Fish Don't Eat On Surface

[shimanocono]

My neon tetras don't eat the flake food I give them till it sinks, they never go to the top and eat! Is there anyway to get them to go to the top and eat the floating food?

 

[Crusty Barnacle]

Mine also don't, they lurk in their pack of 5 in back of tank down low by plants unless its dark. they will travel to mid level in center of tank. I believe its their nature to do this if you read up on them how the act in the wild

 

[steve-0]

it might take a while mine do now and its been 3 months

 

[Alex]

Mine didn't eat surface food at first, but then I got a shoal of glowlight tetras, who love to surface feed. The neons started shoaling with them and soon were eating off the surface like they's always done so.

You could maybe try feeding them a live food that heads for the surface, eg. black mosquito larvae, maybe then the temptation would be too much for them and it would get them less wary of surface feeding. not sure it would work but it might be worth a go.

 

[impur]

Have you tried hypnosis? If they are eating and swimming, generally acting fine, why does it matter if they eat the food after it begins to sink?

 

[shimanocono]

It doesn't really, just like to watch them eat, it takes to long for the food to sink.

 

[Tanked]

take a small pinch of the flake food and hold it in your fingers. put your fingers below the water surface and then let go of the food. It will start sinking immediatly, be sure to put some on the top too for your top feeders

 

[shimanocono]

I have no top feeders.. I only have the neons and some laoches the red tailed zebras and kuhlis. I've done what you said before thats usually hat i do do!

 

[-=DG=-]

Mine also didnt till i got about 10 danios. With the danios, even my rosy tetras came up (along with the neons and cardinals).