Any tips on feeding the bottom of the tank?

[ballinhawaiian]

I just got a new yo yo loach and he is very small. I have 3 platys and a new betta, holding for my friend, and i'm trying to feed my loach some blood worms. I put the worms in and by the time my loach can get anywhere near them, the other fish eat it all up. I tried putting some zucchini at the bottom but the loach doesn't seem to eat it. I have some tiny ball wafers that reach the bottom and I think he's eaten a couple of those, but it seems so hard to get him any food. Does anyone have any tips for the bottom feeders to get the right amount of food without having to overfeed the top dwellers?

[Mgamer20o0]

what i do is put the fish food in. once the other fish starts eating i drop in sinking food for the bottom feeders. they usally leave it alone that way. they are to busy feeding to figure out other food is sinking to the bottom.

[NoчnoyGostь]

Hi. For the bloodworms I use a turkey baster, just let the cube melt in a small glass of aquarium water and then use the trukey baster to disperse the worms to the top dwellers and then all the way down to the bottom feeders (have 3 kuhlis in my tank) this way everybody gets a share.

As for sinking foods (pellets and tablets) you can try adding them after the lights have gone off or before they are on, I find that for the most part top dwelling fish tend to ignore them as they sink. Platies do find them occasionally, but by that time the loaches have a chance to eat some of the food.

[TwoTankAmin]

You have another couple of problems. Loaches are extremely social fish and need to be in groups (min 3). Yoyos get to be 6 inches and a 10 gal is insufficient for one let alone a group.

Bottom feeders eat after dark- just drop their food in at lights out if the other fish are eating their lunch.

[ballinhawaiian]

As of right now, he is very tiny, and I would love to get him some other loaches so as not to be lonely. First I have to set up my new 60g tank that I just got from a friend for $50, I feel so lucky. Before I got to this forum site, I wouldve bought different kinds of fish without looking up the info on them, but now I know that there are species that need their friends in order to keep the stress levels down, and as soon as I get the 60g going, i'm going straight to the loach farm and getting him some new friends. Also, the turkey baster is such a good idea, never thought of it. I can go straight to the little guy and put it right in front of his face. WOW!!! I can breathe easy knowing he's getting the right supplements for survival. Thanks all!!!!!!