Feeding routine

[predatorkeeper87]

tilapia or shrimp soaked in vitachem is their staple. Pellets I feed occasionally, mostly carnivore as they tend not to eat massivore as readily.

 

[magpie]

Thanks for the pellet info guys.

I bought some of New Era Pleco pellets to try and the pellets are huge! It also seems the fish just cant get this stuff down, almost as if it were like taffy to them. lol

I ended up trying to cut it up and they didnt like it so it was time to trick them. I made small incisions in the tilapia pieces I fed and cut up the pleco pellet and stuffed it in there. Taking a while to get rid of but slowly going away.

I agree, I didn't mean for mine to eat it but they did. Since I thought they might try it I broke it up into smaller chunks. But even then they were chomping the pieces around more than the pellets intended for them. I think it's because the plec pellets are meant to be sort of sucked on / scraped vs gulped.

Anybody here have tried feeding catfish fillet? Ive been doing it for 3 weeks now and so far so good, i only do it once a week cause i read that the fat of catfish is good for the polys digestive system & prevents them from bloating.

I have since I read the same thing somewhere, it was cheap, and I figured why not. I do it the day before the water change though for the oily water reason.

tilapia or shrimp soaked in vitachem is their staple. Pellets I feed occasionally, mostly carnivore as they tend not to eat massivore as readily.

When you feed shrimp, it is just shrimp you get in the grocery store, right? Shells removed.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Thanks for the pellet info guys.


I agree, I didn't mean for mine to eat it but they did. Since I thought they might try it I broke it up into smaller chunks. But even then they were chomping the pieces around more than the pellets intended for them. I think it's because the plec pellets are meant to be sort of sucked on / scraped vs gulped.



I have since I read the same thing somewhere, it was cheap, and I figured why not. I do it the day before the water change though for the oily water reason.


When you feed shrimp, it is just shrimp you get in the grocery store, right? Shells removed.

yup. I add vitachem especially to the shrimp to offset the thiaminase.

 

[magpie]

Thanks, I'll look into the vitachem.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

Thanks, I'll look into the vitachem.

Good stuff. Presoak pellets in it too when I feed them. Its pricey, like 25 bucks on amazon, but worth every penny and lasts a while.

 

[clm08k]

Mine get pellets, smelt, tilapia, and shrimp. The heavier stuff about 20% of their diet about 3 times per week. Shrimp and smelt are soaked with some vitachem.

No live food. The proof is in the pudding. They growing fine just fine with the food and clean water.

what does the vitachem do? guessing it is a multi vitamin?

also agree with the no live food. Don't want to deal with treating it before putting it in the tank.

Thanks for this question. I am so new to polys so am soaking up the info.

Any reason to use smelt over silversides specifically?

Does anyone ever use NLS pellets? If so, which kind?

I love this question too. I'm also new to polys! This forum and you guys are the best.

Currently, I'm using NLS large sinking pellets for my ornate. He's only 5' though, so it works perfectly for him. I am alternating between that and tilapia. I feed every other day though. Sometimes, I might feed pellets two days in a row, but if I give him tilapia I wait a day. Learning so much on the forum! Would have never thought to feed tilapia to a fish!

Polyaddict86 , I'm going to get a catfish fillet for my ornate as a christmas present. haha!

 

[clm08k]

yup. I add vitachem especially to the shrimp to offset the thiaminase.

what does the thiaminase do?

 

[predatorkeeper87]

what does the thiaminase do?

in the simplest of terms it breaks down Vitamin B in the fish's system resulting in a deficiency and over time a host of health issues.

 

[clm08k]

I feed mine nls thera A, north fin, omega one and sometimes massivore. They do eat the nls and the ornatr will even eat the algaemax (not intended for him)

Im still looking for a staple not a big fan of massivore... stuff stinks and i like the north fin but its annoying because it doesnt sink easily.

what type of north fin and omega one do you buy? Any other suggestions for things instead of massivore? One of the amazon reviews said it smelled like sour diapers hahaha.

 

[Hao]

I feed mine nls thera A, north fin, omega one and sometimes massivore. They do eat the nls and the ornatr will even eat the algaemax (not intended for him)

Im still looking for a staple not a big fan of massivore... stuff stinks and i like the north fin but its annoying because it doesnt sink easily.

Did you notice any changes in your bichir's coloration from feeding NLS? I used to feed my bichirs the NLS 10mm pellets(along with tilapia/smelts). But only like 2 of them were eating NLS like it was cut up fish.

Before eating NLS

After about 3 months of NLS


Before NLS

After NLS (Bulked up from tilapia)