Hey, I was wondering if I could get some advice from some of you out there that are keeping full sized adult RBP. I have 4 RBP that I was sold as 2 breeding pair. They currently reside in a 220 with 400+ water volume (sump and another tank connected. I find that the P's are not overly intrested in food. I Place in large whole fish that were frozen (mackeral) and they only go nuts if I don't feed for a week. I puchased about 25 feeders and dropped them into the tank and they are slowly picking them off but nothing to wowing. I have had the P's for about 6 months and I can get them to go all black (signs of breeding) but nothing really happens. Anyone tell me why they would be not eating more often? That is my main question. I have been trying to regulate the lighting with a timer but my kids want to see the fish and end up screwing with it.
Not sure what is going on
- Thread starter dr_sudz
- Start date
reds that large you only need to feed once a week tops...
i reccommend if you want them to breed you change up their diet and starting feeding them some quality food like fresh shrimp, tilapia and if you have it around buy some vitamin supplement (kent zoe etc..) and add that to the food after you cut it up and before you freeze it, they need to be healthy to breed and feeders arent going to help since they have almost no nutrional value. With that said good luck and post pics if they breed.
i reccommend if you want them to breed you change up their diet and starting feeding them some quality food like fresh shrimp, tilapia and if you have it around buy some vitamin supplement (kent zoe etc..) and add that to the food after you cut it up and before you freeze it, they need to be healthy to breed and feeders arent going to help since they have almost no nutrional value. With that said good luck and post pics if they breed.
Do they have adequate cover/hiding spots in the tank to feel secure? Do the kids harass them constantly? I don't really see how feeding tilapia filets or shrimp is that much healthier than feeding a whole food item like a feeder fish(in good health of course). The range of nutrients in a whole living creature is gonna surpass that contained in the muscle tissue in tilapia. I have read about the thiaminase content with the carp family but that hasnt been proven to do long term damage.
jao209;3397560; said:
yes it has it stunts growth. and i wouldnt trust any feeder bought at a pet store there are so many diseases that show no symptoms at first but are still present and 1 in particular cant be treated (fish tuberculosis) hence why i will never buy a feeder for my (future) piranhas. im breeding my own
..... hope they like convicts
How is your water temp?.....Also I agree with whole fish instead of just meat. The head of a fish is a lot more vit/min/protien thean a fillet.
Remember that water temp usually has to change. A lot of the times the pressure changes also.
Remember that water temp usually has to change. A lot of the times the pressure changes also.
Thank you for all your replys, I may have to provide a bit more colour. The feeders are not the main food I feed, though I have to agree that feeders tend to be the better choice. as I have been trying to raise some endi poly's to put into a larger tank and when feeding frozen foods they don't really grow but when I feed rosies they grow like crazy (an inch a week). But what I am feeding the P's is mainly frozen mackerel I have been told told that they are a good choice due to the fatty acids and such.
mollies are a little easier to catch and they breed like crazyZander_The_RBP;3397619; said:yes it has it stunts growth. and i wouldnt trust any feeder bought at a pet store there are so many diseases that show no symptoms at first but are still present and 1 in particular cant be treated (fish tuberculosis) hence why i will never buy a feeder for my (future) piranhas. im breeding my own
I don't have anything to add as far as your questions go but please keep us posted on how the breeding goes. I'll never attempt it myself but i've always loved learning from other people's experiences