How to add GREEN FOOD to Black Ghost Knifes diet?

[Aisilence]

Hey!
So I've read that any fish should have a variety of food in their diet to keep them healthy, including my BGK fish.
He is about 3 years old and was always eating just frozen blood worms. Anything else I put in my tank - he completely ignores it. I'm sure frozen blood worms are his favorite snack but I really want him to eat something else. I heard that they should eat green food sometimes since it's good for their digestion. But I tried cucumbers, pallets, flakes... he eats none of them. Maybe there is a way to trick him? I don't know, but I don't feel strong on him being dependant on only one food source. I don't see it as a healthy go.
Any tips and tricks?

 

[AbbeysDad]

I agree that feeding fish one food like bloodworms is likely unhealthy long term as a diverse diet offers the best blend of proteins vitamins, minerals, etc....
....so your fish is like a child gorging on candy that refuses vegetables. Sometimes you need 'tough love'. I'd suggest withholding the bloodworms. Perhaps some frozen brine shrimp gut loaded with spirulina. Then maybe algae flakes, cucumber, or (thawed) frozen (or canned) green beans, Remove what isn't eaten daily. Don't be fooled. Fish can go for fairly long periods w/o eating, but most often come around to other foods when hungry enough.

 

[Aisilence]

I agree that feeding fish one food like bloodworms is likely unhealthy long term as a diverse diet offers the best blend of proteins vitamins, minerals, etc....
....so your fish is like a child gorging on candy that refuses vegetables. Sometimes you need 'tough love'. I'd suggest withholding the bloodworms. Perhaps some frozen brine shrimp gut loaded with spirulina. Then maybe algae flakes, cucumber, or (thawed) frozen (or canned) green beans, Remove what isn't eaten daily. Don't be fooled. Fish can go for fairly long periods w/o eating, but most often come around to other foods when hungry enough.

Thank you! I'll keep that in mind will do a short break from bloodworms and add something else to the meniu for him to try out will keep an eye on his progress then

 

[Byron]

Bloodworms should only be fed once a week, because of problems associated with the bloodworms. I can never remember exactly what the issue is, I did think fat had something to do with it, but regardless of that every knowledgeable fish nutritionist will say once or at most twice a week.

I try to get "veggie" or green foods into all my fish, and this too is deemed a good thing for intestinal tract health as you mentioned.

The BGK is naturally a micro-predator, eating insect larvae, zooplankton and small fishes. It will sift through the sand substrate when hunting food. In the aquarium, they will appreciate frozen or live bloodworms, small feeder fish, tubifex worms, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, etc. Can usually be weaned onto prepared foods. Small earthworms are relished and particularly good for getting new fish settled and eating. Nocturnal feeders, they should be fed at night. Once settled, they will often feed during the day, even from the aquarist's hand.

I would try Omega One's Veggie Rounds, a sinking disk. There is fish as well as green food in these, and my loaches and cories love them. Add a couple at night, and the BGK as it searches the substrate may decide to eat them. Given the natural diet, the fish is unlikely to eat (or consider as food) any vegetable matter like spinach, etc, so the fish and meat in these sinking disks may do the trick.

 

[Aisilence]

Bloodworms should only be fed once a week, because of problems associated with the bloodworms. I can never remember exactly what the issue is, I did think fat had something to do with it, but regardless of that every knowledgeable fish nutritionist will say once or at most twice a week.

I try to get "veggie" or green foods into all my fish, and this too is deemed a good thing for intestinal tract health as you mentioned.

The BGK is naturally a micro-predator, eating insect larvae, zooplankton and small fishes. It will sift through the sand substrate when hunting food. In the aquarium, they will appreciate frozen or live bloodworms, small feeder fish, tubifex worms, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, etc. Can usually be weaned onto prepared foods. Small earthworms are relished and particularly good for getting new fish settled and eating. Nocturnal feeders, they should be fed at night. Once settled, they will often feed during the day, even from the aquarist's hand.

I would try Omega One's Veggie Rounds, a sinking disk. There is fish as well as green food in these, and my loaches and cories love them. Add a couple at night, and the BGK as it searches the substrate may decide to eat them. Given the natural diet, the fish is unlikely to eat (or consider as food) any vegetable matter like spinach, etc, so the fish and meat in these sinking disks may do the trick.

Thank you so much! Noted every detail. By the way, where can I get Omega One's Veggie rounds cheaper? Do Algae wafers work the same? Since I cant find much in my local pet store.

 

[Byron]

Thank you so much! Noted every detail. By the way, where can I get Omega One's Veggie rounds cheaper? Do Algae wafers work the same? Since I cant find much in my local pet store.

Online retailers are often less expensive. I am fortunate to have a store near me that sells at online prices so I save the shipping. But many stores carry Omega One foods.

The reason I use this product is they are better quality than many other brands. There is minimal filler in Omega One, and whole Kelp, Spirulina, Whole Salmon, Halibut, Seafood Mix (Including Krill, Whole Herring, & Shrimp). You will note the fish is "whole" and not "meal" which is a big difference in quality.

 

[Aisilence]

Online retailers are often less expensive. I am fortunate to have a store near me that sells at online prices so I save the shipping. But many stores carry Omega One foods.

The reason I use this product is they are better quality than many other brands. There is minimal filler in Omega One, and whole Kelp, Spirulina, Whole Salmon, Halibut, Seafood Mix (Including Krill, Whole Herring, & Shrimp). You will note the fish is "whole" and not "meal" which is a big difference in quality.

Sounds great. I will look for it in my local pet stores or will order it online thx for a great recommendation and all the info.

 

[Goggy]

If you can't get it to eat company made fish foods, you can try offering it brine shrimp gut loaded with vegetable matter. That way you can transfer the greens into the BGK by feeding it a live animal, which a predator like the BGK is more likely to eat

Bloodworms are high in fat. I know that when you feed too much to an arowana, fats get deposited behind its eye, giving it drop eye:

BTW: as a staple food, most of my large predatory fish eat chopped up shrimp and tilapia from the grocery store
So maybe you can try small frozen shrimp as your healthier meat staple for the BGK

 

[AbbeysDad]

+1 on Omega One Tropical Fish foods. It's just a little expensive at $2.50/oz.
Like many longtime fish keepers I came to learn that fish foods made from fishmeal and copious amounts of grain/grain starch as binder/filler were BAD. Fish can't process grain so it passes through as excess waste. Not good for the fish and not good for water quality.
However, not all fishmeal is the same. Some is very low quality (head, bone, skin) while other grades may be from whole fish (just not table quality fish). The trouble is, we just don't know from the label. Also, these days, some foods are made from a fish protein digest. And there's some deception. Some foods may list whole fish first in the ingredient list...which may be fish and the ice it's packed in. But when processed/dried it could actually fall much lower in the ingredient list. Perhaps the very best fish foods are made primarily from WHOLE fish meals. I've seen some fish food that lists salmon meal first in the list...so it's meal from salmon, but not necessarily whole salmon...might be after the fillets are removed leaving head, bone, and skin!
Moral: read the label and decide.

footnote: I remember years ago when I switched to high quality foods, the reduction in fish waste was amazing!