Ocean Nutrition Formula One Flakes

[Victor Cheong]

Hi all

My 2nd day tank fishes (swordtails and platy) do not eat these flakes.

Can I have your advice on the possible reasons and what is a good brand and type of food for them?

TIA.

[Urban Aquaria]

Sometimes it could just be the new fishes are not familiar with eating floating flake food (usually they are fed with tubifex at most LFS), so just continue feeding very small portions at a time and let them get used to looking for food at the water surface. Remove any uneaten food after 2-3 minutes and try again a while later.

Also check that the flake food is not expired, and make sure its container or packet is airtight, if exposed to air for too long, the food can also very quickly become stale too.

Swordtails and platys eat pretty much any commercial fish food... i've fed my own swordtails Hikari micro pellets and wafers, they even snap up shrimp pellets and algae wafers too.

[Victor Cheong]

Hi Urban

Thanks, will try again. My platy ate some yesterday but today don't seemed to be touching it. Could it be a case that they prefer pellets instead? I understand that Hikari pellets is the highly recommended feed. Should I get the Hikari pellets for live bearers or the micro pellet for tetras and small mouth fishes?

TIA.

[Urban Aquaria]

Hi Urban

Thanks, will try again. My platy ate some yesterday but today don't seemed to be touching it. Could it be a case that they prefer pellets instead? I understand that Hikari pellets is the highly recommended feed. Should I get the Hikari pellets for live bearers or the micro pellet for tetras and small mouth fishes?

TIA.

Swordtails and platies are not fussy eaters, if they are hungry they will eat almost anything, even hair algae.

You can try the Hikari brand pellet foods, if you are specifically feeding the swordtails and platys, then the Hikari pellets designed for livebearers will be fine.

In my case, i eventually just fed all my fishes (whether big or small) with micro pellet food, the larger fishes will also eat the smaller pellets anyways, less hassle rather than having to keep different packets of food.

[bryan]

Wait. What do you mean by 2nd day tank?

[Victor Cheong]

Wait. What do you mean by 2nd day tank?

The 2nd day the tank set up.

[Y3H]

The 2nd day the tank set up.

By that I assume your filter/tank/substrate is completely new?

[Victor Cheong]

By that I assume your filter/tank/substrate is completely new?

Yeap, a newbie.

[bryan]

Fish not eating is a sign of stress. Your tank is likely not cycled. If you really need to feed the fish do it moderately.