Feeding GATF

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The Mule

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2005
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NYC
So as I contemplate picking up my first GATF, I'm wondering what everyone who owns this fish does at feeding time. My source has them on feeder guppies, though my practice is to wean off live food whenever possible and proceed with frozen/fd krill, frozen smelt, etc. Just wanted to see what the consensus here was. How readily to these fish take to non-live food? And what is the growth rate like?

Thanks in advance.
The Mule
 
Hikari Aro stix is your best bet. All the ones ive had take it. Make sure your water moves a ton on the surface. So the stix kinda dance/move. They kinda look alive to the fish.
 
Thanks, BigJ. That'll be easy - I've got tons of those in the fridge. :)
 
I feed my ATF sinking foods. I've never had success getting my old Goliaths off live except meal worms :(

You might want to try Teacher fish too :)
 
Not too sure about GATF, but we had an ATF at the LFS I worked at and as soon as he heard a splash he would bite at whatever was at the surface (including fingers). He ate freshly dead goldfish, and if he didn't eat for a couple days he would also go for krill. Just had to make sure he tried to eat it without getting a good look at it.
 
All mine are off live. They eat food sticks and frozen tilapia filets.

One of them will strike hard as soon as the food hits the surface. The other two wait until it starts to sink down. I think certain fish have different personalities and tastes. The big one will eat krill but other two won't touch it.
 
ive had 5 or 6 juvie gatfs, all but one accepted frozen shrimp. cut the shrimp into small half inch pieces and they ate floating and took them of the gravel. i think i had more sucess getting them off live in smaller tanks, more concentration on the food.
 
underboss8;4651591; said:
ive had 5 or 6 juvie gatfs, all but one accepted frozen shrimp. cut the shrimp into small half inch pieces and they ate floating and took them of the gravel. i think i had more sucess getting them off live in smaller tanks, more concentration on the food.
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Yeah, that's a good point. They need to see what you're feeding them and in a small tank it's easier.
 
I've had two GATF's. One wouldn't eat anything other than live. My current GATF eats Hikari cichlid gold pellets.
 
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