Special food for cats?

[Fresh04]

Hi there,

I've had some cats in the past, and they all seem to die off after a relatively short period. I always assumed that they had enough food off the bottom to eat, but apparently this may not be the case. I was browsing one of my fish catalogs and noticed some special food for them. Is this what I have been doing wrong to the point that I no longer want to try with these fish? What else could it be that would kill just the cats? I'd love to solve this mystery!

 

[jm1212]

sinking algea wafers and other sinking foods are fine.

 

[daayda3]

i feed mine special kitty

oh wait... :duh:

i feed my CORY cats algae wafers :

 

[msjinkzd]

i feed sinking wafers and a mix of homemade foods and frozen foods. what kind of catfish are you referring to?

 

[RoseFishWatcher]

My catfish get flake food, but I hold it underwater so that it sinks (otherwise the other fish eat it before they get any).

 

[fishorama]

They love frozen bloodworms as a treat. Variety in feeding is always good, try a couple kinds of wafers, tablets or pellets.

 

[Beasts]

I don't claim to know what the answer is. All I can do is relate my experience. Thirty-five catfish types (Corydoras, clown loaches, a bristle nose, striped rafaels, Farlowellas, Synodontis, etc.) in a 410 with 70 other tankmates. I feed flake food (just drop it in in 3 different places simultaneously) and frozen shrimp and bloodworms. And the aquarium is 30 inches deep! No sinking foods. I rarely see more than one of my four rafaels eat at any feeding. All of the aforementioned catfish have been in the aquarium for at least a year. They are all in good health. Well, one of the albino Corydoras is missing an eye but he was that way when I got him. These fish are not being abused or deprived. I've been at this for more than 40 years.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding sinking foods to your bottom feeders, I just don't believe that it is necessary. Try the sinking foods but keep your mind open to other possibilities.
I also don't overfeed. I got paid to feed and otherwise care for fish at a marine aquarium for a year and a half - until I decided that I had to make money through my employment.
Beasts