Helping New tenants in tank

**neverwalkalone** · 20th Jan 2010, 14:34

Hi all,

Just wondering if I can do anything to help my new additions - Pristella Maxillaris to settle into my planted tank.

The new additions do not get a chance to feed, the existing Cardinals, though smaller, are more aggressive (have settled in already) and takes up all the food once I drop the flakes in.

They are very shy and have been hiding amongst the flora. Will this phase pass, and they will be as bold as the Cardinals, or have I made a mistake in mixing them/just paranoid?

Look forward to learning about how to maintain them. Noticed they are not very common at LFS.

**bossteck** · 20th Jan 2010, 14:44

That's strange, the Pristella I have are usually the more aggressive feeders. Give them time, they will settle in.

Meanwhile try feeding smaller amount, but more frequently, that will increase their chances of getting some.

If you have some micro pellets, you can try those, since they are not keen to come to the surface to feed at the moment.

**neverwalkalone** · 20th Jan 2010, 22:36

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the reassurance on your Pristellas. Ya, included the micropellets today, and managed to get some of them down to the area they will hiding, (without the Cardinals getting to them first); but unfortunately, they didn't swallow.. took a nibble and then spit it out.

The Cardinals gobbled them immediately after.

Hope they will settle in quickly - my paranoia keeps me counting them to ensure I didn't loose any (the Sakuras and Yamatos will be first to them then!)

Look forward to any other advice on how I can ensure they thrive. Thanks!

**stormhawk** · 21st Jan 2010, 07:55

Get a dropper or turkey baster/bulb syringe. Mix the food with some water, then using the dropper/baster, suck the mixture up and squirt into the tank where the Pristella are. Feed the cardinals at a different spot beforehand. If the cardinals are full, they should leave some food around for the Pristella to feed on.

It is possible that your Pristella are not used to eating dry food either. Perhaps some frozen foods like frozen Mysis might entice them to eat. Maybe you can try adult brine shrimp or newly hatched BBS/live daphnia as well. Other factors can also be at play here, including a disease that might not be showing symptoms right now.

**neverwalkalone** · 22nd Jan 2010, 11:08

Thanks Stormhawk. Will try to feed as advice. Certainly hope they are not sick! They were doing very well at the LFS when I got them.

**stormhawk** · 22nd Jan 2010, 12:12

In that case they are just probably still getting used to the new surroundings. Some times it can take new additions about a day or two to get used to it. Once they start eating, you should not have any further problems. Do keep us updated.

**neverwalkalone** · 24th Jan 2010, 22:37

Just a quick update on the Pristellas; they are slightly bolder now, and willing to come out a little bit from the foliage for the micro pellets I'm dropping in.

Only thing is that the Cardinals are thoroughly 'overfed' since they will always get to the pellets first, and much of it drops to the bottom.

In any case, it's a good sign they are eating. Guess I may have 'over reacted, didn't expect them to take so long to settle in (it's been more than 1 week....)
So far, I still can't spot all of them, so I hope it didn't loose any. Didn't want to chase them out from their hiding places since I want them to settle in faster.

By the way, I noticed the pictures online for Pristella Maxilaris are "slimmer" like regular tetras (aka Neons etc); I have the 'square' ones. Noticed LFS-Seaview labelled them "Balloon Pristellas" - are they a different species altogether?