New GTs - Some Q's

[Cookinit]

I picked up 2 GTs on April 18th and put them both in a 55 Gallon tank. They are right around the 1.5" mark. The plan is to have a single Wet Pet GT in a 55 Gallon, so going to grow them both out a bit and then pick one to keep and the other one will go up on a FS thread on my local fish keepers forum.

Anyways, here's the deal...Both of them constantly hide, I have seen 1 eat a little bit every few days, and the other even less then that. I am using both Pellets and Flake food to try to get them eating regularly but it's a no go.

I know that it takes time for a new fish to settle in, but I have never had it take this long.

Questions being...

1. Is there anything I could give them that could get them a bit more excited to eat?
2. Would some dither fish help? I have 6 Pristella Tetras and 3 Gold Barbs I was going to bring to my LFS for store credit that maybe would work as Dithers?

 

[droptopt/a]

give it some time
it took my gts months to feel at home try tastier foods like blood worms and krill

 

[Citrinellus]

You could offer them some frozen bloodworms or brineshrimp. Get their appetite rolling then start introducing the pellets and flakes. I would put the tetras and the gold barbs in the 55g along with your gts. Watching them feed might make them competitive and start eating. Also, it will probably bring them out of hiding. Good luck with your gts.

 

[Cookinit]

I would put the tetras and the gold barbs in the 55g along with your gts. Watching them feed might make them competitive and start eating. Also, it will probably bring them out of hiding. Good luck with your gts.

That's what I was thinking.

And thanks, been wanting a GT for awhile now. I have a little betta with great personality can't wait to have a big guy

 

[Cookinit]

I put the Gold Barbs in their tank two days ago and last night both the GTs went to town on the flake I offered them. I decided to only put the Barbs in their as they seem a bit more aggressive then the Pristella Tetras when it comes to feeding.

Worked like a charm, thought I'd give an update!

Oh and it looks like I have a male and a female - granted their still rather small so we'll see as they grow.

 

[GTbEaSt]

put some giant danios or smaller convicts in there as dithers..this should get them out....they are just skittish because they are so small and they dont know what to expect...

 

[Cookinit]

put some giant danios or smaller convicts in there as dithers..this should get them out....they are just skittish because they are so small and they dont know what to expect...

Yeah I rearranged the tank too and added some river rocks and some fake plants to give them more hiding spaces (want them to feel comfortable and have a place to hide if need be).

Question - How fast do GTs grow? Right now they're small guys, hitting maybe 1.5-2" from tail to head, when can I expect them to get around the 5-6" mark?

 

[Ak-Kronic]

GTs are notorious for being slow growers......females are even slower.......so is you keep up w/ you WC and feed them a fair amount and good high quality food like NLS or Hikari they could his the 5-6" mark in like 6mo i'd say......and that's being generous. if you want to keep just GTs i'd stay away from any other cichlids like the convicts........danios and balas are good dithers....they get to be a descent size and they are fast swimmers.

 

[Cookinit]

Awesome thanks - I like the idea of slow growers.

Just going to keep the tank the way it is, both the GTs are eating well now that they are competing with the Barbs for food and in the end it's just going to be 1 GT in the tank so don't need to put anything else in there only to move that much more stock later.

Thanks!