Well at the end of the first day with this tank of 7 African cichlids and one senegalus, I am very pleased with how everyone is getting along. Mostly the Africans are just curious about the bichir, it seems like. They'll get right close to him and look at him, but mostly they just look. But it's funny, the bichir is actually the most active fish in the tank! He has searched every inch of the bottom, as well as the waterline of the tank, and I had expected him to hide all day! And actually, after I got back from work all the fish seemed to be completely settled in and ready to eat, so I fed them. I got some frozen shrimp for the bichir, but it's tough for me to get them to sink past the cichlids fast enough for him to get some, though he did eat 2 or 3 of them and his little belly looks full. Any tips on getting them down to him quicker, though? And I did try to distract the cichlids with THEIR food, but the shrimp were more obvious I think.
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- Thread starter Wigglesworth
- Start date
feed sinking foods and target feed it.Use a tube of somekind and put the food in it
the food should fall right in front of him-Anne
the food should fall right in front of him-Anne
I use these http://www.azirah.co.uk/Graphics/choc image/SKEWERS_BAMBOO1.jpg
I've tried using two of them like chopsticks, or I just used 1 and stuck the shrimp on lightly
I've tried using two of them like chopsticks, or I just used 1 and stuck the shrimp on lightly
When I want a specific fish to get food then I gather my courage and I bring them the food personally by hand feeding them.
Red tail catking;3146177; said:
Haha I tried to do that but he ran away from me, fast.
I'll probably just keep trying that. The mysis shrimp that I've been feeding him sink pretty quickly, just not usually as fast as the other fish can gobble them up.
It might be best to get some tongs and place the food at the bottom close to it. Even though the Cichlids may be distracted with their food, it doesn't hide the smell of fresh shrimp.
Wigglesworth;3146498; said:Haha I tried to do that but he ran away from me, fast.
Yeah most fish are like that, just be calm and patient let them come to you. I got my ornate the first day I got her to eat from my hand, now she has been eating ONLY from my hand since. You have to show them that your hand is not dangerous. It works best with new younger fish that have never been attacked of grabbed by a hand. Trust me I get all my fish to eat from my hands, I feel closer to them that way, but sometimes I wonder if its worth it sometimes, you should see all the bite marks I get each week.
Red tail catking;3146708; said:you should see all the bite marks I get each week.
I can't imagine this little guy leaving marks quite yet! He's all of 2.5 inches.
Thanks for the suggestions guys.