Handfeeding ARTC

[Sturgeon]

Hey guys and gals. A few wks ago I picked up a few market shrimp and have tried feeding them to my Artc. No dice, the cat only took one nibble and left the rest to rot in the tank. Las night I tried handfeeding the cat some deshelled, thawed shrimp and it wouldnt take it. the cat ran away like the shrimp was radioactive. I'm kinda getting upset because I know alot of you have great success with market shrimp and handfeeding. I want to pick up some silversides and see if I can possibly handfeed that. I have some trout filets but havnt tried feeding that.
I really want to tame the artc so I can handfeed it and pet it more often. Currently I can pet 'um sometimes, only after the fish is tired of swimming away from my hand.
Seeing as how it wont take market shrimp, what kinda foods would you recommend to try handfeeding? I'm gonna start cutting back on feedings to once a week cause its almost a foot long now and the colors are brighter, indicating its maturing

 

[Onion01]

try tilapia fillets. also, posting up pics might help a lot to reduce shyness

 

[Sturgeon]

Yeah! now Leeroy isn't so shy anymore! Even has his own song!

Jim Croce-
Bad, Bad leeroy brown,
baddest fish in the whole damned town
badder than old king kong,
and meaner than a junkyard dog

 

[Onion01]

WOW, HE IS BEAUTIFUL

where did you get him, at what size, and WHERE!!!

 

[Sturgeon]

Onion- I got this at a mom&pop shop, called klems. theyre like walmert. also specialize in tractors and work gear, but they have FW and SW displays. I got him at close to 3 inches for $10, i dont think they knew what it was. This is the grow out tank inmy bedroom, soon going into 125+ all by himself.
Getting back on track, I used to be able to handfeed when juvenile and had no colors. now that its more mature, i want to move onto bigger and better foods and handfeed but its just too shy/scared. I'm at a loss because I hate having a species only tank and not being able to interact with my pet.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

Wow, your artc is really coming along nicely. To be honest I've never tried hand feeding mine, he always wants to eat at night when the lights are out. Only recently will he eat sinking pellets in front of me, and only after I step back from the tank.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

Oh, nice antler too, lol.

 

[necrocanis]

very gorgeous. Wonder if they would get along with my other cats in a very large tank. Like 3000 gals.

 

[Mystus Redtail]

I would be afraid that they would get eaten, No doubt that they have the attitude to hold their own. They're a mean fish, but mine has really slowed in growing since hitting the 10 inch mark. I've seen one once that was 21-24". I really don't know how big they get either, I've never found any conclusive number.

 

[necrocanis]

I would be afraid that they would get eaten, No doubt that they have the attitude to hold their own. They're a mean fish, but mine has really slowed in growing since hitting the 10 inch mark. I've seen one once that was 21-24". I really don't know how big they get either, I've never found any conclusive number.

71" 190 lbs.