dao Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I have a heavily planted TB/hybrid tank which is pretty much my first try on TB. What surprises me is that they do not show a lot of interested in commercialized food. I tried several brands now, and the reaction is pretty much the same for all of them - sometimes they ignore it, sometimes they will start eating, but after a 5-10mins they usually leave. And it always takes a significant amount of time to attract them inside the feeding bowl. It seems that they are much more interested in the plants and kale which I occasionally add, then the food sticks. Is this normal or should I be worried ? They are in my tank for around two months, and they grow very slowly, which is why I would be happy to see them eat more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I woudnt be worried if it was me, cause as you say you have a heavy planted tank so there are alot of biofilm for them to graze on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrand Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 Ive had the same experience with my TBs. They hardly pay any attention to any food i add to the tank. I keep trying different kinds but nothing seems to excite them. A few bites and they move on. My neos and tigers fight over and devour almost any food that i put in their tank. mjb1959 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dao Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Thanks, glad to know I'm not the only one. Another question, maybe silly but still I would like to know - Can you just dry the uneaten food sticks and put them back in another day ? I have to dose them large enough so that the shrimp can't get them out of the feeding bowl, but since I have just 15 shrimp, of which 8 are hybrids they hardly manage to eat anything. If I would just leave it inside I'm afraid I'm risking overfeeding the hybrids which do actually like the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wygglz Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 I'm sure you'll receive other responses from more experienced folks, but I started with small numbers making one stick too much for my population. I also had read some opinions that powdered food minimized 'food fights' so I stick my food in the blender and now feed it powdered. First I mix it with some tank water in a cup so it sinks, then pour it in. It is easier for me to control amounts and I can mix a small amount and share it between tanks if I want further reducing what they are getting at one time. svetilda 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vpier Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 You Thanks, glad to know I'm not the only one. Another question, maybe silly but still I would like to know - Can you just dry the uneaten food sticks and put them back in another day ? I have to dose them large enough so that the shrimp can't get them out of the feeding bowl, but since I have just 15 shrimp, of which 8 are hybrids they hardly manage to eat anything. If I would just leave it inside I'm afraid I'm risking overfeeding the hybrids which do actually like the food. You most likely have enough bio-film. As the population increases so will the need for commercial food. I have observed that shrimp will prefer bio-film over commercial when they have the choice. I had the same concerns when I first started and my tanks population was small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 How large is the aquarium? If they love Kale, have you tried and commercialized/manufactured kale pads/sticks/pellets/etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dao Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 The tank is 8 gallon. Didn't try manufactured kale since they are already eating the dried kale, so there would be no change in nutrition just in the way it is being served, right ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DETAquarium Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 The tank is 8 gallon. Didn't try manufactured kale since they are already eating the dried kale, so there would be no change in nutrition just in the way it is being served, right ? Not necessarily, the benefit of manufactured foods are the additional vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that can be compounded together. What foods have you tried already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clansman Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 I find in new set ups that it takes months before they show interest in commercial foods but of course if there's a big population of shrimp they eat vigorously when natural biofilm cannot feed them all, I would not worry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 dao, you can also hit up H4N. He sells samples of foods, so you don't have to spend $$$ trying to find one they like. ChadO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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