Juvi VATF feeding

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addisonlee25

addisonlee25

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jun 16, 2008
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california
Hey guys,

I've got a 4" VATF that I've been feeding frozen bloodworms/mysis shrimp. I'm gonna try some live black worms soon. I was wondering, for the guys that had VATF/GATF as juveniles, what you started feeding the with.

I've got a few guppies in the tank with him but have never seen him take one. He takes bloodworms, but doesn't go crazy, just two to three at a time. Any suggestions appreciated.

For info he is in a tank with some tankmates. See thread http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=398585
 
I tried many stuffs,mollies,goldfish,bloodworms and snakehead,they tend to wait awhile before attacking their live feeders but when i introduced them with Hikari foodsticks.....striaght after the foodsticks touches the water they will strike and I too found out that they tend to grow faster.
 
Bullterrier;4948085; said:
I tried many stuffs,mollies,goldfish,bloodworms and snakehead,they tend to wait awhile before attacking their live feeders but when i introduced them with Hikari foodsticks.....striaght after the foodsticks touches the water they will strike and I too found out that they tend to grow faster.
Click to expand...

Do they need to be trained to take foodsticks? Or did it just do it naturally?
Was it after a few days of starving?

I've only fed mine live. He's got a batch of Black Neon Tetras, and takes to them quite well. Goes through about 50 in 10 days.
 
I found that vittatus take Hikari cichlid gold pellets really well. If there are live foods in the tank why would it be interested in none live?
When all the feeders are gone, be brave and starve your vitt. It should take the pellets as long as you size the pellets appropriately.
Goliaths on the other hand can be problematic.
 
daimion;4948161; said:
Do they need to be trained to take foodsticks? Or did it just do it naturally?
Was it after a few days of starving?

I've only fed mine live. He's got a batch of Black Neon Tetras, and takes to them quite well. Goes through about 50 in 10 days.
Click to expand...

They just did it naturally without starving them,in fact that's the 1st food i intro to them.I'm not sure y they get so turn on to Hikari compare to live feeders even my new bigger ones are the same but i just can't get my Armatus to take:irked:
 
I am not a fan of floating foods of any kind with ATF. To risky IMO!

X2 on what DAZZA said :D
 
When mine were 4" I got them off live as soon as I got them. Starved for 3 days then they started eating food sticks. I've never had a problem with floating sticks as they never launch at the food. I feed them Tilapia chunks and sticks now. A week ago I threw in some goldfish and they didn't know what to do. After a few hours though the GF were all gone. The next day I gave them their usual sticks and they were back on their usual diet.

If they taking bloodworms you're half way there. I've noticed that different VATF have different personalities. One of mine eats anything and hits it hard. The other two are more cautious and more picky. Sometimes skipping a meal for a day.
 
Thanks guys, I will slowly introduce him to the sticks. I was kinda thinkin of mixin a few sticks in with the worms. Thing is though that if the food hits the bottom he loses total interest in it.

Funny thing is I got live black worms today and he ate just ONE. Threw some frozen bloodworms in, he went to town.
 
Trust me... He will eat off the ground, don't let that make you think twice about feeding certain foods. JMO. I fed massivore delight n seen a nice increase on growth. Pellets is the key to good growth rates for ATF IME (probably all fish Lol)
 
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