Feeding African Butterfly?

[mhmh]

I got an African butterfly fish about a week ago, and it hasn't eaten anything yet. I've tried frozen and dried bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp, but he doesn't pay any attention to them. I'm ready to run out and get some live food, but what's a good type to start with? I want something that's not going to end up jumping around my living room if the fish doesn't eat it. The tank is pretty well sealed, but not enough that a small cricket couldn't escape. Also, I have to think about how I'll keep the live food. I was thinking of mealworms, but do they float?

Any advice?

 

[OrionGirl]

I could always get mine to eat by feeding TetraMin Pro Tropical Crisps. They stay floating for a long time, and will move in the current enought o entice the butterfly to feed. Other live food options besides crickets would be wingless fruit flies--think I've seen them at the big box pet stores, for bettas.

Try anything small and floaty--this is usually enough to get them to feed.

 

[Hootchieman]

Agree with OG. I used to feed mine spiders, but occasionally they would crawl out of the tank, so I would have to catch them again. Basically any floating food seems to work. These fish almost never venture away from the top of the tank in search for food.

 

[Nippy]

I agree with OG too. That's exactly what I fed mine and then he started eating pellets with the other fish after a few days.


Make sure your hood is air tight. Mine ended up on the floor after he jumped through a small hole. It's amazing, the tiny holes fish can and will be able to jump up through. Also, if you can provide a quiet floating area or floating plant for him to hide in, I read that they like those. During water changes, if you remove your entire hood, keep an eye out. Mine would always spas and start swimming all over the tank. Having those floating plants helped though, because he would eventually end up in them to hide during changes.

 

[mhmh]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, as I was about to head out for the LFS for Tropical Crisps, I checked the tank and the butterfly had passed on .