She still dont BITE!!

[West1]

I've had exactly zero success with trying to get retics off of worms. nightcrawlers and chopped earthworms are the best that mine will eat, although he will eat Hikari Sinking Carnivore, but only if I chop it up small and put it in with the worms.

I've pretty much resigned myself to feeding worms, but it's not so bad. Do you have trouble getting worms where you are?

No trouble getting them... a lfs has them for sale. I just rather get one type of food instead of running around the city getting diff things... When I change the diet temp (example... shrimp to scallops...) then I still have a one stop shop

... I am determined to get her off worms and somehow I will (trying to stay focused )

 

[West1]

Okay... Since the last post, I have done what was suggested...

I even added a Motor o hoping she would bust a "Monkey see Monkey do"...
Nothing, she wont bite anything but worms... She is real skinny but still quite active.

Should I just get rid of her? Do you think I hve a chance on getting her to eat Market Shrimp?

Everything in my tank does... even my Armatus.

Maybe its the Shrimp Im getting? I think it is the Raw Artic...??? I just know I have to peel and cut out some pcs of it and toss in the good pcs of shrimp. I dice them real small and even soaked the shrimp with Earthworm gew... N O T H I N G................

Any more suggestions??????????
Thanks

 

[Dragon Hunter]

Okay... Since the last post, I have done what was suggested...

I even added a Motor o hoping she would bust a "Monkey see Monkey do"...
Nothing, she wont bite anything but worms... She is real skinny but still quite active.

Should I just get rid of her? Do you think I hve a chance on getting her to eat Market Shrimp?

Everything in my tank does... even my Armatus.

Maybe its the Shrimp Im getting? I think it is the Raw Artic...??? I just know I have to peel and cut out some pcs of it and toss in the good pcs of shrimp. I dice them real small and even soaked the shrimp with Earthworm gew... N O T H I N G................

Any more suggestions??????????
Thanks

send her to me bro. Ill fatten her up with chopped up nightcrwlers. I gave up with my other fish too. so im just giving it nightcrawler maybe try again later on.

 

[West1]

send her to me bro. Ill fatten her up with chopped up nightcrwlers. I gave up with my other fish too. so im just giving it nightcrawler maybe try again later on.

Your fish should be easy to get off live foods... thery r Motoros.
Starve them for about 2 weeks and im sure they will want some shrimp before the 2nd day of the starvation

 

[Tom]

Why would you want to take him off worms completely?

A lot of experts would agree that due to the fact that their jaws are so weak that they specialize on worms and small inverts in the wild. So if it's in their nature to eat worms why deny them of this, right?

Blackworms are very healthy for rays.
Earthworms are great as well and blood worms add a little more variety to the mix. Ghost shrimp gut loaded with veggie waffers can help to add more nutrients to their diet. And maybe if you keep a stock of guppies to breed in your tank that would also add a little more variety to it.

My retic readily eats shrimp. I really did not have any issue getting him to eat it.
He went a week without any food and when the shrimp hit the bottom he pounced.
All in all he is very happy, healthy and plump.
I don't feed it to him often because I am trying to stay away from any salt-water based foods. I hope you have luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

[West1]

Why would you want to take him off worms completely?

A lot of experts would agree that due to the fact that their jaws are so weak that they specialize on worms and small inverts in the wild. So if it's in their nature to eat worms why deny them of this, right?

Blackworms are very healthy for rays.
Earthworms are great as well and blood worms add a little more variety to the mix. Ghost shrimp gut loaded with veggie waffers can help to add more nutrients to their diet. And maybe if you keep a stock of guppies to breed in your tank that would also add a little more variety to it.

My retic readily eats shrimp. I really did not have any issue getting him to eat it.
He went a week without any food and when the shrimp hit the bottom he pounced.
All in all he is very happy, healthy and plump.
I don't feed it to him often because I am trying to stay away from any salt-water based foods. I hope you have luck in whatever you decide to do.

Im not cutting it out of her diet completly... I just dont want her on worms 100%
Example:
I feed my Armatus Shrimp and Krill. Every week or 2 I give him some big feeders. He also likes Frozen BloodWroms so I give him some too... Just trying to expand the Menu

 

[Tom]

Well for now I would just focus on getting her nice and plump. You can always wait til she is a little bigger to offer other things. This way you know her mouth is able to handle things that are not so soft. That sounded kinda dirty lol.

 

[skynoch]

I also think you need to fatten it up and wait for awhile before trying again. Give the cut up worm/shrimp method a little time to work. You may be adding too much shrimp into the mix to start and not soaking long enough.

 

[West1]

I also think you need to fatten it up and wait for awhile before trying again. Give the cut up worm/shrimp method a little time to work. You may be adding too much shrimp into the mix to start and not soaking long enough.

Hhhmmmm... You know what... I take the shrimp out of the freezer and chop them up in little pcs (cuts better) and toss them in... maybe this is why (I HOPE!!!)??
Im going to try to let them sit for about ten minutes then toss them in

As for the worms, I just toss them in whole and she takes care of the rest... should I be chopping them up? I dont think it makes a difference whole or chopped... am I wrong?

Thanks

 

[skynoch]

Hhhmmmm... You know what... I take the shrimp out of the freezer and chop them up in little pcs (cuts better) and toss them in... maybe this is why (I HOPE!!!)??
Im going to try to let them sit for about ten minutes then toss them in

As for the worms, I just toss them in whole and she takes care of the rest... should I be chopping them up? I dont think it makes a difference whole or chopped... am I wrong?

Thanks

Yes you need to cut the worms into smaller peices into a small cup so there is blood sitting in the cup. Have your shrimp defrosted first and then cut a few small pieces off with scissors (way easier than a knife) into your cup. Then put the cup back in the refridgerator for 3 or more hours before feeding. Then when you feed take a little of your tank water in the cup and swirl it around to lossen everything and put in the tank. This is messy but works real well. Just remember to start with maybe only 1/4 of your shrimp to 3 canadian nightcrawlers (use canadian nightcrawlers because they contain alot more blood). You may find the shrimp gone after the first time or the ray may pick thru it. If it keeps picking thru it skip every second meal and try doing this. This way you don't have to starve your ray.