Getting NGT off earthworms

robroy

Polypterus
MFK Member
Feb 19, 2006
1,579
237
96
BC, Canada
I've had my NGT for Five weeks now and have starved him for the last four. The shop I got in from found he only ate earthworms and he will not touch anything else.
It is exactly 4 weeks today since I starved him. Today I soaked pellets in earthworm juices but he still shows no interest. I know a member on here nearly starved his NGT for two months to get it to take pellets but it worries me to leave it this long. I have lost NGT the past trying to starve it so I'm well aware they will die in the process if not careful.

The fish is 4 inches long and otherwise active and happy. I really don't want to just feed it earthworms as this is a pain and would like to get it onto pellets. Earthworms are hard to source this time of year. I don't know whether I just need to be more patient?
Any help from anyone would be most appreciated thanks
Rob
 

shua71

Candiru
MFK Member
Aug 26, 2009
933
0
46
Los Angeles
Why don't you try shrimp or tilapia? Easy to get and fish usually take it. Not as good as pellets but good alternative to earth worms

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robroy

Polypterus
MFK Member
Feb 19, 2006
1,579
237
96
BC, Canada
Tried MP-no joy. Also use Tilapia with my Bichirs in the same tank-no joy.
Don't know whether to just starve it a bit longer?
Thanks for the advice
 

doyboy

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jul 12, 2010
426
1
18
essex uk
I starved mine for about 5-6 weeks, tho mine would eat muscle and prawns it wouldn't touch pellets when I got him. After 5-6 week I was soaking pellets in with the prawns for a good few hours before dumping them in the tank, he starting mouthing them for a few days and spitting them out but few days later he took the pellets. U just got to be stubborn dont cave in, I had the same trouble with a thin bar and he went just over two months without eating until he finally gave in to the pellets.

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jechrz

Gambusia
MFK Member
Nov 5, 2013
113
0
16
Canada
I'm not an expert on Dats but from my experience, what I did to get my IT onto pellets was having other quick food snapping tankmates (in my case, i had angelfish with my dat). I never wanted it to take live food so I risked it by starting with bloodworms (since he was about 1.5-2") and he took those after 5 days of starving (from date of purchase). Then i mixed in some hikari sinking carnivore pellets with bloodworms when feeding and after about a week or two he started snapping on the pellets (i had to dice the small pellets into smaller pieces). Try to get the dat something live (ghost shrimp or blackworms) to feed, just to get its appetite going, then start the starvation process again until he takes whatever food you want to feed him. You can try frozen mysis shrimp, or brine shrimp as well and see if the dat will take these. Although in my Dat's case, it took one live ghost shrimp for him to get him into mysis (this was the only time i tried live food with my dat) and the rest is history lol. I currently feed him NLS sinking pellets, Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, and mysis shrimp (eventually when his mouth goes bigger, he'll get trained to take tilapia fillet, scallops and mp).

Just make sure he gets a serving of food again to get its appetite going and start the process again (Patience is the only weapon in for this kind of war) :D
 

T1KARMANN

Giant Snakehead
MFK Member
Sep 19, 2005
10,105
127
147
56
London UK
I've had my NGT for Five weeks now and have starved him for the last four. The shop I got in from found he only ate earthworms and he will not touch anything else.
It is exactly 4 weeks today since I starved him. Today I soaked pellets in earthworm juices but he still shows no interest. I know a member on here nearly starved his NGT for two months to get it to take pellets but it worries me to leave it this long. I have lost NGT the past trying to starve it so I'm well aware they will die in the process if not careful.

The fish is 4 inches long and otherwise active and happy. I really don't want to just feed it earthworms as this is a pain and would like to get it onto pellets. Earthworms are hard to source this time of year. I don't know whether I just need to be more patient?
Any help from anyone would be most appreciated thanks
Rob
EAT WHAT YOU FEED IT OR DIE


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-DC-

Polypterus
MFK Member
Sep 3, 2009
1,606
111
96
Canada
I've owned a few species of Dat's NGT were quite a bit pickier when it came to food.

I also find that competition for food helps, flashy fast moving fish seems to get them caught up in the moment and they start eating anything simply to get to it first. Alone i found they would have far too much time to inspect and mull over food and then wouldn't try anything new.
 
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