Kilies in planted tank - how to feed

[green plant]

I want to transfer few Aus killies to a planted tank. My concern is how to feed the killies as:-
1. The water current will just pushed the food (worm) toward the water pump intake and suck into the pump.
2. My Cherry Barb will snap the food before killies could reach them.

Tested with a DIY "feeder column" and manage to direct the food toward the substrade and one corner of the tank. Yet to test with my precious Killies in the tank.

"Feeder column" is just a plastic bottle cut in both end and insert into the tank such that the outlet is below the pump intake level and tilted at an angle. One side of the top part facing the water current was cut below water surface level is to ensure food being pushed throught the "feeder column" and to the bottom of the tank.

Please advise is there any other better method of feeding kilies in planted tank.

[timebomb]

You have a problem because you want to put 2 different species of fish in the same tank. If I were you, I would just simply give away the Cherry Barbs. Compared to the australes, they are dirt cheap. As far as I know, some fish shops sell the barbs for something like 6 for a dollar whereas the australes are usually sold for at least $8 a piece.

But if you have to keep both species, you can try to disperse the tubifex worms over as wide an area as possible whenever you feed the fish. The Cherry Barbs will react faster to the food but if the worms are scattered over a wide area, chances are good the australes will get some of them. Obviously, many worms will also settle into the substrate and reproduce there. But to me, that's not a big deal. Tubifex in the substrate, to me, is just like having earthworms in your garden soil. It's just natural for things to be so.

Loh K L

[green plant]

Loh,
Thanks for the advise. You are right, the price of Cherry Barb is cheap.
The reason to mixed Cherry Barb with is Aus is because the tank is too bare. Imagine the tank size of 2'x3'x2' with just 20 junior killies (will be 30 soon). It may take another 2 months for the killies to be clearly visible. I could transfer those cherry barb to another supper low maintenance community tank.
BY the way, can the Killies be kept without air pump, just killies and some java moses. The reason I ask is because my family will be out in coming CNY and worried that the power may triped for some unknow reason.
I don't wnat anything happen to my killies.


Rgds.

[timebomb]

It may surprise you to know that with all my fish tanks, I don't run any air-pumps. It's not because Killies need less oxygen than other fishes. In general, as long as there is no overcrowding, there's no need for an air-pump. But if you are using an air-pump for undergravel filtration, then it's best to keep it running.

You can run a simple experiment to see if your tank is over-crowded. Turn off your air-pump. Wait a couple of hours or so. Observe your fish. If they are all swimming at the surface of the water, your tank is over-crowded.

Loh K L

[green plant]

I don't think my tank is over-crowed. Only 12 Cherry barb, 2 corry and soon to add in 9 Aus. In my previous set-up I don't use air pump for my planted tank. Now re-start with only only some fern and java moss.
Air pump was introduce incase there is not enought oxygen.

I will tets out by turn off air and water pump, (Still water) and see what will happen.
My fear is power trip - no power for 5 days. Try to think of emergency solution.

Thanks.

[TyroneGenade]

The AUS will coem to the surface to feed and will eat anything on offer. Mine get a staple diet of micro granulate. No problems.

And they do fine in a community where nothing picks on them. My breeder pair is in a 3 foot tank with 4 Ctennopoma ansorgi. No problems.