Feeding botias, tatras, zebra danios, etc

[stoopid]

Cichlids are easy -- cichlid pellet food.

My LFS suggested these shrimp pellets for my 3 Botias (clown loaches). I have no idea if they're eating them, as I see the Botias all over the tank feeding/cleaning the plants, etc.

I bought some tetras yesterday, should I stay with flake or move to pellets for them?

I'm trying to simplify some of this and need to find a balance, I think I'm over feeding at the moment because I fear starving them more than some smelly water. ;) If I can get away with flake for the zebra danios and tetras I'd prefer that, as I have flake, cichlid pellets, and the shrimp pellets in plenty.

Secondary question -- how do I know if the botias are eating enough?

[Leopardess]

Yes, feed the tetras and danios flake foods (they'd love some frozen or freeze dried blood worms though;)).


Well...for the clowns, throw in some sinking shrimp pellets, or what-have-you, and check if they are still there in the morning:) They should find them just fine. Also, look at their stomachs - you should be able to tell if they are getting too thin.

[OrionGirl]

A variety of foods is better than a single kind. I vary feeding frozen foods, blood worms, sinking carnivore wafers, algae wafers, chopped earthworm, zucchini, and flake foods.

And, while I can understand your concerns about them starving, it's unfounded. Fish do not need calories to stay warm like mammals do, so have low calorie needs. Feeding sparingly with quality foods will do much more to promote good health than heaping them with mid to low quality food. Poor water quality is a much bigger threat to fish than underfeeding.

To insure everyone gets some, I prefer to scatter food across the tank, and make sure foods reach all levels where fish feed. This means some stuff in the water column for tetras, puffers, rainbows, etc, some stuff on the bottom for cories, sucker fish, and loaches, and floating food for surface feeders like hatchets, african butterflies, guppies, some tetras, UDC, gouramies, bettas.

[stoopid]

Thanks, makes sense :)

I may need to get some pellets (faster sinking) for the tetras, I noticed the danios were real efficient at getting most of the flake from the surface before it even had a chance to sink to the tetras...

[anonapersona]

I feature one food for one population each day. One day the cardinals get their favorite, the next day the serpaes get their favorite, some days the bottom feeders get leftovers, some days they get first choice.

Typically I feed only two of the 5 or 6 foods I have available. Some fish may get something they don't prefer, or they can go hungry a day which surely won't hurt them.

[stoopid]

Good idea, I would think variation in the diet would be a good thing.

I'm sure my LFS would like it too :p (= $$$)

I'll probably pick up some blood worms next time I'm there and see who likes them. I know the cichlids dig small feeders from time to time.

Today I held some flake underwater and let it settle and the tetras had a field day, so at least I know they'll eat for now.

Thanks again for all the advice.

[Hebdizzle]

don't worry.... the black tetras will get their share. Their trademark is rocketing to the surface and back down for food. (hoods are appreciated :P) They're related to the pirhana you know :)

[wetmanNY]

Good thoughts. Don't neglect chopped spinach and sliced zucchini etc for the loaches. Even tetras will pick at the greens. Roughage, you know...

[stoopid]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
Good thoughts. Don't neglect chopped spinach and sliced zucchini etc for the loaches. Even tetras will pick at the greens. Roughage, you know...

All part of the recipe, right? :D

Greens, blood worms, and flake. Yummy.

[momopoms]

If clown loaches are bottom feeders, how do you get the zuchinni to them, wouldn't it float? also, do you add a dash of vinegrette?

lol, i think you have to parboil it, do you not?

[stoopid]

Originally posted by momopoms
i think you have to parboil it, do you not?

Or tie it to something (mini-acme anvil)

[stoopid]

Originally posted by Hebdizzle
They're related to the pirhana you know :)

I can see the similarity, which is one reason I like them.

[momopoms]

Where do you find an Acme mini anvil?

I have seen the zuchinni at petsmart floating in the tank guess those lazy loaches need to get off their butts and go up for the good stuff.