Pellet Training Sunfish - Spit Out Pellets

[bjbass]

So I have been trying to pellet train my pumpkinseed and my bluegill. I have been "starving" them and feeding them night crawlers during this time period. They are too the point now where they associate me with food. I will drop in Hikari Massivore Delight and Cichlid Gold sinking pellets. They will take them and then spit the out immediately.

Is this because they are hard and they think it isn't food? How do I get around this? Could I try dried crickets or something? Gel foods?

 

[ymolina]

take the bluegill out an panfry it an buy a fish that is ment to be in a aquarium

 

[RD.]

Soak their pellets in bloodworm, krill, or shrimp juice. Not only will the pellets soften up & be more palatable to the fish, the smell & taste of the BW/krill/shrimp should elicit a feed response once they become hungry enough. I would also not use massivore, they are simply too large for the mouth of most sunfish.

Also, stop feeding everything else while you are attmpting to get them on pellets, if they know that earthworms are coming next, they will never eat the pellets.

HTH

 

[bjbass]

take the bluegill out an panfry it an buy a fish that is ment to be in a aquarium

I know you are just expressing your opinion, but are any fish really meant to be in an aquarium?

 

[pelleeklund]

Good luck I'm working on the same thing withy my bass. On a positive note, for some reason he was eating some flakes the other day. I'm working on using bloodworms and mysis too. Post it if you figure it out.

 

[warmouth]

I know you are just expressing your opinion, but are any fish really meant to be in an aquarium?

I agree, and I add that I think a Sunfish aquarium is so much cooler because I have yet to see them at a restuarant or local doctors office!

 

[warmouth]

So I have been trying to pellet train my pumpkinseed and my bluegill. I have been "starving" them and feeding them night crawlers during this time period. They are too the point now where they associate me with food. I will drop in Hikari Massivore Delight and Cichlid Gold sinking pellets. They will take them and then spit the out immediately.

Is this because they are hard and they think it isn't food? How do I get around this? Could I try dried crickets or something? Gel foods?

I overfed mine on scuds and crickets for a couple of days (then did a water change) and then starved them for a day (id had my sunnies for several months before I even tried to switch them to pellets). I then soaked the Hikari gold in fish oil and water until soft (dont wait too long or they will fall apart) and then teased them with it, one ate them right away the other it took a couple of days.

 

[ymolina]

I agree, and I add that I think a Sunfish aquarium is so much cooler because I have yet to see them at a restuarant or local doctors office!

thats cause most resturants are serving the sunfish.

 

[Itsadeepbluesea]

take the bluegill out an panfry it an buy a fish that is ment to be in a aquarium

Thats all a matter of opinion there are those of us who think natives are way better then those store bought jokers

 

[Rays of Sunshine]

I agree with everyone, except I didn't have to soak the pellets. However, I use HBH Super Soft Pellets. The sunfish all love it including my bullhead, it inhales about 15-20 at a time.