Need help breaking payara tatauaia off live foods

[Ej6hatchie]

Hello MFK!

I recently got back into payara and need a bit of help.

I have a tatauaia I'm trying to break off live. I've done this in the past before with a scomb, but this tat is really stubborn. I got it two weeks ago and the only time I saw it eat was a frozen minnow. It was floating around in the tank and it striked it. But it seems to not try anymore. I've tried the drop in front of its face method, fishing line method, sewing thread method, and no luck. My previous scomb was super aggressive and just ate everything I offered it only after 1 week of starvation. I also noticed my scomb would swim around the tank and be more active, but my tatauaia is always hanging out in the front corner of the aquarium. And does not roam around at all.. any ideas?

Its 5in, in a 100gal tank with two 4in bichir laps, and a 4in pink tail chalceus. None of the fish fight and they just do their own thing. Sides and back are blacked out and I have black substrate. 81 degrees is the temp and water parameters are okay. I did water changes in between the starvation period.

Please help, I'd like to break it off live foods asap but this tatauaia just isnt having it.

I included a pic of the fish when I first got it

Thanks,

 

[Ej6hatchie]

This is what the tank looks now

 

[kno4te]

Gotta keep trying. Try throwing some cut up tilapia strips (size of feeders) in the current of a powerhead.

 

[Ej6hatchie]

Hah, i did that and it just kept looking at me. Maybe I'll try to throw it in from afar. It seems way more interested in humans. Doesnt seem scared tho, just stares at me in the front of the tank

 

[Malte81]

What you can also try is to take some little frozen feeders and inject air with a injection needle in it that it floats better. Than ad more current with powerheads
that it floats through the tank.
Maybe he likes it.
In my case the fishing line method worked also well.
I take a long stick with a fishing line on it that I can sit on my couch while I am fishing.
Than I stick the line through the tail of a frozen feeder and make a small node at the end off the line that it comes off easily if the fish strikes at it.
I never use hooks or metal parts at a fishing line in this case. It's a pain in the ass but good Luck with it

 

[moe214]

It’s been two weeks, you still have time before needing to worry. The fish doesn’t look sickely skinny. Best thing you can do is be patient and keep trying. There’s no set time where it works for everyone. As you’re experiencing each fish is different.

 

[Ej6hatchie]

So I got the tatauaia to eat whole anchovies on a fishing line and once or twice with tongs. Would this be bad if I fed the tatauaia anchovies as a staple? Until atleast it's big enough to take silversides?
I tried feeding cut up tilapia and shrimp but it just headbut and charges it. No attempts to eat cut up tilapia or market shrimp unless it's a whole fish(in this case the whole anchovies).

 

[moe214]

Should be alright for awhile I think, not sure as a staple if there’s any long term affects. kno4te May know better than I do

 

[krichardson]

Congrats on getting your tat to take the anchovies.I have never used them so I am not sure of their nutritive value.You could try soaking then in some Vita Chem for a bit before dropping them in for the tat.
I don't keep them currently but I have fone well with tilapia strips for all of my payara in the past.It takes time but after a while yours should soon snap up just about anything you toss in to it.

 

[kno4te]

So I got the tatauaia to eat whole anchovies on a fishing line and once or twice with tongs. Would this be bad if I fed the tatauaia anchovies as a staple? Until atleast it's big enough to take silversides?
I tried feeding cut up tilapia and shrimp but it just headbut and charges it. No attempts to eat cut up tilapia or market shrimp unless it's a whole fish(in this case the whole anchovies).

Should be alright for awhile I think, not sure as a staple if there’s any long term affects. kno4te May know better than I do

It’s an oily fish. Would be careful. Try some floating carnisticks. Try cutting strips of fish about same size as the anchovies and mixed with the actual anchovies when feeding.