How to get Gatf off live

[DAZZA]

Hi

I have a GATF housed with 3 odoes and a vittatus. The vitt takes Hikari cichlid gold mini pellets no prob. But the GATF will only take live river shrimp.
I was hoping that the GATF would "learn" from my vitt but that hasn't happened yet.
They've been together about 10 days and the GATF was skinny when i got it. wanna pack on some girth as the odoes have too much interest in it.

Any pointers? Or do i just need more patience?

 

[sashimimaster]

I'm not sure they do a whole lot of "learning" from each other. I have one VATF that eats food sticks and the other has no interest at all. Even though he hasn't eaten in a week. He will eat tilapia chunks so I think I'm going to soak the fish in water with some food sticks and hopefully pick up the scent. Then I'll get him used to eating stuff that tastes like food sticks. Hopefully eventually he'll eat the sticks directly.....

Maybe have the shrimp eat some pellets first?

 

[gigas12]

Hi,try feeding fish that is being moved in the tank,that way it seems to be alive.

 

[busterbrown]

get a little girth on him first before you starve him and then try silver sides or market shrimp. I got mine off live that way, i held silver sides or shrimp with tongs and dropped them in front of his face so they drifted in front of him. It took him a while to start eating them everytime but he eventually did, just have patience bro

 

[West1]

Only 2 ways that I know of...

1, feed him maybe 2-3 feeders and that's it!! Starve him for 2 weeks and then 2-3 feeders again. Feed the others on your regular schedule and eventually he will take it. My previous GATFs ate most in the evening or at night with lights out. That's when I say you feed the tankmates. G/L cause it may take a few months.

The biggest key to me is the small amount of feeders given once you do give him some grub. The point is to get something in his stomach not to get him full... Makes sence ?? This method has worked for me 100% so far w/the rest of the ATFs I've owned.

2nd, use one of your life lines Lol

my personal experience w/Goliaths is not good Lol. They broke me b4 I broke them off live... Sent each one packing Lol.
Went to the old school VATF baby my fav ATF