Breaking a baby Odoe from live food

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crenicichla444

crenicichla444

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 24, 2013
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Michigan
I just picked up a baby 2 inch Odoe from my LFS. He came in the same day I bought him and ate a couple guppies. I've heard that they're relatively easy to get off live, but he was relatively expensive so I don't want to do anything wrong. Another thing was that the employee who bagged him for me told me he'd be fine with my haps. He looked so fragile (most baby fish do) but I trusted him cuz he has an adult one with a couple big cichlids like a snook salvini pair. When I put him in my 75 gallon my 2 1/2 inch fusco went crazy on him and split his tail instantly. I immediately removed him and now he's in a 10 gallon. This just made me feel like he's more fragile. One of my friends gave me some advice on how to get him off live, but i would like to know from some more people. I've heard that Odoes grow very fast in their first few months and I don't really want to stunt his grow.
 
Odoes are easily stressed so I would keep it by itself for now.
 
Lix is right, mine has always been a bit nervous, though recently he's calmed down significantly. When I got mine, I got him off live with frozen krill. It was all he would eat for a while, but now he slams market shrimp with the rest of his tankmates.

Good luck with the little guy. I'd love to see a pic or two. These are some of the most under appreciated monster fish in my opinion.
 
As another note, i would first feed it live until it gets to approx 4 inches. The young ones are vulnerable so I wouldn't starve it that quickly. Just my opinion.

Is the odoe on the 75 or the 10 gal?

I would love to see pics of the lil guy.
 
lix.ma14 said:
As another note, i would first feed it live until it gets to approx 4 inches.
Click to expand...

+1

Let hiim get some size then he won't seem so fragile. They're more skittish than anything else and bolt quickly when they feel threatened. I got mine on small chunks of tilapia after a 2 day fast and they're already going after massivore as well a week later. They're pretty hardy though for the most part. Having some floating plants or something can help him feels more relaxed and less skittish so you might want to add some for that.

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He doesn't seem stressed or that skittish. Or at least compared to a hujeta I had. I have him in my 10 gallon which I used as my hap growout to make a "algae" tank. There is a lucious flow of algae on the sides to provide extra security. I already have 3 plastic plants at the surface and a bit of blue and black gravel on the bottom. He's all alone and I've already offered him bits of pre soaked krill which he doesn't show any interest to. At my LFS he snagged a guppy an hour out of the shipping box so I know that if he wanted the krill he would've got it by now if he recognized it as food. As for waiting till he's 4 inches I actually thought of that, like exactly 4! I think I'll do that and get him maybe a baby bala shark or two to decrease his skittishness and to possibly help him get on pellets.
 
As for pictures, I'll try my best but my phone REALLY sucks cuz my parents took it away after I got a C in my math class and IDK how to load pictures but I'll try to figure it out. As for being underappreciated IDK about that everyone at my LFS worship Odoes like they're on the same level as ATFs lol. Anyways thanks for all the help I'll try to get a picture up by the end of this week
 
I bought one at that size and put in a datnoid around the same size and the competition for food broke both of them off of live before the odoe reached 4-5 inches. But at that size they are fragile but put on size pretty fast too. Maybe try adding some silver dollars, or tin foil barbs to get him off of live and they're peaceful enough that they shouldn't stress him out.
 
I would continue to try floating krill or frozen krill ... give it a couple days .... I agree that he's small and you dont want to stress him, but the sooner you get him off live the better .... I've had the best luck getting my fish off live by trying right away as soon as I bring home the fish

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Alright, he seems to actually take a look at the krill (actually dried river shrimp) and swim up to it, but he hasn't struck quite yet... I'll starve him for another day then I'll give him a tiny rosy and start again. I might want to try a bala because he will probably try to attack it because it's silvery, plus it might help get him off live. Would adding a medium healthy feeder goldfish work? Just wondering becuz they're cheap and eat like crazy plus when it's over I can feed him to my 3 foot savanna monitor so housing won't be an issue
 
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