Channel Catfish not eating pellets.

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T

treldib

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 6, 2011
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Recently got a 4" Albino Channel Cat for my pond (1500G). It's currently in a 55G tank until it gets bigger. Its got the tank to itself and is very active. Especially when the lights are off (typical catfish). It will eagerly suck up Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets, swim around a bit, then spit them back out. These are the only pellets it will touch at the moment. I have tried full pellets (easily edible size), 1/2 pellets, and 1/4 pellets. How can I get him to keep them down. He hasn't eaten in 3 days :uhoh:
 
How long have you had this catfish for? Some times these catfish will not eat for several days until it feels comfortable in it's environment. I have had channels and albino channels. Mine were about the same size. They did not eat for several days after I got them. Do you know what the lfs was feeding this guy before you got it? I would not attempt to feed it for several days and let it get good and hungry. Then see if it will take the food. A healthy fish can go for a week more without eating without having any serious side effects.
 
Yea...I knew that lol. The lfs (very good for around here...they know what Cichla means) was also feeding them (a group of about 15 Albinos and Normals) Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets. I have had it for about a week now and from the start it would take the fore mentioned food but would never swallow it. At this point I'm not sure if it has or hasn't eaten...sometimes it spits the food out into decorations, driftwood, behind the sponge filters, etc.
 
Try soaking the pellets in a little tank water before feeding it. This may help the little guy get the food down a little more easily.
 
He's eating now! :headbang2
I actually soaked the pellets in a shrimp broth kinda thing. Boiled a bunch of shrimp (experimenting for the RTCxTSN in the pond) put the pellets in there for a bit til they were soft and then tossed then in the tank. Now hes got quite the full belly and is hiding. Sweet satisfaction :)

I wonder if it was the fact that they were cooked in shrimp broth or the fact that they were just softer. But it worked....and its also a great way to cure that "Massivore Smell" :naughty:
 
And thank you for your advice bigbadfish711! I appreciate it.
 
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