Upside-down catfish - what can I feed him?

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K

k13k07

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 15, 2014
42
0
6
Florida
I'd like to vary my upside-down catfish's diet but I don't really see him eating (I know he does eat, but he's super-shy) so I'm not sure what he likes. A lot of places I've looked list insect larvae and a varied diet (not very specific). I'm trying to go through things to see if he'll eat them but I'd love some suggestions!
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I am wondering if the ID is correct but this is rather immaterial to the OP question. He should not be fussy at all. ~All my synos have been very easy. Dry foods, freeze-dried, frozen-thawed, etc. have been accepted with enthusiasm. Foods offered to a great variety of tank mates have been regularly preyed upon and stolen.

It should not be that shy. Something's stressing him. Too much light, not enough cover, bullying, newness to the tank/tankmates/diet, toxins in water, low dissolved oxygen, wrong temp, pH (including pH stability), hardness, illness, etc. to consider.
 
If it's willing to eat anything then I'd do a staple of dry food such as shrimp pellets with occasional feedings of frozen brine shrimp and/or bloodworms.
 
I took that pic of him in that container when I bought him - sorry should have explained that. As far as I know he's an upside-down catfish, he was the last one in the store (they had him for a long time). He swims upside-down all the time.
I've seen him go after frozen brine shrimp and flakes when I'm not standing in front of the tank, so I know he's eating something. I try to drop shrimp pellets but my diamond tetra loves to play with then eat them so I can't tell if he's getting to them. Maybe I'll try putting a few pellets in his favorite hiding spot, my other fish tend to stay out of there.
I keep my tank at 78, and rarely use the light on top. I have noticed his coloring has gotten darker. I check my PH a lot (and it's great) and do regular water changes so I doubt that's it. Maybe he's just shy around me? He was in the bottom tank in the store where nobody tends to look so maybe he's not used to attention like my other fish - they love to follow me whenever they can see me
 
Best pic I've ever been able to get of him lol. His belly is full and seems to be doing okay other then being a bit shy. I have noticed he tends to come out a bit more when I feed them flake food
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