Trouble feeding my new needlefish

[spitz006]

Just ordered three needlefish (Xenentodon cancila) for my 224 gallon oddball tank. One was DOA, so there's only two now. So far they haven't eaten any of the pellets or chopped shrimp I've offered. One main reason I think they're refusing is my freshwater archer (Toxotes blythii) is intimidating them by being a jerk to them whenever it's feeding time. I was wondering if I should try netting him during feeding time. Ever try something like that?

 

[tlindsey]

So far they haven't eaten any of the pellets or chopped shrimp I've offered.

That species prefer live food only. I'm not sure if anyone has gotten one to eat pellets.

 

[fishhead0103666]

That species prefer live food only. I'm not sure if anyone has gotten one to eat pellets.

The one that I had, for the short time that I had it, ate pellets readily. I was not aware it was *that* rare for them to eat pellets?

 

[tlindsey]

I was not aware it was *that* rare for them to eat pellets?

Yes my Mother had 2 that only ate feeder guppies refused anything else. Great to hear the one you had ate pellets.

 

[Midwater]

I would recommend brine shrimp.

Although needle fish and archers come from the same region, needle fish live in fairly shallow water and archers in much deeper. I have seen them both many times - and collected both - but never in the same waterway. I would split up the needles and the archer.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

I would recommend brine shrimp.

Although needle fish and archers come from the same region, needle fish live in fairly shallow water and archers in much deeper. I have seen them both many times - and collected both - but never in the same waterway. I would split up the needles and the archer.

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You can't convince me you didn't take the 2 smallscale archers on the right of the last picture from my tank. Lol.

 

[xenacanth9]

I would recommend brine shrimp.

Although needle fish and archers come from the same region, needle fish live in fairly shallow water and archers in much deeper. I have seen them both many times - and collected both - but never in the same waterway. I would split up the needles and the archer.

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Wow, great pics

 

[spitz006]

I would recommend brine shrimp.

Although needle fish and archers come from the same region, needle fish live in fairly shallow water and archers in much deeper. I have seen them both many times - and collected both - but never in the same waterway. I would split up the needles and the archer.

Have you ever seen clouded archer Toxotes blythii? I am wondering if they are ever found in slightly brackish water in the wild. I keep them in freshwater but I would like to set up a light brackish tank and not sure if they would be good candidates.

 

[Midwater]

Have you ever seen clouded archer Toxotes blythii? I am wondering if they are ever found in slightly brackish water in the wild. I keep them in freshwater but I would like to set up a light brackish tank and not sure if they would be good candidates.

There seems to be some great myth on the internet that all lowland tropical fish are somehow brackish.

Blythii comes from Burma around the Salween river, and is most definitely freshwater.

(I have been across the mouth of the Salween, which is a huge tidal river delta, but that is nowhere near where archers come from.)

 

[spitz006]

Gotcha. I had no preconceptions of "lowland" vs highland fish, whatsoever. Just thought since they're archers maybe they live in mild brackish waters. Thanks for the info. Will stick to keeping mine in pure fresh.