Trouble feeding ADFs

[VulcanNinja]

I feed my ADFs the tetra whole bloodworms. They seem to like it. However, I just bought 2 yesterday. One of them doesn't want to eat...even if I stick it right in his face! I can't chase him around forever, and the betta in the tank always wants the worms too.

Anyway, they are healthy, but I was wondering if this is normal and if he'll eventually learn to eat this way?

 

[FishDan]

People have varied experience with ADFs. Personally, mine never seemed to be shy about eating, and I never had any trouble with mine (I have 5). One way to try and "train" them is to use a small glass jar (like a cleaned out baby food jar). Put your food in there, place it in the tank sideways (put it in the smae place all the time) and the frog(s) will find it and eat. If you have to "chase" it around, it probably isn't good for the frog. ADFs are like many fish, it may take them a few days to settle in and get comfy. So just keep an eye on it and I'm sure within a few days it'll be eating well.

\Dan

 

[jesssa]

I feed mine Hikari frozen bloodworms. I thaw them in a little bowl then i take a brightly coloured [yellow] bendy straw and cut the tip of the smaller end so it looks like a scoop. I scoop out a small bit of the bloodworms and sort of hold it at the top of the water so the frogs can smell them and come up. I usually feed them while they are in amongst the floating plant that I have so that the other fish don't bother to come over. Eventually they came to recognize the straw as the source of the food and come to it when I hold it in the tank. Maybe if you try something like that. A way that you arent chasing them around the tank but just sort of having it near them so they understand where it is coming from and not just having it shoved in their faces.

 

[VulcanNinja]

Guys its been a week today and one of the ADFs eats great, the other one will still not take any food from me. I've tried sinking food, but still no luck. I'm getting worried. He likes to hide in some wood I have in the tank. I know that is normal, but still I don't think he's eating.

 

[Barday]

I have 2 ADF's in my tank9 had 3 but 1 died - see my post), I hardly ever see them eat, but they get what they can when they can. They've been in for a few months now and all has been fine, don't worry about them. I'm sure they don't have humans force feeding them in the wild!!

 

[Mustang5L5]

I bought 3 ADF's at the same time about 7-8 months ago. I put them all into my 40 gal planted. My tanks is the type where if you put 1 fish in, you have to look hard to find him. Anyway the ADF's were tough to keep track of in it.

I found quickly they smell food really well. I used to sink one algea wafer to the front of the tank and they would come out and eat it. Problem was only 2 were coming. They plumped up really well and started growing.

The third stayed out of sight. I would see it from time to time and it was really thin and small. It never growed.

What i had to do was catch it and put it in a floating livebearer trap and feed it there. Eventually it started eating but i kept it there for about 2 weeks.

I let him go back into the tank and he eats fine now. He actually caught up in growth to the other 2 and now i have 3 very happy fast ADF's in my tank...when i can see them

 

[reddeerhobbiest]

Over the three years that we've raised 4 adf's from small babys, we've figued out how to feed these tricky little guys. First we've found that these guys love frozen food..(bloodworm, brineshrimp) The trick is to thaw a chunk of food in a small jar of declorinated water...then spill off some of the water into tank.(the smell will bring them out of hiding) after a few minutes they should all be out and ready to eat...time to feed!
Hope this works for you.