pellet training wild orinos

[BigUmbeeFan]

I just got a 2 inch wild rio meta orino from Rapps yesturday. So far it will not look at any pellets and has not even investigated the water surface.
It is healthy looking and swimming around like normal.

I don't even know what Rapps was even feeding them.

What is the majic solution to pellet train ?

If all fails , then I will be getting a Broko ocellaris next week.

They seem to take well to pellets.

 

[bassinmike85]

In my opinion orino's are the easiest to train. Start w/ frozen bloodworms. After 3 days or so of feeding the frozen bloodworms.....try and feed a good 3x a day to get them used to you....feed in the same spot everytime. After the 3rd day or so start crushing in some hikari cichlid gold sinking pellets. Add a little more each time. Dont just dump em in either...feed a little at a time. I bet by 2 weeks they will be eating pellets. This method has worked great for me.

that was from one of my previous post from my good buddy "gangster"

 

[johno27]

I do the same as gangster but I use hikari food sticks instead of sinking cichlid

 

[BigUmbeeFan]

I have hikari floating sticks ae well.

Thanks , I will do the gangster tactic.

 

[Houdini89]

Just keep feeding them the same food Rapps was giving them, until they get use to you, then follow gangsters method. I've had my Little orino's for about three weeks now, and they went from Blackworms to FD Krill, and in a day or two, i will be following Gangsters method with Mini-Floating Bio-Gold+ pellets.


Good luck, and i will keep you posted if it works with my O's as well, and remember, any food is better than giving them LIVE.

 

[BigUmbeeFan]

An interesting thing happened before while feeding the fish.

It looked like the orino scoffed a piece of hikari carn stick debris that was sinking from the other fish eating.

I'm wondering if I should still give worms or if that could disrupt him taking pellets if he showed interest today.

If I do the worm thing whats better frozen or live.

Black or blood worms , which is better.

 

[BigUmbeeFan]

I think I just got very lucky....

My orino has munched on hikari carn sticks. I saw him engulf a 1/2 carn stick and he kept it down a couple minutes before spitting some back out. I noticed he would go after other pieces when my other fish went after the same piece. He also whacked a few surface chunks but did not engulf.

I spent over an hour enticing. My other fish helped as well.

I may have it licked.

Photos below show his belly.

I've had him 2 days now in 87 degree temps. A fish that has not eaten at all would not have a belly like this.

 

[Houdini89]

Nice job, and i hope mine give in that easy..................

 

[Houdini89]

Question, what was the going price for a 2 inch O from Rapps.......

 

[BigUmbeeFan]

$15

He only has a few left