Not trying to get into an argument just posting some pictures to support my claims.
Pleuro in 220g comm with fahaka and cichlids (he is the boss!), auranti in 200g comm along with stewartii (I think m you can just about see both in one of the pictures). Not trying to start a argument.
Update: Auranti is finally eating! Still wants nothing to do with the smelt but I got some live river shrimp and platies from the lfs and they went down very well! Both the auranti and the pulchra are feeding well on frozen blood worms now.... I will use that as a base and start to vary the diet as they get more settled. Hopefully morio worms and locusts.
On a side note, I normally use catfish as substrate cleaners in my predator tanks, given the SH mentality and seasonal water temp fluctuation, is this something I could do and if so what species could manage this. This is more of a way to keep the tank clean than anything and reduce water degradation. I have ordered a bunch of java moss to grow over the rocks to increase the natural burrow look for the auranti and I have been told it's a great natural filter. Thanks again.
I wouldn't feed smelt, especially as a staple.
If you want them feeding, live insects/worms do wonders!
If you were to add bottom feeders, they'd end up just like your pulchras will.
Only difference is that cats are usually robust fish, with hard fins, and tend to end up stuck in the mouth of whomever feeds on it. So you would lose your bottom feeders, but also your channa (kind of how most polypterus die).
Cool I am off the lizard emporium tomorrow to acquire some live bugs as they stable diet. You're totally right about the spiny dorsals of the catfish... especially as channa gulp feed, thanks clearly a bad idea. Pity as a decent clean up crew would be helpful in keeping down pollutants from uneaten food.
Cool I am off the lizard emporium tomorrow to acquire some live bugs as they stable diet. You're totally right about the spiny dorsals of the catfish... especially as channa gulp feed, thanks clearly a bad idea. Pity as a decent clean up crew would be helpful in keeping down pollutants from uneaten food.
Don't worry too much, there should not be leftovers. You need to feed every other day in summer, and once or twice a week in winter (perhaps even less). If you use insects, you can handfeed them, to make sure there is no excess food, once they stop eating, stop feeding, but you're better off feeding a stable amount which is less than the max they feed on.
Your tank will basically have only their poop to recycle, which the plants will easily take care of for your twice yearly water changes.
Okay got the insects, the morio worms went down a treat but I hear these are not ideal as they have to much keratin? Also got fruit beetle larva (large fat white grubs) which the auranti is now taking.... just checking that these are good food sources for the snakeheads or of I need to consider another lnsect? I can get wax worms and locusts fairly easily as well if they are better.
Okay got the insects, the morio worms went down a treat but I hear these are not ideal as they have to much keratin? Also got fruit beetle larva (large fat white grubs) which the auranti is now taking.... just checking that these are good food sources for the snakeheads or of I need to consider another lnsect? I can get wax worms and locusts fairly easily as well if they are better.
I thinking. what they might have been talking about is the chitin in the morio worms, The morio worms or the smaller version meal worms (Tenebrio) are both high in chitin this is what gives them the tough exoskeleton. Some smaller reptile species struggle to digest it which in theory can lead to a blockage but this will not be a problem with channa as they can digest the chitin, in fact it'll help give them nicer scales and fins.
The grubs are fine, so are locusts, Wax worms are very high in fat low in nutritional value I wouldn't bother using them. Varriety is always good so id recommend you use Tenebrio or morio as a staple and use the other options to add some varriety, earth worms are another excellent choice as a larger part of the diet however the Tenebrio or Morio are easier to store. Tenebrio are my favorite , they are smaller but they are very easy to breed making for cheap feed .
Cracking, thanks that really makes things clearer and they love the morios (as does the fahaka and cichlids in the big tank) so I can use them as a stable all round. Yep will totally vary it as I am also using frozen blood worms and feeder shrimp as well as the bugs. Will steer clear of be wax worms then as well... will use locusts as a treat as they are quite large and the auranti is still quite small (about 6-7 inches).
