eat i sed
- Thread starter Fish_0
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18 fish in what size tank? i sure hope it's larger than 65 gallons or so. what kind of fish are we talking about here? i'm sensing a problem.
anyway ... so your fish wait for the food to fall and sink. so what's the problem?
anyway ... so your fish wait for the food to fall and sink. so what's the problem?
assuming that the only problem is they wont eat at the surface, and there is no underlying problem, i have a solution. drop some flakes into the return water from the filter and they will shoot down into the lower level of the aquarium. obviously that only works with a HOB filter.
18 cherry-barb sized fish do not need a 65 gallon tank...
liv2padl said:
18 cherry-barb sized fish do not need a 65 gallon tank...
another simple solution is just to put some flakes in your hand and release them below the surface of the water. that way they get waterlogged and sink right away (some will still make it back to the surface for the "surface feeders").
it's not a problem. many fish won't eat from the surface because it's unnatural (unless they're true surface dwellers and have upturned mouths designed for that).
I'd recommend doing that for all your fish, anyway, because swallowing at the surface can introduce air into their guts and can lead to digestive and swimbladder problems.
it's not a problem. many fish won't eat from the surface because it's unnatural (unless they're true surface dwellers and have upturned mouths designed for that).
I'd recommend doing that for all your fish, anyway, because swallowing at the surface can introduce air into their guts and can lead to digestive and swimbladder problems.
plah, i used to do that but it always bothered me because my fingers would be wet and i'd have to dry them before reaching for another pinch of food. now i just mix it up between dropping on the surface and dropping in the filter water. dropping in the filter water has the added benefit of not teaching your fish to always stay at the trop front of the tank. also i was always worried about scratching a fish when i stuck my fingers into the feeding frenzy.
ahh, good points. i do have wet hands and have to dry them off perfectly before feeding the next tank, otherwise pellets stick all over me! on a positive note, my fish now associate my hands with foodtravis said:
They always investigate and follow my fingers all over the glass 
(I'm a nail biter so don't have to worry about scratching a fish)You could also just soak food in a little bit of tank water in a small container and empty the contents into the aquarium. Aquarists are such an inventive bunch.