Feeders

[sman91wing]

So I bought 20 feeder guppies today from a guy I trust, put about 6 in with my convicts, 6 with my baby convict and baby jags, 6 with my yellow hap and random african, and the other went to the crawfish.

Out of all those fish, the baby jags are the only ones who eat them right away. All the others show a tiny bit of interest, then go back to their business. Its been like this for a while, anybody else experience this?

[LongTime]

Sometimes they just don't see them as food at first or forever.

Had an oscar once who I regularly fed feeders who decided he liked one of them and never ate it. Ate all the others and continued to eat feeders but never his "pal."

[sman91wing]

I had something similar with my africans. That tank was crazy for a while, there was the yellow hap, the larger random african, a convict, 4 zebra danios, and 1 feeder. I had put 6 or so feeders in there, which over time either died or got eaten, but the 1 remained for months. Then fish started dissapearing... now there is the cichlids and 1 danio.

The convicts and africans do seem to go after them sometimes, just never with enough desire I guess. My 1" jags both ate one whole, that was funny.

[N8DOGG]

I had 2 feeder goldfish that lived 4years with a oscar,midas, Green Terror and Jaguar.......I have no Idea how it lasted more than one day.They would eat other feeders just like the large cichlids I had.
N8

[daveedka]

Many tank raised fish have never seen a feeder, I find that a lot of young cichlids don't go after them right away, but once they start, they get pretty vicious for these little treats. My Dempsey (the only tank born cichlid I have) was this way. When I first got him, I put 12 freebie guppies from my brothers tank in with him. they were all still there after a week. then one day two dissapeared, the next day they were all gone. Now, if it swims and fits in his mouth it becames lunch as fast as he can catch it. I beleive (healthy) feeders are a great idea, and bring out some great characteristics in cichlids, but if your fish decide not to eat them, they can live happy and healthy without them as well. Try ghost shrimp, there seems to be an underlying knowledge in all fish that ghost shrimp are good to eat.
Dave

[sman91wing]

Now, if it swims and fits in his mouth it becames lunch

Is it true that Convicts have smaller mouths then most cichlids? It appears so. Maybe that could contribute to their not eating feeders...

[LongTime]

A 4" convict is not going to have a mouth as large as a 10" Texas but they will eat what fits!

[Tightdog1]

yea the ghost shrimp seem to be a favorite of most fish to eat, ive had blue acaras and convicts eat them, even small blue acaras.