Feeding a Red Tail Barracuda

[IAMCLP1]

I just recently purchased a 6inch Red Tail Barracuda, everything I have read tells me these guys only eat "live" fish. Has anyone had any other success getting them to eat anything else?

I currently have this Red Tail along with 2 Oscars, looks like WWIII is going to happen during feeding time.

Thoughts?

 

[tydus]

I am currently housing my friend's 6"-7" redtail cuda who is eating massivore pellets. It was starved for a good month and 2 weeks before my friend was able to get it to take floating sticks. Its tankmates were peacock bass which it learned to eat pellets from. Trainer fish are essential to get the cuda off of live. The cuda was then transitioned to massivore with ease once I got it. To my friend's experience the cuda was hard to get off live but you just have to stay persistent. My friend utilizes the eat or die method.

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[IAMCLP1]

Thanks for the additional insight and seems to be very consistent with all my reading...

Last night, I was able to get him to take a few chunks of brine shrimp until the Oscars finished it off. I don’t think I am going to try and starve him as that would be very difficult with those Oscars in the tank as well - The tank is already extremely aggressive and that would only increase it 10x. I was just not a fan of always needing feeder fish (fear of disease, and not enough nutritional value) and if there was an easier/more methodical way I didn’t know of.

The Oscars normal get feeders once a week anyway, but they love the pellets/brine shrimp/blood warms. Now I just need to ensure the Oscars are full before I put the feeders in so the Cuba can get his share of food.