Satanoperca not able to eat pellets, is this normal?

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RyanM

RyanM

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Oct 13, 2016
250
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Canton, OH
Bought a group of 4"+ Satanoperca about a month ago. They are doing great except for the fact that they appear to not be ale to eat small (1mm) NLS pellets that I normally us for all my fish as a staple. They will act like they are eating them, but they end up sifting them out their gills after a few seconds. They eat flake and frozen just fine. I did some research of Geo/Satanoperca feeding thinking they just don't do pellets, but it should like most people feed some type of pellet.

Do I just have a strange group of fish that I will have to feed flake?
 
Most people can get their eartheaters onto pellets, the key is the size of the pellet. Given their method of feeding, they are used to very tiny food items. At their size, I would think the 1mm would just be too large. You could try smaller pellets, or wait for them to put on more size.

Most people feed the adults (10") 1mm pellets, so while 1mm seems small for most fish, it is actually quite large for juvy shifters. If you want to wait, there is nothing wrong with flakes. I keep flakes for my sifters even when adults to encourage their natural sifting behavior.
 
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I agree with Darth, the stomach contents of many Satanoperca in nature have been analysed, and their main source of food was found to be very tiny crusteans, mollusks, copepods, and other minute animals in the substrate. So although they appear to have large mouths, that belies the true objects too their search.
 
If the pellets are sinking type they are breaking up on the substrate and Geo's are getting the food in while they are sifting, I feed flake and sinking pellets. Agree with darth pike, and duanes.
 
I've been impressed with the results feeding NLS Spectrum flakes, and given their stomach contents, I would added in earthworm flakes as well.
 
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