foods for the bottom dwellers :-)

[Sunshinessmile]

What is the preferred food for bottom dwellers? I have pepper corys... im feeding them sinking algae "leafs" but the like me better when I just put extra flakes in... no one seems to want to touch these... my ghost shrimp tried it and left it... so needless to say im on the hunt for the best or most preferred brand, there is a rubber lip pleco at LFS i have had my eye on as well so im considering future needs. I know they like zucchini...

Anyway, what do you feed?

[Wycco]

If flakes reach the bottom past the Danios they'll eat flakes- but I feed mine a mix of Shrimp Pellets and Algae Tabs, (they'll also eat the Snail Jello intended for the shrimp).

There is always a slice of Zucchini stuck to my tank side- but I've never seen a Cory touch it. Usually it disappears over night the 2nd night after it goes in- I suspect my Pleco eats it (he is the main intended target)... he never touches a fresh slice though. Cories may also eat them when I'm not looking I suppose.

[fishorama]

Thawed frozen blood worms are a favorite as are Ken's color bits & earthworm pellets

[thesixis]

I just ordered from kensfish.com again. I have not a better product or price.

[Sunshinessmile]

yea they get flakes and blood worms and shrimp pellets... and i attempt at getting them to eat the algae leaves...

Is there any brand of algae wafers that is preferred? they wont touch the stuff i have..

[Wycco]

Is there any brand of algae wafers that is preferred? they wont touch the stuff i have..

For the Algae tabs I have- I've just got the Wardley's brand. They seem to like it just fine. I don't put much in... I just break half a tab up into small pieces at each feeding and drop it in. (I feed 3 times a day).

I think they prefer the flakes that fall and the shrimp pellets- but so far they've eaten any fish food I've given them.

[msjinkzd]

I don't feed algae wafers typically, they fall apart too easily. I like ken's catfish pellets or frozen foods for my bottom feeders. If they need veggie matter, I use zucchini cut into spears. This holds together and is easier to remove

[snoopy65]

Get Ken's Catfish Pellets. My cory cats and BN Plecos love them.

[Wycco]

I don't feed algae wafers typically, they fall apart too easily.

I actually like this about them. It allows the poor ghost shrimp to get some food. They will cluster around feeding Cory and clean up the mess. They're usually out-muscled from the other foods...

(Although- I did witness one ghost this morning grab a shrimp pellet from right under the mouth of a feeding Cory- and rolled it back a few inches so it could eat it in peace... those Ghosts get ballsier with every passing day).

[Wycco]

Can you freeze Kens Food?

I see so many people rave about it on here- and he does have some fantastic prices- but if you've only got one or two tanks- 1/2lb bags of each of the various food types is a little more than can realistically be consumed in a matter of a few months... and I know if you keep fish food longer than 6 months or so they start to lose their nutritional value.

[coach_z]

i dont really like algae wafers because they break up, but i still use them because i have them.

[msjinkzd]

Yes, I break it into portions when it arrives (ziploc bags for each tank) and freeze the remaining portions.

[Sunshinessmile]

i think i will just bail on the algae wafers then... I know they are eating enough... and i know the shrimp are eating as well... :-) thanks for the advice :-)

[kyryah]

I use the Hikari brand algae wafers along with shrimp pellets and snail jello, and zuchinni.

My fish won't touch the Wardley brand, but go nuts over the Hikari. The Hikari also holds it's shape longer, they don't just dissolve into a mess.

Kristina

[dixienut]

:iagree:

[new2tanks]

I find they take the spirulina flakes better, mine hoover them up.
They also go bonkers for brine shrimp AND blood worms!

and regular flake food.

[chesterthehero]

i make food. this is round two of home made "loach food." all of my fish like it and my friends arowanas devour the stuff too. stinks to high heaven, but its cheaper in the long run than buying commercially made food

[Rjb3]

I also make food. I call it Captain Bob's "Frenzy". I also make fry food, adult sinking crumbles and bottom feeder pellets. Making food is a mixing, grinding, blending thing. And the smell, let's not forget the smell. Some of the ingredients come in fifty pound bags, so making this sutff is not for the one and two tank person.

My foods are available from time to time on AquaBid and always on Aquatic-Terrors in the vendor section.

[BettaFishMommy]

my cories looooove shrimp pellets and bloodworms. they never touch the zuchinni i put in for the snails and the pleco. they do nibble on NLS h2o stable wafers (algae wafers) but they don't go nuts over them like they do for bloodworms or pellets.

[chesterthehero]

the smell is AMAZINGLY BAD. yay air fresheners and having a window in the kitchen

[Phase2]

I feed mine Hikari brand algae wafers.

My corys like it a lot. Even my gouramis swim down and pick at it also!

[katana1200]

Ditto with the bloodworms. Funny to watch my pandas suck up a bloodworm just to have it blown out a gill, then go find it again. I always add a teaspoon or so of wardley tropical flakes to my snail jello, and this time I put in a half teaspoon or so of frozen (thawed) bloodworms and brineshrimp. The corries graze on it when the snails arn't covering it. My brand new kuhlis (just got them yesterday) even came out in the bright of day when I tossed them in. Wardley shrimp pellets and whatever else makes it to the bottom rounds out the diet of my bottom feeders. All seem happy.