Hand Feeding Birchirs (now With Video)

[§tudz]

Hey,

I've been feeding my Birchirs prawns and frozen bloodworms, since I bought them, I tried mussel and cockle but they didnt take too well to them. They have also eaten many a catfish pellet that I was feeding my Syno'.

I was told about lance fish and thought I'd give it a try.

So I defrosted 3 fish, and I dangled one in the water and wiggled it a bit, the female (which I thinking maybe a male now but it could be that she is just a little bigger than the male in general) came rushing up and locked onto the fish, she death rolled it and ripped a big chunk out it, and then came back for the rest.

The male was a little slow on the up take, and was more interested in stealing the females fish, so I put on directly into the tank for the poor guy.

I have a Syno' Ocellifer in the tank, which hides mostly in a cave in the center of the tank, I dangled a fish in front of the cave and it came out and took it from my fingers, it was really cool. Its was a first time experience for me, and it was cool.

As for lance fish, is it ok to feed them daily? or should I feed them every other day and alternate them with prawns? as I add bloodworms every day for the other fish in the tank

Cheers,

 

[GuppyDude]

Sounds really cool, should get us some video.

 

[§tudz]

well I got some footage of me feeding my poly's and synodontis.

Movie 1 - VIEW
The Female Poly tries the eat my finger, its the first time that happened, and I didnt wanna know what it would feel like

Movie 2 - VIEW
The Female Poly does two laps of my hand and then takes the lance fish in the mid-section

Movie 3 - VIEW
Not a great video, but you can just see the barbles of the synodontis tasting the food, and just as he take it the camera stops recording, stupid digital camera! only does SO many seconds of footage

Movie 4 - VIEW
The male Poly finally plucks up some courage to take one from my hand, thats also a first, a day for firsts this is. he was hiding in the synodontis' cave.

That was the first time I'd used my digital camera for recording and I'm impressed with the out come, might try it some more.

enjoy the videos...

 

[jayjay]

Nice video's, hope I can get my senegal(s) to hand feed when i get it.

 

[§tudz]

Nice video's, hope I can get my senegal(s) to hand feed when i get it.

yeah it is quiet good, they are still getting used to it, the male is really shy and goes and hides in the synodontis' cave when I stick my hand in, as you can see from the vids.

The female is braver, but still a little shy when feeding by hand.

The male was even more shy than he is now, before I added the female, but good luck with you senegalus post some pics when you get it.

I will try to post a pic ofthe male when I bought him, he was tiny compared to what he is now

 

[jayjay]

I got a senegal today but have no digi cam to take photos I want to get another one but albino this time aswel.

 

[§tudz]

I got a senegal today but have no digi cam to take photos I want to get another one but albino this time aswel.

/me doesnt like the albino's but thats my opinion

 

[furryrabbit]

nice vids . hope thats a waterproof watch lol

 

[Studz]

nice vids . hope thats a waterproof watch lol

lol, my watch is waterproof, but thats just a silver chain you can see not a watch

 

[polypterus]

My bichirs are used to eating floating sticks at the surface. A few times when I was messing with the tank I have â€￾hand fed" them unintentionally, as in they bit my hand. Couple times they even drew blood.

Also I used to have a three foot African lungfish that bit me a couple times too. With those it's actually scary. They don't have sharp teeth but have a bony ridge instead. They also have a bite like a vice. Almost felt like the finger was in danger of removal.