Newbie here, and have cherry barb feeding question

[underwater]

Hi my name is Jenn, and I am new to fish keeping. I have cherry barbs; 2 males and 4 females (plus 2 mystery snails and 10 ghost shrimp) in a 20 gallon, planted aquarium.

I am giving them tropical flakes, and micro pellets. They appear to like the micro pellets better. I thought that when I fed them they would all go up to the surface and eat. But that is not the case. A couple of the females will go up and get the floating food, but it appears more often that they like to catch it as it is falling, and the males mostly like to casually pick around the plants. Is this normal behavior for them?

Should I be feeding them something else?

 

[FishGuest5123]

That’s perfectly normal. Mine wait for other fish to get the pellets sinking before they grab them. Sometimes I push a few down for the lower eaters.

 

[Waterstrider]

Yeah that’s fine, most barbs are only a step away from being bottom swimmers so if they wait for it to fall not a big deal. Some barbs like to eat vegetables so pick around plants might be nibbling the plants themselves

 

[underwater]

That’s perfectly normal. Mine wait for other fish to get the pellets sinking before they grab them. Sometimes I push a few down for the lower eaters.

Thank you Deanasue! I appreciate your reply!

 

[underwater]

Yeah that’s fine, most barbs are only a step away from being bottom swimmers so if they wait for it to fall not a big deal. Some barbs like to eat vegetables so pick around plants might be nibbling the plants themselves

Thank you Waterstrider, I was concerned at first but now I am more at ease that they are getting enough food.

 

[seangee]

Strange as this may seem this afternoon is the first time I fed flakes in over 20 years. I bought this on-line for a tank that has surface feeders who aren't quick enough to get the pellets before they hit the ground. I had no idea that 2oz wold work out as several years supply so I put some in my big tank as well to see what happened.

Well my tetras had absolutely no idea what to do with them. These are pretty greedy fish and always get the pellets before they hit the ground. They did eventally figure it out but they will be back on pellets tomorrow - and I'll end up throwing most of the flakes away as they will be stale long before they are finished.

Don't worry about it they will be fine, and don't feed extra either - most people feed to much as fish only need a tiny amount of food.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I had this problem with my ZD a few years back. I don’t believe that soaking is the way to go. I just would float them on the surface and then “push” my finger down on the flakes/pellets. It’ll take a couple of times, but you’ll get it. After a while, my ZD was fine with just eating off the surface.

 

[Lecturemode]

Hi Jenn, welcome to fishkeeping

As a general guide to how the fish will take food look at the position of the mouth relative to the face/end of the fish's head.
Facing up or slightly up they will take food from the surface firstly (e.g. Guppies);
Pointing more forward they are middle water feeders (e.g. Barbs);
Facing down from the bottom (most Catfishes).
Having said that a majority of the first 2 types will feed from both surface & mid-water, or even the bottom if there is food (or any thing interesting) there that they see, so your fish are perfectly normal and sound happy.
For the last type, bottom facing mouths, it is unusual for them to feed in mid/surface water as with mouths on the bottom they would have to swim upside down! It's also difficult for them to see the food as their eyes are not in the easiest of places to see their mouths to line up with the food, they work mostly by feel.

It's good to use a variety of foods for your fish - even they can get bored with the same stuff & variety will also help their gut & overall health.

Enjoy your fish.

 

[underwater]

Thank you all for your responses. The barbs are actually starting to come up to the surface as well as taking the falling food. My newly discovered "technique" is to take a pinch of food and roll out a few 3-5 pellets between my fingers to distribute. I watch them come up and eat them all before I roll out any more food. Now they are watching each other and figuring it out. Pretty cool!