Flagtail proc. help??

BigFishKeeper

BigFishKeeper

Host of Aquatic Wetline Podcast
Feb 23, 2008
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Springfield Mass USA
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Aqua Alex Cardinale
Hello, gang. I need some help with my flagtails. I have studied them and it says on the computer that they are veggiterans. But I put in some tilapia for the catfish and they seem to eat it. They also eat cichlid gold pellets, and veggie flakes. Am I providing a staple diet?? I do feed lettuce every other day. Also is it true that flagtails lose their spottings as they get older?? One of my flagtails, the larger guy has a very cool spotting pattern. Also, I added another flagtail yesterday, ( my boss gave me him free... totally unexpected... but he was smaller than the other feifengs and they were beating the snout out of him) and this has seemed to make my flagtails mean. They are just chasing him and then when I turn the lights out they stop. Is their any way I can stop this?? The other 2 still shoal but when the thrid guy tries to they chase at him and nip.
-Alex
btw.... The 2 already introduced fei fengs are 2-3'', and the new guy is 1.5-2''.
 
I don't know much about this species but just because a fish is a herbivore it doesn't mean it won't eat meaty foods. My mbuna are herbivores but will eat anything I throw in the tank, that doesn't mean they should be eating it. Like I said I don't know much about this species but I know meaty foods with some herbivore fish can be really bad.
 
a comment on the feeding habits-

though some fish may prefer to be herbivores or carnivores, their opportunistic nature will usually override all of those preferences. in the wild, their 'preferred' food may sometimes be unavailable, but in order to survive they would need to find some other sort of energy (though all fish and even some herbivorous mammals will eat meat every once and a while if it literally drifts in front of their mouths). that said, these fish should still be provided with a diet based on their needs; don't feed a fish that is a herbivore protein-based food all of the time, otherwise you'll run into problems.
 
I would post over on MFK since almost no one on this board (other than the MFKers, like me, that wander over) keep these. There are already a ton of posts over there on their care and such.

Flagtails usually do lose their spots as they age. I have never seen an adult with the spots.

Flagtails won't even necessarily get along with ONE other flagtail as adults. I would remove at least the one, 3 is too many, since like you've seen 2 of them will gang up on another one. Long term the 2 you have may stop tolerating each other also.

Flagtails aren't true vegetarians as they'll eat meat based foods, but their diet should be largely veggie. They're opportunists so they'll eat whatever you put in. They're much like Leporinus species in the fact that they'll eat anything, but veggie matter is a preferred staple diet.
Flake food and pellets should be just fine since if you look at the ingredients they generally do contain veggie matter also. Algae wafers and spirulina pellets are a good diet for this type of fish, along with actual veggies.
 
RiVerfishgirl said:
I would post over on MFK since almost no one on this board (other than the MFKers, like me, that wander over) keep these. There are already a ton of posts over there on their care and such.

Flagtails usually do lose their spots as they age. I have never seen an adult with the spots.

Flagtails won't even necessarily get along with ONE other flagtail as adults. I would remove at least the one, 3 is too many, since like you've seen 2 of them will gang up on another one. Long term the 2 you have may stop tolerating each other also.

Flagtails aren't true vegetarians as they'll eat meat based foods, but their diet should be largely veggie. They're opportunists so they'll eat whatever you put in. They're much like Leporinus species in the fact that they'll eat anything, but veggie matter is a preferred staple diet.
Flake food and pellets should be just fine since if you look at the ingredients they generally do contain veggie matter also. Algae wafers and spirulina pellets are a good diet for this type of fish, along with actual veggies.
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Thanks for your help! They eat like pigs..... I can't wait to see them grow up. I am going to keep an eye and see if anyone is interested in any flagtails.
 
BigFishKeeper said:
Thanks for your help! They eat like pigs..... I can't wait to see them grow up. I am going to keep an eye and see if anyone is interested in any flagtails.
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make sure to note the other people who gave you advice, even if it isnt what you might want to hear.
 
BigFishKeeper said:
Thanks for your help! They eat like pigs..... I can't wait to see them grow up. I am going to keep an eye and see if anyone is interested in any flagtails.
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YW :)

Go over to Monsterfishkeepers.com. They're highly sought after over there,so someone in your area that can give the fish proper housing is probably willing to buy the odd guy out.
 
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