Polys Dinner Mark ii

[Oddball]

Alright you may or remmeber the polly dinner mark one topic, and my general question is this......Can polly (a 7" fem Pol.Ornatapinnis_ be safely kept with 8" loaches and still get a decent look in at dinner? The problem is i feed this tank a mix of krill, bloodworm and lancefish, which the loach adore, but would they beat polly to lnch as shes a little slow off the mark. In this case is there anyway to ensure that she gets dinner? (she refuses to hand feed and only tends to attack food that moves....good job theres a bit of a current)

 

[beblondie]

Thinking feeding stick with a lancefish on it wiggle the stick so it looks like its alive
what kind of loaches ?-Anne

 

[CFC]

Ornates are one of the most difficult bichirs to feed especially in a community style tank where other fish get to the food first, of all the bichir species they are probably the most nocturnal and fussiest eaters. I can honestly say that in 2 years i can count the number of times i have seen my ornate eat on one hand but its definatley geting some food as it is now 18" long and still growing. Try putting some whole lance fish or white bait in the tank just before you go to bed and the ornate should come out and find it.

 

[Bomag]

just to back up what cfc has said (as if he needs it lol) my ornate eats whitebait and shrimps through you will not see him do it very ofton.
my senegal bircher will eat live goldfish when i used to feed them but ornate would not.

so there you go very fussy eaters but like GOD says put the food in when the lights go out and magic should happen hope all goes well

 

[Oddball]

The loaches are known as botia modesta or the red finned loach, ah ive got her to feed, she waits for a loach to swim by with food in its mouth and simply snatches it away! Will i haveto move the loaches eventually?