitrite > nitrate. Feed sparingly twice a day. You don't want roley poley fish. It's not good for use humans to be fat, same goes for fish.

Cheers.

 

[tameem]

I may need to get a nitrate test kit. I always htought its really a waste of time, if proper water changes are done. but It would be interesting to see what the levels are after a week. tonight i accidnely fed too much, and food was floating around. So I grabbed a vacuum and siphoned out 5 gallons of water.
to many people in the house see the feed at the surface and tell me they are hungryu they are hungry...u should feed them. we are still in the process of adjusting our feeding and figuring out how much is too much. all at the same time ensuring the some also go to the bottom to feed the corys.
I'll start doing water changes weekly. But when the tank cycles, and if im feeding sparinglty, will I need to keep up with weekly changes, or can I go to two week intervals? and thanks for your help!

 

[Cory_Dad]

Hi tameem

I feel your pain.

I got back into this hobby last November after being away for many years. I had so much to unlearn/learn.

Please, do the weekly water changes and save yourself lots of grief.

Feed them in the morning, then again in the late afternoon or early evening. If your fishes' bellies are big and rounded, you are feeding them too much!

The reason they are swarming at the surface whenever anyone walks by is because of the Pavlovian response (Google it). Fish, by nature, are piggies. They will eat and eat and eat. Be kind to them and keep them healthy.

Cheers.

 

[tameem]

Well, I wonder if all those flakes that fell to the bottom helped with my nitrite reading today. For the first time I am getting .25 of nitrites! Im happy to see this because it tells me the cycle is moving along. Hopefully this will reduce my constant .50 ammonia. Im still unsure whether the corys are really eating. I did another 20% water change today afer the water tests.

Thanks all for your help! I appreciate the response and feed back.

 

[Cory_Dad]

Well, it sounds like good news.

As for the corys, if their bellies are convex then all is good.

Cheers.

 

[tameem]

I hate to resurrect this posting, despite the great response that I got from everyone. But, tonight well after couple hours when the lights were turned off, I decided to drop a tablet for the catfhish, but these damn tiger barbs, who were all asleep, got up and noticed and got to the food.

I know people tell me to feed them after the lights go out, and maybe Im too concerned, but Im seeing the tiger barbs getting to the food, and not the catfish. Even feeding at ngiht does not go unnoticed to the stupid barbs.

 

[Colin_T]

try feeding after you turn the tank lights out and the room lights out. The cories will sense the food but the barbs should stay asleep

 

[Cory_Dad]

I hate to resurrect this posting, despite the great response that I got from everyone. But, tonight well after couple hours when the lights were turned off, I decided to drop a tablet for the catfhish, but these damn tiger barbs, who were all asleep, got up and noticed and got to the food.

I know people tell me to feed them after the lights go out, and maybe Im too concerned, but Im seeing the tiger barbs getting to the food, and not the catfish. Even feeding at ngiht does not go unnoticed to the stupid barbs.

That's why I suggested to use an opaque tube to drop pellets with...

 

[tameem]

ya know I did see a tube at petsmart, it was clear. I also saw a divider. I was thinking of using one of those. it seems like a lot of work thoughto feed something that shouldnt be all that difficult. I did drop a tablet but the tiger barbs got it still. if i use a tube, i still think the tiger barbs will smell and find it though.

do u think a divider is an option?

 

[Cory_Dad]

If the corys have big tummies then I wouldn't worry about it as they're obviously getting enough to eat. If they don't then drop in one tablet for the barbs and one for the corys just before you go to bed. The tablets do dissolve and the barbs won't get all of them anyway.

Just be casreful not to over feed as a) it's not good for the fish and b) it's not good for the tank as it fouls the water which I guess takes us back to a).

Cheers.