Distichodus Feeding?

[bmxer4ever]

Does anyone know if Distichodus are strictly vegetarian?
I've got a large Sexfasciatus who is quite happy to graze at the algae in my tank, loves sinking catfish pellets, but won't touch bloodworm. Is this normal?

 

[bmxer4ever]

Anyone???!

 

[olllie]

Nice to see another big Distichodus Sexfasciatus.
And nice to see yours is also quite red. I have one also.
They're not strictly vegetarians.
Besides algae mine eats morioworms and the little frozen
fish I feed to the Bichirs. And any green pellet or mysis which sinks off.

Nice setup you've got there! Your Distichodus has all the algae he wants. No need to worrie bout spirulina or other greenish stuff.
When all the wood's clean, you might consider feeding some (protein containing) pellets.
You have one Distichodus?
I believe mine is on my gallery.

And bloodworms are low in nutritional value, I noticed mine does not like it either, but he likes mysis tho.

 

[DaveB]

Bloodworms are about the only thing mine never ate. Not due to being vegetarian, though, but probably just because individal worms weren't exactly satisfying for him.

Mine likes peas. But he also like giant chunks of shrimp and big floating arowana pellets.

 

[bmxer4ever]

Thanks guys - that was good info.
He lives in my main 6 foot tank in the living room, which was really bought for him and a couple of big Clown Loaches. He rules the tank.
I have twin lamps, but only used to run one most of the time. Once I started running both, the algae bloomed and that's when I first saw him grazing!
Was a cool moment - looked very natural - now I know why they have that beak of a mouth!
He's around 9 inches now I think, still holding good red and his name is Rothiemurchus, after a town in Scotland.

This pic's about 14 months old, before he and the algae grew!

 

[longv]

does anyone know if those can be kept with a prochilodus'?

 

[olllie]

Taeniurus?
I do not think so.
But maybe it does.

Sexfasciatus can be relentless insisting.
Mine now is playing second violin. African Arapaima is boss now.

Bmxer4ever, nice tank!

 

[brcacti]

im guessing you can keep one with your distichodus but that is my guess.

 

[bmxer4ever]

Mine likes to chase most of the other fish, but mainly the biggest Clowns. I understand that they don't like other fish that are stripey or look like another Distichodus.

 

[olllie]

Yep that can be a thing.
Same bodyshape, stripes..
I had two Distichodus', but couldnt keep them together.
But maybe because a Fei Feng has another diet as a Distichodus, they
can live in harmony.