A happy surprise but a surprise nonetheless!

[Nepherael]

Lol yeah I hear ya. I'd say it gets about 14 hours of light on a normal day (about 10 AM to midnight) but until I get timers it can be upwards of 16 some days. In my other tanks I actually like the algae growth (remember I added oto's fairly early in my tanks life plus other tanks with snails and light algae grazers like mollies) but I keep it in check.

But yeah this morning it was like close to 7 AM when it got turned on so I can see why he freaked out. Just wasn't used to seeing that from any fish

I have some star grass on the way here tomorrow and hornwort from you. I'll make a new topic at some point or do some searching around for easy plants and see how they grow. I'd like to have stuff that grows up like an actual plant, some grassy stuff, maybe some java moss also.

 

[Nepherael]

I think at least one of them is eating. The snails I put in look like all that's left is the shell. I've never seen what a snail looks like after a puffer is done with it though (like if the shell is all cracked) so I may add a few more. I'm putting super small baby snails in there so they're not gorging themselves or anything but I definitely want to fatten them up right now and get them as much nutrition as possible.

I'm gonna try some shrimp in there again today just to see.

 

[Nepherael]

Wow what is wrong with me! I didn't even post any pics for you guys! Here ya go. You know the deal, out of focus, some glare, all that good stuff XD

Let me know if you think this guy looks malnourished

 

[kriskitty23]

These guys basically 'suck' the snail out of the shell. If you're finding empty shells, they are definitely eating the snails. Good job! They will be fat and sassy before too long. Just wait until they start to recognize you and swim out for you to feed them. I love this fish! Mine is currently getting bloodworms, as he killed off all my pest snails. He'll have to wait for them to multiply in one of my other tanks, which shouldn't take too long...those snails breed like crazy! Anyway, try some bloodworms. Mine took a little bit to start to enjoy those, but he's caught on now...let me know how that goes for you!!

 

[Nepherael]

Right on. I don't know how it happened but I love these guys. One of them looks even skinnier than the the guy pictured and I haven't seen him eat yet but the guy I pictured is like my best bud already! I am loving how inquisitive they are. When I see him scoping stuff out like he's wondering what it is it just makes him look so smart.

I'll get some worms today to try and entice the guy that isn't eating. There's been quite a few (tiny) snails that have been eaten but I'm about 90% sure only one of them ate them.

 

[Nepherael]

Ok so I'm positive one of them is doing great. He already looks bigger and is having fun but the other still looks really shriveled up and won't eat a snail or brine shrimp. I've started calling around to try and find some live worms for them but nothing yet. I have my LFS to try when they open but I'm almost positive they don't have them =/

If I can't find any love worms does anyone have a recommendation for another food that is really enticing? I can grab some frozen bloodworms, mysis, or other frozen food I just can't find any live stuff =/

I'm also noticing some aggression from the healthier one. Nothing too bad but I've seen him chase the other guy twice. It seemed as if he was guarding his snail shell area or something. I'm going to make sure they're good on hiding spots and stuff I just hope the skinnier one gets some food in him. I know t can take a few days I'm just worried because this guy is even skinnier than the pics a few posts up. It's like his tummy is all shriveled and it makes him look oddly proportioned. Still going strong though so we'll see how it goes

 

[japbart]

I've had 8 in a planted 10g with as much coconut fragments I can put that act as caves. It was actually a cherry shrimp grow out tank before I added them and they started eating the shrimp an hour after adding these fish. Ive observed their behavior and they seem to be more active in a species only tank.

I had some in a community before and they can't even eat anything cause theyre too slow to get food and are kinda picky. Why don't u try shrimp? Get ghost shrimp that are really small. These guys wont eat anything that doesn't move.


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[Nepherael]

I was considering shrimp. I'll hit he LFS and get the smallest shrimp they have. Thanks for the suggestion.

On a side note. How did it go with 8 in your 10g? I really want to have more than 2 in mine. I'm guessing it works out better as long as there is a lot of cover and hiding spots?

If you have an old pic of the tank and how you had the cover setup that'd be awesome!

 

[kriskitty23]

I disagree that they only eat what moves. I don't feed live worms, only frozen. Mine eats the bloodworms just fine. True, he likes to grab them as they fall to the substrate, but he will also eat them when they are lying still on the bottom as well. I would grab some frozen for now. You can entice them to eat by getting tongs and wiggling the worms, or just drop them in and the motion of the worm falling should attract their attention as well. As for shrimp...my guy hasn't eaten those as of yet, but hopefully we get there. You definitely need some plants (which I know you've already ordered) to keep the aggression down.

 

[Nepherael]

Right on. I went and bought frozen mysis shrimp, bloodworms, and a few live shrimp. Really tiny guys. If they don't eat em then no big deal, I'll try and get them to eat worms first

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