Pellet Training for Royal Clown Knife?

[docturtle91b]

Is there a trick to pellet training knife fish? I have tried a letting his go a few days without food then offered him pellets, live earth worms, etc. and he wants nothing to do with them. The only thing that he will eat are feeder fish of which he gets a large variety. Thanks for the advice.

 

[spadoc79]

it takes patients...you cant give in...it took till the 6th day before my CK would eat pellets(yesterday..lol) it'll get hungry enough to eat them but you gotta be strong and dont give in to feeding him the feeders.

 

[docturtle91b]

What kind of pellets do you use?

 

[spadoc79]

new life spectrum cichlid gold.....my other CK i had started out on the same but when he got about 8 inches i swapped him to massivore pellets

 

[docturtle91b]

This guy is right at 11". Should I try to start him on massivore pellets first?

 

[spadoc79]

yeah i would.....may take a little longer since hes bigger but he'll eventually go for them.

 

[docturtle91b]

Just out of curiosity how is your tank for your knife set up? As far as hides, filter, etc? Right now mine is being over wintered in a 55g with a sand substrate, a pink kissing gourami, a drift wood stump that he hides in, as well as a rock pile to make it sporting for the feeder fish, and its moderately planted. There is duck weed over the end where he hides for extra security and I've got a HOT magnum filter on one end. The coolest thing I have done on the tank though is using a blue colored compact florescent light bulb in a dome fixture over the outlet for the filter. When only this light is on it throws rippling blue light on the walls of the animal room. The knife still functions like its night when its on too. Any suggestions for making the tank better?

 

[spadoc79]

i did a water change and rearranged things so everyone was still kinda stressed buti just have some rocks piled up and some open area for swimming. I have a piece of driftwood soaking to put in later. I use a 300w heater and 2 500gph canister filters, gonna add a third soon. the lighting is 2 50/50 bulbs and 2 standard bulbs..just give him hiding spaces and swimming room and he'll be fine...post some pics up of your setup.