Lima Cat Feeding Routine

[wiggywhitetrash]

Hey

I have a Lima cat just shy of 1'. Currently feeding him once a day in the evening, but I gather that eventually, he shouldn't eat every day. What sort of size does he need to get to before I start to space out his feedings? Currently his staple is 5 X Hikari Jumbo Carnisticks per feed. Once or twice a week, I substitute this with raw prawns or scallops. He shares a 6' 180g with a sailfin plec. would appreciate some input.

Cheers

Steve

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Nice diet but I'd throw thawed fish in the diet too.

I'd go by its tummy. When the bulge goes away, it can be fed again.

Its behavior is also indicative. When it starts hunting ~all the time doing its vertical stance or swimming around much, it's probably hungry.

 

[wiggywhitetrash]

Nice diet but I'd throw thawed fish in the diet too.

I'd go by its tummy. When the bulge goes away, it can be fed again.

Its behavior is also indicative. When it starts hunting ~all the time doing its vertical stance or swimming around much, it's probably hungry.

Thanks for the advice. So, if he doesn't have a bulge after eating, he probably hasn't had enough?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Given it is a catfish and how thin this one is by nature, I'd say yes. Mine would always eat to a well visible bulge, let it be bloodworms, when small, or thawed fish, shrimp, when bigger.

I've had a good couple a dozen through the years but sadly I have been "lima-less" awhile.

Mine never lowered themselves to take pellets but I've never offered Hikari or other high quality ones.

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The rule of thumb is that it is better to underfeed a fish than to overfeed, that's true in general, esp. if the diet is balanced and of good quality.

 

[wiggywhitetrash]

Given it is a catfish and how thin this one is by nature, I'd say yes. Mine would always eat to a well visible bulge, let it be bloodworms, when small, or thawed fish, shrimp, when bigger.

I've had a good couple a dozen through the years but sadly I have been "lima-less" awhile.

Mine never lowered themselves to take pellets but I've never offered Hikari or other high quality ones.

*************************************************************

The rule of thumb is that it is better to underfeed a fish than to overfeed, that's true in general, esp. if the diet is balanced and of good quality.

Cool, I'll bear this in mind. It seems that mine is the odd man out with pellets. Although he'll eat fresh fish / crustacean, he rarely seems enthusiastic about it. Give him pellets and he hits them like they're live food.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Pavlov's dog syndrome. None of our wet pets eat pellets in the wild but once they recognize something as food and it's given to them regularly and often, they usually stick to it.

Yet, there seems to exist indeed some room for preferences from specimen to specimen but how inborn it is is hard to tell. Need a lab and a rigorous experiment. I tend to think it is just a matter of upbringing, the fish's individual history.

 

[Frank Castle]

Pavlov's dog syndrome. None of our wet pets eat pellets in the wild but once they recognize something as food and it's given to them regularly and often, they usually stick to it.

Yet, there seems to exist indeed some room for preferences from specimen to specimen but how inborn it is is hard to tell. Need a lab and a rigorous experiment. I tend to think it is just a matter of upbringing, the fish's individual history.

I found it's easier to train bottom-feeders to take new foods when you keep them with other ravenous feeders and limit the amount of food intentionally meant for them, so they are still hungry and will start learning about pellets, FD-Krill/Shrimp, floating food from the other fish they live with.

A couple of husky Cichlids go crazy everytime the scent of food is in the water, the others will learn fast. I have catfishes that come up and swim with their mouth open, surface feeding like Basking Sharks a few seconds after the food hits the water. Had huge Plecos and Raphaels come to the surface for pellets daily too. They can all be taught as far as I have seen....just takes time.