Longest time you've starved your Datnoids?

Fort Wenty

Gambusia
MFK Member
Nov 20, 2013
21
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18
Fort Wenty
Currently have 3 ITs and 1 NTT that refuse to take Hikari Sinking Carnivore pellets or NLS Thera A+.
It has been almost 4 weeks of ONLY pellets.

My ITs are 2"-3" and the NTT is about 4". I want them to convert to pellets but I'm afraid they might starve themselves to death. They have occasionally sucked in pellets but spit them right out.

Should I continue throwing in pellets only or should I give in and feed them MP / bloodworms again?

Suggestions and tips are welcomed, thanks!
 

Dieselhybrid

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Mar 31, 2010
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Try soaking the pellets in worm or shrimp " juice" first

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ExoticGREEN

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jan 31, 2010
3,204
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$0uth3rn C@l1f0rn!@
be starving mine for a while. like 2months LOL. now i just feed them once a week tilapia with stuffed pellets. ^^Im actually interested trying this^ lol
 

krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
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Jun 19, 2006
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Two and a half months was the longest that I have starved a dat for.
 

Jhawk974

Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 14, 2014
333
18
18
Utah
I have been soaking pellets in bloodworms to get 2 of my dats to eat so far it had been working. Have only been doing it for a few days.

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krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jun 19, 2006
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Datnoid Island
I have been soaking pellets in bloodworms to get 2 of my dats to eat so far it had been working. Have only been doing it for a few days.
Been meaning to try that tactic.
 

JayC74

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2012
1,128
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Massachusetts, USA
2 to 4inch dats. PE mysis is a great way to go for stubborn dats..nonlive & highly nutritious...starvation is mean & potentially deadly for little guys
 

jechrz

Gambusia
MFK Member
Nov 5, 2013
113
0
16
Canada
One week was my max, got lucky to get my IT on pellets around the 7th day. I think having fish that eat fast may help a bit since i had a few clown loaches and a bichir with my IT munching on pellets like crazy.

I started with bloodworms as he/she took them easy then mixed the worms with a few chopped hikari sinking carni pellets. Maybe try the starve-feed-starve method, wouldnt hurt to try :)

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knlprez

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 11, 2012
6
7
18
Colorado
My first dat would never take pellets, starved for 10 days at a time, she would grab one and spit it out... tried mixing with bloodworms, meal worms, anything and never took them.

What got that fish on pellets was adding more dats to the tank. I got 3 more and an additional two and once one started taking them, all the new ones did. My first held out the longest, but one day cracked and will even hit flake in the tank once in a while, basically anything that hits the surface! Biggest pig out of them all now!
 
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