What is the easiest and most successful way to pellet train RTG Arowana?

[Addi_13]

Hello Guys,

I bought a blue base 9" Super grade RTG on 22nd December 2017, I kept him in a 342 gallon community tank. Initially he was eating Dried shrimps but then his fin and tail got nipped pretty bad so I separated him. From last 1 month he is in a 50 gallon quarantine tank, he have recovered completely now. I want to pellet train him before reintroducing him in community tank, I have already removed the culprits which could have nipped him.
I wanted to pellet train him from day one but as he was in a community tank, the other fishes used to eat the pellets before him and he ignored pellets that time too.

To recover him faster I started feeding him market prawns with dried shrimps and he ate like a beast and recovered quickly. But now as he have recovered I finally want to pellet train him. I tried once before but gave up within 4 days. Now its already been 6 days since I have started pellet training again and he haven't eaten anything since then. I fed him a big meal of prawns before I started pellet training.

What I am doing now is, I soak 5 pellets in garlic and shrimp paste then drop them after they become bit soft, 5 in morning and 5 at night time. He goes towards the pellets then completely ignores them, then I remove the pellets after 15-20 minutes. The pellets I am trying are Hikari food sticks, Hikari Massivore, Azoo Arowana pellets, Inch gold Arowana pellets. I have read numerous forums but I am getting confused, some also say to feed him Tetra arowana pellets as they have more shrimp and krill content and they smell like shrimp so will be easily accepted, some say to buy ocean free AR-G2 as they are the best. now I just don't want to keep buying different pellets and keep stacking them without knowing if they will work.

I am getting worried as its already been 6 days, is there anything else I could do? I have tried different methods too like dropping pellets one by one and breaking the pellets in small pieces but no luck, I also introduced a 4" blood parrot with him and the parrot was eating pellets but then they kept fighting so I separated them. When I drop pellets he darts towards them then rarely puts them in mouth and when he does then he takes them out intact without chewing them. The shopkeeper was feeding him Azoo pellets and AR-G2 before I bought him and he was in Arowana community tank before. For how many days can I starve him safely, I don't want him to die due to starvation, it costs so much to get one. Please help me whats the best way?

Kind Regards,
Additya

 

[Addi_13]

HELP ME!!!

 

[stratos]

Because your fish was already eating pellets before, the chances are good it will again. One question though - are you sure it was eating pellets before? Did you see it eat them in the shop, or did the shop owner just tell you the fish ate them? Sometimes shop owners just throw in the pellets every few days and don't really pay attention, and then just assume the fish eats them. Sometimes the fish don't.

It sounds like you are using the right kind of approach to train your fish to eat pellets. Though if it were me I probably would not soak the pellets in garlic, nor necessarily mix in shrimp paste. Instead, I would try throwing in the pellets mixed in with the cut up white market shrimp, all mixed in together. Then gradually remove the shrimp as the days go by. Sometimes it helps when there are other fish in the tank that go for the pellets too, since that can make the aro feel more competitive about getting the food. Be sure to remove any pellets that are not eaten within 30 minutes. I've had good luck with Hikari aro sticks before, but if you are sure the fish was eating pellets in the store you might focus on whatever brand they were using instead of trying so many.

In conclusion, in my experience there are a few Asian arowana that just never take to pellets. Most can be trained to take them. If your fish was eating them (for sure) then the chances are very good it will again. It can be a real battle of the wills, however, and most keepers do feel nervous about really starving the fish for weeks. Sometimes it can take a month or more. This can be too stressful and so a lot of keepers give up and go back to shrimp, or worse, live foods. Whatever happens, you really don't want to go the live food route or else your fish can be spoiled and it becomes a real PITA to deal with. Good luck.

 

[reefman]

Start out with bugs. Mealworms crickets ECT.

 

[Addi_13]

Because your fish was already eating pellets before, the chances are good it will again. One question though - are you sure it was eating pellets before? Did you see it eat them in the shop, or did the shop owner just tell you the fish ate them? Sometimes shop owners just throw in the pellets every few days and don't really pay attention, and then just assume the fish eats them. Sometimes the fish don't.

