Grasscutter Catfish not eating...

[Leo1234]

I got 2 Grasscutter Catfish (Schilbe intermedius) a week ago and they won't even touch any food I give them. I have tried massivore pelllets, frozen bloodworms, frozen mysids, and live feeder minnows (basically my last resort and wasn't expecting it to work).

What would you reccomend? they are 3" right now.

 

[Leo1234]

Should I try silversides and cut it into small cubes?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

It's on the borderline right now - it may be the newness and they are still adjusting or there may be stress factors that interfere with their appetite, such as, water parameters, lighting, bullying, aeration, tank setup, security, a (latent) illness, working out immunity to new-to-them pathogens, a lot of things...


Whatever you offer should be of the right size they can swallow relatively easily. Mine were not fussy as to the foods at all.

 

[shipmonkey]

As a slightly different suggestion, go buy more grasscutters. In my experience, they are very gregarious schooling fish. If they are not kept in school, they get stressed and stop eating. And two fish is not a school. I don't think I would keep them in schools of less than 5. Currently, I have a school of 10 as the centerpiece fish in a 240g.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I didn't know this, thanks. I've had 2 or 3. It was a while ago. Had them in with a bunch of other fish.

Do you have any pics or vids of your 240?

 

[MHDevelopments]

I second the notion of a school photo

 

[Leo1234]

Mine ate a few small pellets this morning, but not much. At least they are now eating. What is the best food to give them? Do they like current?