Starving tips

[poly-nomial]

I know there was another thread similar to this, but this tells some other ways to insure early pellet taking.

CAUTION! THESE TIPS MAY OR MAY NOT WORK DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES, SIZE AND CURRENT HEALTH POSITION

First, make sure there are no aggressive feeders in the tank with them, aggressive feeders will snatch the food before the bichir has a chance to get to them. Don't worry! They will become aggressive feeders when they are secure. If you do have aggressive feeders, stick your hand in the tank, this will discourage the fish from coming close.

Than make sure the water quality is 100% pristine and there are plenty of hiding places.

Now that you've got your bichir, wait 2 days; no food during those 2 days.

Than on that 2nd day, go dig up some earthworms. Give 2-3 of them. Than the next day take small pellets ( or large depending on species and size) and put them right in front of his nose. From my experience, they will only eat food that is moving when first being weened. So good agitation in the water will move the pellets leading him to believe they are alive.

This process is working very well for my 4" Delhezi bichir in my 55g.

Good luck!

 

[Bderick67]

First, make sure there are no aggressive feeders in the tank with them, aggressive feeders will snatch the food before the bichir has a chance to get to them. Don't worry! They will become aggressive feeders when they are secure. If you do have aggressive feeders, stick your hand in the tank, this will discourage the fish from coming close.

Wouldn't sticking your hand in the tank also discourage and stress the bicher that you are trying to coax into eating?

 

[devder1]

Wouldn't sticking your hand in the tank also discourage and stress the bicher that you are trying to coax into eating?

my thoughts exactly, you are trying 2 get a finicky fish to eat, and sticking your hand in scares aggressive feeders and u put ur hand by the shy fish doesnt make much sense lol

 

[poly-nomial]

my thoughts exactly, you are trying 2 get a finicky fish to eat, and sticking your hand in scares aggressive feeders and u put ur hand by the shy fish doesnt make much sense lol

Wouldn't sticking your hand in the tank also discourage and stress the bicher that you are trying to coax into eating?

Worked fine for me guys...

 

[devder1]

Worked fine for me guys...

haha it does work ive done it myself i didnt mean 2 be desparging, but i just think that you could clean it up a bit and it would look like a sticky

 

[Hao]

no need to starve haha all my bichirs take pellets non reject

 

[devder1]

no need to starve haha all my bichirs take pellets non reject

i think this is just for when you get a new bichir especially one that was previously on feeders

 

[GarNiac]

I would just stick to market shrimp, fillets, and occasionally silversides or feeders that I quarantine. And that just because those food are cheap here and I think there are more protein for the bichirs.
The things about pellets, it will clouds the water quicker. And that mean a more frequent water chances. And that also mean an increase in your monthly water bill, No?

 

[Hao]

when i buy bichirs from LFS(which i dont anymore) they still take pellets after being feed feeder since pellets smell good to bichirs

 

[poly-nomial]

when i buy bichirs from LFS(which i dont anymore) they still take pellets after being feed feeder since pellets smell good to bichirs

Yeah, pellets are much more reliable than feeding feeders.