Are Your Gatf's Nocturnal?

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vamptrev

vamptrev

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MFK Member
Apr 23, 2007
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Chesterfield MI
Do your gatfs hunt at night or do they chill at night? I just picked up a little 2" incher and wondering if i should drop food at night or during the day...


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Mine is crepuscular. All of the other ATF I've kept were the same way.
 
Mine chills at night but he cant sit to long cause the rays are active. Thats why I feed copious amounts to the rays just about an hour before lights out. Looking to get some moon lights to help with ray predation at nights
 
Yea they can be real skittish especially when moving to a new tank or adjusting to tankmates. They can calm down over time but still will have the occasional freak out if you surprise them or walk by the tank too fast.

I just moved my 10" goliath this past weekend into his new 8x3 grow-out and he is still very skittish adjusting to the new tank, just takes time.

Maybe try leaving the lights off for a week or so to get him comfortable and start with a constant supply of QT'd live feeders so he can eat when he pleases. I wouldn't worry about breaking off live until he is very healthy and 4" +. This is what I did with my current goliath I've been growing out since I got him around the same size as yours 2".
 
Yeah they are a flighty fish, but they will get used to you, especially when they realize you = food ... sticking stuff in the tank, like a syphon, or glass cleaning tool can really spook them bad ... mine still go nuts when i clean my glass ... I usually feed my fish in the evening, but I've actually been feeding throughout the day occasionally as well trying to beef my ATF's up ... they dont eat a lot in one sitting, and dont gobble down food quickly, as compared to a bass or catfish, but they will eat every couple hours ... I would suggest this method for the best growth

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I always feed my Vittatus first, a piece at a time. Doesnt eat fast takes a piece gets it all the way down then give him another. If I dump everything in at once the rays go into a frenzy then he gets spooked and doesnt eat.
He isnt nearly as skittish now unless I make real sudden/startling movements,
 
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