Feeding Issues in Mixed Aquatic Tank (turtles and fish)

[Kaerey]

I've been having some feeding problems in my Big tank. One turtle is hogging all the food and the Jack Dempseys and Raphael Catfish don't seem to be getting much. The Jack Dempsey's have lost a lot of color.

So the tank is http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...2-New-tank-picked-up-180-gallons-for-turtle(s)

It's current residents are:
2 jack Dempseys
Striped Raphael Catfish
Yellow Bellied Slider
Razor Back Musk
African Sideneck

Food is:
Daily :
2 tbsp of Chiclid Pellets,
2 tbsp of either Gourmet Turtle Food (a nice mix of stuff) or a Generic Turtle Pellet
and a few pinches of sinking Brine Shrimp Pellets or a few Aquean Bottom Feeder Pellets

twice a week:
either 2 Frozen Blood Worm Squares or a few scoops of a Fresh River Shrimp Turtle Treats

Every 2 Weeks:
We add 10-15 guppy feeders and most are gone in a few days, usually 1 or 2 have survived by the time we add more.

I don't really see the catfish or Dempseys eating anything because the yellow Bellied Slider is a spastic freak and goes for EVERYthing else I put in the tank. I can only assume the Dempseys are getting the Guppies because they disappear and I've never seen the turtles eat any of them.

I've tried feeding twice a day, once being at night after I turn the lights out, but the turtles still hog all the food.

I was wondering if anyone else has some suggestions on what we could do to change the food or feeding schedule to get something that will help the fish be happier and regain some of their color.

 

[paul112]

You could try removing the turtles each day (might be a good time to check them over and make sure they're in the best of health), giving the fish some time to get food.

I bought some bloodworm pellets from eBay recently, which sink well, so you could try using floating turtle food (such as Reptomin), and while the turtles are feeding at the surface, throw in some sinking pellets for the fish?

You also have an odd mix of turtles in there, pleasebe careful that they do not get aggressive towards each other during feeding.

Best,
Paul

 

[biguebs]

Yes, pulling the turtles out for a few minutes would be a simple solution. I have had a Dempsey in with a group of 4 turtles for about 4 years. The JD is always the first to the food... I usually stand at one corner of the tank for a few seconds and the turtles all herd into the corner I'm standing at. The fish waits below, and then I just walk to the other side of the tank and drop some food in. The fish immediately follows me over there, it takes the turtles a little longer.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Just FYI but if the turtles are not babies then you don't need to feed them every day. Try distracting your turtles and then dump the food on the other end of the tank. Maybe that way your fish will get more to eat. I keep a Paratilapia polleni with my Mud and Musk turtles and he's always the first to the food. Actually, he has a habit of eating most of the food I drop in.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

You can try feeding both floating and sinking type pellets simultaneously.
Your fish are bound to get one while the turtles are busy with the other

 

[Kaerey]

You can try feeding both floating and sinking type pellets simultaneously.
Your fish are bound to get one while the turtles are busy with the other

Yeah I thought this would work, but the Slider takes out the surface food, and the Razor Back and Sideneck clean up the bottom. I think I've got the catfish covered, I have some rocks for the basking area staggered so the fish can get through to the other side but the turtles can't. So I drop sinking pellets there and the catfish will come get them. The Dempseys are slowly getting more accustomed to coming out when I come up to the tank for food.