I've owned an azul, close to 7.5 inches now, for about 3 or 4 months, maybe a bit longer. From the very beginning he was very timid, always hid, doesnt like to come to the front of the glass unless hes really really hungry. He's in a tank with a 4.5 inch broko and a 4 inch xingu, as well as a 5 inch tig. He stalks the tig a bit which is what is concerning me as my old mono ate my TSN last christmas eve. So I used freeze dried krill and freeze dried shrimp to get them onto pellets, or non live, since they are all wild caught and thats all theyve ever know. It worked with amazing success for the broko and the xingu, they SMOKE the top for pellets now and I can just pump em full of food now to get em into my big tank soon. Problem is the azul, who was so picky with food to begin with, doesn't touch the pellets. He did take the krill and shrimp every now and again, but most times hed spit them out. One or two pieces. I should tell you as a bass he was always a strange eater, when I first got him I dumped in 10 rosy red minnows and he only ate about 2 an hour. Never owned a bass that didn't devour all minnows in the tank within minutes, especially since he was a decent size. Since the broko and the xingu are doing so great on pellets I don't want to put anymore live in there, but I also don't want the much smaller xingu and tig to become the azuls desperate meal. I have tried smelt and shrimp, I think the azul tried a shrimp once and never again. Any suggestions? Go back to just krill and dry shrimp for a bit? Starve the azul? Toss in a big goldfish or two? At what point is too long and should I cave and just give em minnows again? The broko and xingu always go to the glass right before feeding and smoke the top as soon as it hits, the azul just kinda hides around the decoration and shows little interest. I don't want to hinder the progress I've made getting the other two off live, but the azul already chases the xingu and gets all dark around the tig. I have yet to try massivore because I didn't wanna mess with a good thing with the floating stuff and them hitting the top, and my guess is I should probably cut off the pellets and try to coax him onto the krill and dry shrimp, but I'd like to hear your guys advice.
Thanks.
P.s. As soon as I sell my Temensis and Mono this weekend there will be no threat to put the azul into my 400 gallon with a 11 inch kelberi, 10 inch orino, and 8 inch guyana ocell, and they all eat both pellets, shrimp, smelt, and worms, with teh exception of the ocell which was recently wild caught and only just started eating only worms after being starved for a month. The orino is a bit mean, and will definitely harass him for the first couple days, but considering how timid it is, what are your guys thoughts of the other bass teaching the azul how/what to eat? Didn't work the best with the ocell but he did at least get onto worms, but he was always calm and nothing ever touched him or bothered him, and he does show slight interest in other food but as you all know when bass hit the food, its f'in crazy in there and he is too new and small to throw his hat in the ring yet, the azul would be slightly smaller than him.
Thanks.
P.s. As soon as I sell my Temensis and Mono this weekend there will be no threat to put the azul into my 400 gallon with a 11 inch kelberi, 10 inch orino, and 8 inch guyana ocell, and they all eat both pellets, shrimp, smelt, and worms, with teh exception of the ocell which was recently wild caught and only just started eating only worms after being starved for a month. The orino is a bit mean, and will definitely harass him for the first couple days, but considering how timid it is, what are your guys thoughts of the other bass teaching the azul how/what to eat? Didn't work the best with the ocell but he did at least get onto worms, but he was always calm and nothing ever touched him or bothered him, and he does show slight interest in other food but as you all know when bass hit the food, its f'in crazy in there and he is too new and small to throw his hat in the ring yet, the azul would be slightly smaller than him.
i have a 80 gallon with 1rct,1tsn,1rctXtsn,1 red tailed pacu, and 1 freeshwater barracuda. they are all about 4 inches. i would like to buy more fish, chiclids perhaps?