It sounds like you are using the right kind of approach to train your fish to eat pellets. Though if it were me I probably would not soak the pellets in garlic, nor necessarily mix in shrimp paste. Instead, I would try throwing in the pellets mixed in with the cut up white market shrimp, all mixed in together. Then gradually remove the shrimp as the days go by. Sometimes it helps when there are other fish in the tank that go for the pellets too, since that can make the aro feel more competitive about getting the food. Be sure to remove any pellets that are not eaten within 30 minutes. I've had good luck with Hikari aro sticks before, but if you are sure the fish was eating pellets in the store you might focus on whatever brand they were using instead of trying so many.

In conclusion, in my experience there are a few Asian arowana that just never take to pellets. Most can be trained to take them. If your fish was eating them (for sure) then the chances are very good it will again. It can be a real battle of the wills, however, and most keepers do feel nervous about really starving the fish for weeks. Sometimes it can take a month or more. This can be too stressful and so a lot of keepers give up and go back to shrimp, or worse, live foods. Whatever happens, you really don't want to go the live food route or else your fish can be spoiled and it becomes a real PITA to deal with. Good luck.

Thank you so much for replaying bro, I actually live in a different state than the shopkeeper. I got my Arowana through a 40 hours train journey. The shopkeeper or the importer assured me that he was on pellets before. I really don’t know if he really ate those as I wasn’t there to see myself.

Also I don’t want to add the shrimps along with the pellets because I am certain that my Arowana will eat the shrimps and ignore the pellets, that’s what he always do.

Also are you saying there is a chance that he will never ever accept pellets . I have never fed any live food to him and never will, only thing is I don’t either want to feed him market prawn or shrimps too. How many days he can survive the starvation. What should be the last day before I should really give in? He is active and seems healthy but I am worried if he might die. It’s already been 6 days he hasn’t eaten anything. Please Help!

 

[Addi_13]

Start out with bugs. Mealworms crickets ECT.

Thanks for replaying bro, I want to feed pellets no bugs or mealworm..please guide me on pellet training bro thanks.

 

[stratos]

Mix the pellets in with the shrimp so it is stuck together. Fish will take both in mouth, probably spit out pellet but swallow shrimp. At least it gets the pellets into its mouth this way. Slowly remove amount of shrimp used. At some point fish is likely to begin swallowing pellets and then you remove any shrimp.

Or

Rub the pellets into the white shrimp and try feeding those only, without any shrimp pieces.

Or

Just feed the pellets alone.

Welcome to aro keeping. Pellet training is a battle of the wills. There is no "rule" for how long a fish can go without food, just use your judgement/intuition. Some Aros can go over a month no problem without food.

 

[reefman]

Almost all the aros I've kept were easy to pellet train but when I got my green it all changed. Asains are more finicky than all the other aros ive kept

 

[MariaS]

Unfortunately... Asians have a mind of their own... some you win... some you never win...

Good advice above, you can also cut some earthworms and soak the pellets in the juice for a few seconds or in blood worms before feeding
Yep... the world of arowanas
Just patience and relax.... the more stressed you get.. they feel it and its worse..

While on the eating subject.... prepare yourself for future sulking if she is upset with you for some reason.... she wont even eat her favourite food for a while!!!

 

[Addi_13]

Mix the pellets in with the shrimp so it is stuck together. Fish will take both in mouth, probably spit out pellet but swallow shrimp. At least it gets the pellets into its mouth this way. Slowly remove amount of shrimp used. At some point fish is likely to begin swallowing pellets and then you remove any shrimp.

Or

Rub the pellets into the white shrimp and try feeding those only, without any shrimp pieces.

Or

Just feed the pellets alone.

Welcome to aro keeping. Pellet training is a battle of the wills. There is no "rule" for how long a fish can go without food, just use your judgement/intuition. Some Aros can go over a month no problem without food.

Hey bro,

I have tried making a shrimp paste and soaking the pellets in it but no luck. Also before I tried to put pellet deep inside market prawn but I was surprised to discover that it doesn't eat the prawns with pellet inside. Its been 9 days now and there is no luck. I did ask the arowana importer/shopkeeper and he assured me that he was just feeding him pellets and nothing else. I have tried the same pellets he was feeding him but he doesn't accept. Arowana is doing fine and is pretty active. Only thing which worries me is that I just dont starve him to death..

Regards,
Additya