Warmouth?

[Joshuakahan]

Has anyone every kept a warmouth? Do they usually grow slow? I bought a cb baby 6 months ago and it’s only gone from 1.5” to 3.5”. The way it eats I would think it would grow faster. It’s a picky eater, will only eat bloodworms, I’ve tried various pellets, brine, fresh shrimp and tilapia, but he won’t touch any of it. It eats tons of bloodworms but that’s it
It’s in a 75, good parameters at about 75f
Thx for any input

 

[Joshuakahan]

Here he is

 

[jjohnwm]

This is a Warmouth Sunfish, correct?

Try small earthworms or other live critters sold in bait stores. Can you get Mousies? Crickets? Once he starts eating a more varied diet his growth may increase, and it will also make it easier to wean him onto prepared/frozen foods as well.

Try tossing in live feeder guppies, and then start replacing the live ones with fresh-killed. He will quickly learn to eat those, and then the next step would be Silversides, which you can buy frozen at aquarium shops. Much more balanced diet than just bloodworms.

 

[Joshuakahan]

This is a Warmouth Sunfish, correct?

Try small earthworms or other live critters sold in bait stores. Can you get Mousies? Crickets? Once he starts eating a more varied diet his growth may increase, and it will also make it easier to wean him onto prepared/frozen foods as well.

Try tossing in live feeder guppies, and then start replacing the live ones with fresh-killed. He will quickly learn to eat those, and then the next step would be Silversides, which you can buy frozen at aquarium shops. Much more balanced diet than just bloodworms.

Thanks, I’ll try that

 

[Joshuakahan]

This is a Warmouth Sunfish, correct?

Try small earthworms or other live critters sold in bait stores. Can you get Mousies? Crickets? Once he starts eating a more varied diet his growth may increase, and it will also make it easier to wean him onto prepared/frozen foods as well.

Try tossing in live feeder guppies, and then start replacing the live ones with fresh-killed. He will quickly learn to eat those, and then the next step would be Silversides, which you can buy frozen at aquarium shops. Much more balanced diet than just bloodworms.

It’s been a while but I finally got him on crickets, brine shrimp , fresh shrimp and occasional bloodworms , but he still ignores pellets. He’s grown quite a bit finally. He’s only about 5” now, but very thick.

 

[jjohnwm]

Sounds as though he is on the road to eating whatever you offer. Starve for a day, then toss in food items he likes, one at a time rather than in a bunch, and he will quickly learn to grab them the instant they hit the water. After a few sessions of that he will be hitting the cricket immediately and without hesitation or inspection. The next session, again after a day of starving, give him a cricket...bang!...another cricket...bang!...and then instead of the third cricket, toss in a single pellet.

In very tough, stubborn cases, it might be necessary to alternate the thrown items between 2 or 3 different things he likes. That way he becomes accustomed to a different texture/flavour with each item and is less likely to notice the sudden introduction of something new like a pellet. Gotta think like a fish!

 

[Joshuakahan]

Sounds as though he is on the road to eating whatever you offer. Starve for a day, then toss in food items he likes, one at a time rather than in a bunch, and he will quickly learn to grab them the instant they hit the water. After a few sessions of that he will be hitting the cricket immediately and without hesitation or inspection. The next session, again after a day of starving, give him a cricket...bang!...another cricket...bang!...and then instead of the third cricket, toss in a single pellet.

In very tough, stubborn cases, it might be necessary to alternate the thrown items between 2 or 3 different things he likes. That way he becomes accustomed to a different texture/flavour with each item and is less likely to notice the sudden introduction of something new like a pellet. Gotta think like a fish!

Thanks, I’ll try that, I got him to eat fresh shrimp and clams that way by mistake. I fed him a cricket and I put in shrimp and clams in for the bichirs and the warmouth ate some and then looked a little confused but now eats it.