Small Clown's

[kingmed]

I have 2 small 1" and 1 small 2" CLOWNS in my 29 gallon at the moment waiting for my 55 to cycle so they's can be put in there to grow, my question is I'm feeding flake food, frozen brine shrimp and freeze dried blood worms but it seems that they don't come up and eat. They seem to be real healthy and pick around on the pool sand, are they scavangers more than top feeders? Also I will be going to Wally World to pick up some veg's to feed them what are some of the best to get to feed. I know you are suppose to blanch the vegetables before adding to tank, can I boil water on the stove and just place them in the water for 10 or 15 sec to get them soft?, I don't want to microwave them I figure stove and boiling water might be best and healthier. I also know that a 55 will eventually be way to small for my CLOWNS however my boss has a 150 gallon tank he's setting up this year and said when they get to big he'll take them, since they are one of his favorite fish also, if not I'll get me a 90 gallon to put them in some days.

 

[connorsbala]

Yes they are bottom dwellers. As they get settled into the tank, they may be brave enough to take from the surface....well mine did
Just make sure you feed foods that fall to the bottom of the tank, such as frozen bloodworm, tetra sinking wafers, tetra prima etc.
Sounds like a good plan, good luck

 

[Thomas 2507]

Loaches don't feed at the top because if you look at the shape of their mouth, it's quite impossible.

They have been known to accept live food, although they love vegetables such as peas as well as maybe pellets and sinking flakes. Apart from that they will feed on any flakes that sink to the bottom of the tank.

 

[mikev]

Loaches don't feed at the top because if you look at the shape of their mouth, it's quite impossible.

It is quite possible, and I see this happening quite often with all kinds of loaches.

It is simply not their preferred way of feeding, but they -- and especially younger growing fish or new fish starved by transportation -- are willing to make the effort. For example, my 4"+ older yoyo's will almost never topfeed (they used to, a couple of years ago), but 2" in the same tank will go up for frozen foods and may even go flakes. H.Confuzona -- and they have really inappropriate mouths for topfeeding -- would topfeed near the tank wall, but I've seen them swimming upside down to get to a bloodworm in the middle of the tank!

Frozen bloodworms, incidentally, are very good for young clowns.

hth

 

[stargirly1208]

I agree, my clown loaches are pigs and come up to the surface and skim for flakes. And this is even though I feed them sinking veggie disks. They just LOVE to eat. Sometimes they'll even play catch in the middle of the tank with flakes. I find that their favorite is frozen bloodworms and mysis shrimp. You can also put in some lettuce with a veggie clip on the side of your tank and watch them have a ball. Fun fish they are.