GATF Arrived

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nzafi said:
What size was your GATF?

My guy is only 4in. Wes told me he had all of his GATF on filet, so while I could not get him to take dead food, he had experienced it. I am curious how long such a small fish can go without eating.
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*At that time my GATF around 6 inches.
*They can go without food for long time, you will have to make yourself and define it to your GATF that's you're the boss, if it doesn't want to eat = it gonna die, no exception :) I know it's sound hash but it's only way you will win the competition or surrender to your GATF and give in.
 
This is a hard, but I am somewhat used to it. My rhom used to starve itself for ages, sometimes up to 6 weeks. I just haven't done this for such a small fish before versus a mature fish.
 
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I'm not sure when it became common practice to starve juvenile fish for so long, but I think its stupid. I'll starve them for a week or two before offering whatever they're eating. I think its entirely plausible that fish can reach the point of no return, so to speak. They'll get so emaciated that they will just never eat again. When you give in and offer feeders, they'll actually die faster.

Get some food through him and try again in a few weeks.
 
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I am trying two different pellets, and just threw filet in there last night again with no luck. He is about 4in and there 3 tinfoil barbs smaller than him in there. If he wants, he will attack and eat those guys.

Are GATF night time eaters? With my aimara when I was training him all I had to do was leave the food in the tank over night. Did it 1-2 nights and he was on it the second night. I have not done that yet with this guy and was thinking of trying that. Thoughts?
 
ATF in general are sight predators, so night time feeling probably won't work as well as the Aimara. I've always used Hikari's Jumbo Carnisticks for all my ATF in the past with great success. Something about the smell and sponge-like consistency works wonders for them. I'd start there if you're going to continue the starving process. Though, if it were my fish, I've get a round of danios or ghost shrimp through him so he can regain some of his strength.
 
Once its regain its strength its most likely will go without food for another 2+ weeks, AFT is smart fish once its learn that hold up a bit more would get its food. Like I said earlier my GATF just kill the teacher fish and ate part of them since it couldn't swallow whole then keep going for weeks before it's gave up...2 months later! Anyway, everyone suggest have their own good point so at the end it's your fish, you gotta make a decision.
 
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I would give blood worms a try, especially when he is that small. Most fish will take bloodworms when they are around that size. And then you can go the bloodworms to pellets route
 
Insanely pissed off. Went downstairs to a dead gatf stuck against the powerhead. No idea what happened. Water parameters were 0, 0, 10 nitrates. He has not eaten with me but it had been 2 weeks. Tried two different pellets, cut filet and he had smaller barbs in there with him.

Could it have been stress?
 
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