Inputs On Feeding Swordtails Mosquito Larvaes

[hawil]

My tank is 20gal with three swordtails.
Has anyone tried feeding them live mosquito larvaes?

What I did was use a syringe to siphon the larva's and drop the larva's in the tank. To my surprise, the swordies doesn't see them or they just don't eat larva's? Any of you guys can give tips on how to feed them?

Now the larva's are the bottom hiding! They might survive until they will become mosquitos!

 

[fish48]

give them a chance to recognise it's food on ce they get a tast they will soon eat them all
if any survive they will become mosquitos if you can catch them and feed them back to the fish.
i feed live foods to my fish evry day mosquito larvae is one of the best live foods to feed to fish
if you not to woried about mosquito's feed them to your fish as often as posable.
all Swordtails should be given some live food in ther diet. let me know if you need any more info on live foods

 

[hawil]

give them a chance to recognise it's food on ce they get a tast they will soon eat them all
if any survive they will become mosquitos if you can catch them and feed them back to the fish.
i feed live foods to my fish evry day mosquito larvae is one of the best live foods to feed to fish
if you not to woried about mosquito's feed them to your fish as often as posable.
all Swordtails should be given some live food in ther diet. let me know if you need any more info on live foods

Yah, that's my problem if they won't get eaten they will become mosquitos. I can't see the larva's that I fed, I think they are hiding in the substrate. But if they get to mosquito stage I think the larvae needs to go up the surface, hopefully my swordies will eat them.

I'm hoping there is a good technique on feeding larvae. Dropping them directly in the tank is not working.

The only thing I can think of live bait is the mosquito larvae which is abundant outside. I don't want to buy since I don't have that extra expenses.

 

[DrRob]

My tetras can't get enough of them. Apistos that I've had always seem to stare at them for a while and gorge themselves later. Not tried swordtails, but platys and guppies eat them.

 

[hawil]

My tetras can't get enough of them. Apistos that I've had always seem to stare at them for a while and gorge themselves later. Not tried swordtails, but platys and guppies eat them.

I researched quit well and the conclusion was swordies eat mosquito larva's but to my surprise mine didn't eat them or they didn't notice them.

What I did is I dropped them one at a time and wait if it will be eaten. And if not the larva's wiggle to the substrate and vanish hiding. Maybe someone can give an advice/technique in feeding this type of live food

 

[fish48]

your fish have probaly eat them. mosquito larvae don't hide they spend most of there life at the sursace of the water when startled they will go the the bottom of tank only for a short time they need to get back to the sursace. i collect mine from a wild pond i feed about 20- 30 at a time. if they get to mosquito stage they will fly of befor the fish get a chance to eat them you need to kill them befor feeding back to fish

 

[hawil]

your fish have probaly eat them. mosquito larvae don't hide they spend most of there life at the sursace of the water when startled they will go the the bottom of tank only for a short time they need to get back to the sursace. i collect mine from a wild pond i feed about 20- 30 at a time. if they get to mosquito stage they will fly of befor the fish get a chance to eat them you need to kill them befor feeding back to fish

I can't find the uneaten one's so hopefully they found the rogue larva's.
So I think the conclusion here is there is no other way in feeding them with 100% accuracy everything being eaten.
If one at a time doesn't work maybe I'll try to drop all at once.

 

[fish48]

your fish have probaly eat them. mosquito larvae don't hide they spend most of there life at the sursace of the water when startled they will go the the bottom of tank only for a short time they need to get back to the sursace. i collect mine from a wild pond i feed about 20- 30 at a time. if they get to mosquito stage they will fly of befor the fish get a chance to eat them you need to kill them befor feeding back to fish

I can't find the uneaten one's so hopefully they found the rogue larva's. So I think the conclusion here is there is no other way in feeding them with 100% accuracy everything being eaten. If one at a time doesn't work maybe I'll try to drop all at once.

it looks as if your three swordtails are kept very well fed for them not to eat the larvae.
the next time you feed mosquito larvae stop feeding the swordtails for a day or 2 then you will see them eat them lol, .

 

[hawil]

your fish have probaly eat them. mosquito larvae don't hide they spend most of there life at the sursace of the water when startled they will go the the bottom of tank only for a short time they need to get back to the sursace. i collect mine from a wild pond i feed about 20- 30 at a time. if they get to mosquito stage they will fly of befor the fish get a chance to eat them you need to kill them befor feeding back to fish

I can't find the uneaten one's so hopefully they found the rogue larva's. So I think the conclusion here is there is no other way in feeding them with 100% accuracy everything being eaten. If one at a time doesn't work maybe I'll try to drop all at once.

it looks as if your three swordtails are kept very well fed for them not to eat the larvae.
the next time you feed mosquito larvae stop feeding the swordtails for a day or 2 then you will see them eat them lol, .

Do you think so? I find them always hungry! LOL I only feed them twice a day with 1 pinch of flakes.
Does that small of a larvae make them full?

 

[hawil]

I give up! They just won't eat the larva's. I tried dumping in about 20+ but none of them got eaten. Pretty weird

 

[OldMan47]

I have yet to find a common fish that did not respond to mosquito larvae by eating them. I used to feed them to my bettas and swordtails but when I tried it with other fish also present, those other fish had their fill of them too. With the possible exception of purely vegetarian fish, fish love to eat mosquito larvae.

 

[hawil]

I have yet to find a common fish that did not respond to mosquito larvae by eating them. I used to feed them to my bettas and swordtails but when I tried it with other fish also present, those other fish had their fill of them too. With the possible exception of purely vegetarian fish, fish love to eat mosquito larvae.

It baffles me really. I wonder why they won't eat the larvas. But my swordies uprooted all of my plants in their tank! I think they are more of a vegetarian!

If they won't eat live ones, does it mean if the females gave birth they won't eat the fry?