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Thread: Tetras no head for heights?

  1. #1
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    Tetras no head for heights?

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    Have a bunch of cardinals and glowlights for a week already. Initially, these were shy buggers but now they are venturing to the front of the tank for my viewing pleasure

    However, I have a problem feeding them. I am using floating pellets. For some reason, they are not swimming to the top to get at the food. They are hovering at the bottom/mid levels and behaving rather clueless. Almost like to scream at them "blur like sotong"! I have not seen them swimming to the surface ever since I had them and even when I am observing them at a distance.

    How do I attract their attention that there is food up there? The shrimps are having a field day!

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    Change to slow sinking granules.

    Floating pellets, usually used for goldfishes and koi, can work but the ones you are using are obviously not delicious enough for them.
    ThEoDoRe

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    I don't think tetras are surface feeders in their natural environment. You need to choose the kind of fish food that suit the fish's feeding behaviour.

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    I have Cardinal Tetra as well like you had floating food which they never touch, so put it in a small container then add the water, shake it up and add. THis way the food slowly swirls around the tank and the Cardial Tetra really go for it.

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    Used to have the same problem, but after a while they will swim on top and eat(quite a nice sight).

    Probably in the LFS, they are having nice nice live food, see pellets, naturally they don't like.

    Oh, and make sure the pellets are small enough for them to eat.

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    I got one that is in tablet form, you can stick the tablet to the wall of the tank and the tablet will slowly 'dissolve', releasing the food from bottom up.

    It's nice to see the fishes waiting to grab the food that has been released from the tablet.

    The good thing is that every fish got fed.

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    Good replies from you all!. Personally, I enjoy watching fishes hungrily feeding at the surface. The commotion, tension and bazaar like atmosphere is kind of shiok! If the fish will feed only when the food has dropped to their level....I think kind of boring.

    Perhaps I will try to do the stick to the wall tablet mentioned by nkthen. And everyday, move the tablet slowly towards the surface. I think in time, the fish will learn good stuff is at the top! heheheh! How smart/stupid are fishes anyway???

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    Quote Originally Posted by nkthen
    I got one that is in tablet form, you can stick the tablet to the wall of the tank and the tablet will slowly 'dissolve', releasing the food from bottom up.

    It's nice to see the fishes waiting to grab the food that has been released from the tablet.

    The good thing is that every fish got fed.
    Those are meant for use if you go on holidays the food will be slowly be released over a period of few days, those are usually poor quality food, and they are very expensive

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    Cardinal are more weary , and will seldom feed openly at the top surface, unlike my red-eye tetras, they snap at anything on the water surface, ants included.

    I use flake food, so everyone will be happy, for sinkers, i used to have tetra bits, but i think its called something esle now.

    Try feeding them live brime shrimp, they love them.

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    Get slow sinking pellets. I use Ocean Free XO color enhancer pellets, not for the color enhancing property but because these micro pellets are slow sinking.

    sfchung: if you really want to see your fishes feeding at the surface, another way is to introduce some surface feeding fishes (guppies perhaps?), I am a strong believer that fishes do watch and learn from each other. So perhaps the guppies can 'teach' your tetras to go to the surface for feeding as well.

    Cheers!

    p.s. while we're on this topic, any other slow sinking micro pellets to recommend?
    - eric

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    Quote Originally Posted by bossteck
    p.s. while we're on this topic, any other slow sinking micro pellets to recommend?
    I am feeding Momizi Tropical to my Cardinals, X-rays, Glowlights & Golds. They love it.

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    Try starving them for days, sometime, weeks and you will see that they will come to the surface to feed.

    All it take is 1 brave fellow that dart to the surface, the rest will follow.

    Put them through the "Survivor" course and you will get to enjoy the sight of them darting to the the surface to feed one by one, like the Red Arrows airshow.

    *Pls do not hold me resposible for any casualties during the "Survivor" course*

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    I actually bought the same food that the LFS uses.. In the LFS tank which is unplanted and over crowded, obviously feeding tetras with floating pellets is not a problem. The scared and slow ones will have nothing to eat if they don't follow the crowd. Have to think a way to make them go after the food...
    Quote Originally Posted by joelwong
    Used to have the same problem, but after a while they will swim on top and eat(quite a nice sight).

    Probably in the LFS, they are having nice nice live food, see pellets, naturally they don't like.

    Oh, and make sure the pellets are small enough for them to eat.

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    Quote Originally Posted by joelwong
    Those are meant for use if you go on holidays the food will be slowly be released over a period of few days, those are usually poor quality food, and they are very expensive
    Hi Joelwong,

    These tablets are NOT meant for holiday use. I know which one you are referring to. Those are slow releasing tablets that will take 2-3 days. (or 5-7 days depending on what you get)

    The one I'm referring to will 'disssolve' in less than 20 minutes and they are VERY nutritious.

    I've checked the brand: It's Sera O-nip and Sera Spirulina Food Tablets. Sera is the brandname

    FYI, Spirulina is good for enchancing the color of the fish.

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    What bossteck mentioned is spot on. Fishes aren't stupid. They just need some time to adapt to their environment and food. As long as other fishes feed at the surface, the tetras will slowly follow. Tetras are not fussy eaters so floating pellets/flakes shouldn't be a longterm problem unless they are that yucky!

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    Quote Originally Posted by nkthen
    Hi Joelwong,

    These tablets are NOT meant for holiday use. I know which one you are referring to. Those are slow releasing tablets that will take 2-3 days. (or 5-7 days depending on what you get)

    The one I'm referring to will 'disssolve' in less than 20 minutes and they are VERY nutritious.

    I've checked the brand: It's Sera O-nip and Sera Spirulina Food Tablets. Sera is the brandname

    FYI, Spirulina is good for enchancing the color of the fish.
    Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking about those 3 day release tablets.

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    Anyway I think this topic has been discussed before to a certain extend.

    I have the same problem but due to my sump tank design, floating food overflow quite quickly into the sump and gone in no time. Hence I cut a piece of styrofoam and cut a hole in the middle. This will allow all my fish food to stay in one place and my every hungry congo will nudge the food causing it to sink ... A sight to behold and that's the start of the feeding frenzy when all comes to the surface.

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    ive read this thread with some curious interest, why would you want a fish that normally stays in midwater to rise to the surface?,
    as long as the fish are healthy and eating well why bother.
    mick

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