Feeding Blue Rams

[ct-death]

I need some help/advice please? :help:

I have 2 Blue Rams in a 75G tank. My question is feeding. I have had them now for 2.5 weeks and all they do is peck at the dissolving shrimp pellets that I give my Corys?!?!

I have cichlid flakes and the small version of cichlid sticks (pelletes) that float at the surface forever and absorb the water (growing to 4x their size). All I see are these stick stuck against my filter - even break them up into 4 pieces each.

IF they see a flake floating down (or stuck on a deco) they will eat this, but 1 they are shy and I need to move very slowly, and 2 they really have to notice the flakes on the way down. They NEVER go to the surface.

So I am placing more shrimp pelletes in the tank and doing daily vacs to rid the excess. But even with this, they wait on the outskirts of the 'swarming' Corys and flash in when they can, but those Corys are verascious (sp?) eaters!

Any advise would be great. Thanks in advance all!

P.S. I'm getting 4 Aus. Rainbows this weekend...(were ordered)

 

[Star_Rider]

try frozen brine shrimp.frozen bloodworms..also look at tetra colorbits or other slow sinking foods.

if you are having trouble getting food to them try feeding surface feeders in one spot then drop sinking pellets in another closer to the rams..

you can also use a turkey baster to get food t the rams.

 

[muddskipper26]

My bolivian rams like sinking cyclopses.

 

[Cathy G]

Try new life cichlid pellets and Star has great advice using the ole turkey baster. As they get more used to your tank, they will come out and swarm in with the cories more and more. However, they need a more balanced diet than shrimp pellets... if they do eat flake by the way, try soaking some in a little cup of water and pouring it into the tank - it will sink quickly and the rams have more of a shot at getting some!

Cathy

 

[number1sixerfan]

Blue Rams are mid water feeders for the most part. They prefer slow sinking foods more than anything, however if you really want to feed them flake their is a way to get them to eat it.

Just skip feeding them for three days and on the fourth give them flake. They will be hungry and will soon discover that the food is at the surface.

 

[ct-death]

Thanks for the replys. The Rams have become much more comfortable, and although they are eating they seem to 'stare' at the food for a good 2-3 seconds and then peck at it.

They are getting into it with the Corys and seem quite at home, but I agree they need more than the shrimp. Thankfully they have started to take flakes, but I am feeding 8-10 flakes per Ram and cleaning out 95% of them 2 hours later. But they ARE eating them...

I've had them for 9 days now and they seem happy. They have now started to come to the bottom of the glass if I'm sitting on my stood to watch ME!