Im housing 1 dempsey 6inch, 1 green terror 5inch & 1 firemouth 4inch in a 180 gal.Im steading feeding pellets & other cichlid pellet types of food. The Jack Demp was used to guppies & is eating little & mouthing pellets. Its been 10 days & Im starting to weaken watching this although he is healthy.I would like to pellet train before I start switching food. thanks
breaking his will!
- Thread starter mr parasite
- Start date
hungry fish
Try not feeding for two or three days. I have fish who go from picky eaters to grateful fish when they suddenly get food. After two or three days they are in a constant search for anything to eat mode and though they may not go from live to pellet overnight, they should broaden their palet.
You could also try soaking the pellets in shrimp or bloodworm juice. The fish you have should all readly take dry food but its my experience that fish can easly get spoiled. For example when conditioning my peacock gudgons who I was told would take dry food, I fed only live and frozen for a month, after which they don't touch dry. When they spawned I rasied the fry on 90% dry mix and they take it readily.
Try not feeding for two or three days. I have fish who go from picky eaters to grateful fish when they suddenly get food. After two or three days they are in a constant search for anything to eat mode and though they may not go from live to pellet overnight, they should broaden their palet.
You could also try soaking the pellets in shrimp or bloodworm juice. The fish you have should all readly take dry food but its my experience that fish can easly get spoiled. For example when conditioning my peacock gudgons who I was told would take dry food, I fed only live and frozen for a month, after which they don't touch dry. When they spawned I rasied the fry on 90% dry mix and they take it readily.
eating
thank you for your reply. I know about the dangers of feeding feeders but what about live cricketts. Are Cricketts from aquarium stores full of diease? Im sticking with pellets just curious on live cricketts.
thank you for your reply. I know about the dangers of feeding feeders but what about live cricketts. Are Cricketts from aquarium stores full of diease? Im sticking with pellets just curious on live cricketts.
I would just hold out on him, I've never known a dempsey to starve themselves to death. For health reasons I would say you are doing the right thing to wean him of a dependancy on live foods. For treats and variety they are awesome, for a staple I'd make him eat the prepared foods.
I've not heard of any issue with crickets from the pet store, I would quarantine any aquatic life I fed him(guppies, ghost shrimp etc.), but bugs should be fine.
Mine gets home grown guppies for treats, as well as snails, bugs, worms (live and frozen) shrimp (live and frozen) and of course pellets and flakes. Of all of the foods I give him the snails seem to be his favorite. he is downright ferocious about them.
Dave
I've not heard of any issue with crickets from the pet store, I would quarantine any aquatic life I fed him(guppies, ghost shrimp etc.), but bugs should be fine.
Mine gets home grown guppies for treats, as well as snails, bugs, worms (live and frozen) shrimp (live and frozen) and of course pellets and flakes. Of all of the foods I give him the snails seem to be his favorite. he is downright ferocious about them.
Dave
crickets
They would probably like them but your fish would likely prefer more meaty foods. Beefheart is cheap and worms are free(indoor red worm composter). As for whether I would use crickets, lets just say if you smelled and saw the boxes they live in(strong ammonia smell, lots of cricket waste), you'd forget about the idea.
They would probably like them but your fish would likely prefer more meaty foods. Beefheart is cheap and worms are free(indoor red worm composter). As for whether I would use crickets, lets just say if you smelled and saw the boxes they live in(strong ammonia smell, lots of cricket waste), you'd forget about the idea.