Shrimp sinking pellets or floating flakes

[Big C]

Hi folks,

A few weeks ago I got 4 ghost shrimp for my tank. They were eating anything that reached the bottom. In the weekend my daughter suggested to let them try some of the fast sinking pellets she feeds her blue crayfish (these are very small pellets). We threw a few in the tank for the shrimp, but none reached the bottom, the rasboras and the barbs went crazy about them, even the tetras and the gouramis decided to have some extra breakfast.

They seem to like this pellets much better than the floating flakes... I wonder... should I feed them all pellets more often? Is this good for the fish? Or should I keep them on the flake diet and only give them a pellet "treat" when they have been "good fishies"?

Of course this brings up a lot more questions: Is the plain Big Al's flake diet enough for the fish? Do you guys complement it with other stuff?

Suggestions, please?

Thank you!

 

[thanew]

i had a lot of success with the "crab cuisine" that hikari offers... its like a sinking pellet but its made for crabs and all other inverts... they'd all run to it.

but the sinking pellets would work since they hit the bottom quicker.

 

[Big C]

OK. Since nobody has anything to say to this, let me refrace it: What is everybody feeding rasboras, tetras, barbs, gouramis and shrimp?

C'mon guys, I need help! (many of my friends know how true this is )

 

[SittingDuck]

Ya, I have the same prob in my tank. I've got some Cories that are fed some sinking pellets once a day and algae wafers that are fed once a week to the Ottos, but the Platties and the Tetras eat it all.

The Platties usually muscle their way through and take over the meal for the Corys and the Ottos, but as long as the Corys and Ottos get at least one minute eating their food I'm happy. They seem to be happy and well fed because they're constantly scrounging for left over food.

You could try feeding Spinach once a week to your Shrimp. Shrimp are omnivors and require protein in their diet. Spinach is a cheap alternative to buying "Specialty food" for them, and is just as healthy. What usually works well is to get the fish eating first with flake food, and then sneak in some sinking pellets or spinach for the bottom feeders...HTH

 

[Big C]

Spinach? What do you mean, SittingDuck? Just through a few pieces of fresh spinach in the tank?

 

[SittingDuck]

Pretty much. Read the bottom of this page here where it says "Try some spinach":

http://www.azgardens.com/shrimpfactory.php

 

[Rach101]

My fish, and shrimp, pretty much go crazy for blaunched peas, and freeze dried bloodworms. ((Bloodworms only for treats, which is followed by peas.. to..loosen things up ))

 

[Big C]

Cool! Thank you.

 

[BASSNMAN]

I think a variety is better for the fish no matter what brand flake you feed. I use Big Als flake but augment it with zuchinni, frozen blood worms and brine shrimp. When I want a food riot in the tank I feed them live black worms. You can also try dicing up garden worms with a razor blade. Your fish will love them.

 

[Big C]

Oh, Dear! Dicing worms with a razor blade? I thought I had finished with the gross stuff when the kids left for university!

 

[megos1]

A lot of pet stores will sell a clip with a suction cup on it that will hold your spinach to the side of your tank. The shrimp might munch on zucchini as well. I know lots of fish love that too. As for your flake/pellet dilemma, feed both! Normally tetras etc. do just fine on flakes, but give them whatever they like.

 

[Big C]

Hey Meg, do you use fresh veggies? Or frozen?

So you just wash them and through a few pieces in the tank (or use the clip)?

Is anybody concerned about pesticides? Well... I'm not too happy about eating food with pesticides myself or feeding them to the family (I'm not going crazy about the organic stuff either) but I have been having some issues with my tank lately and the last thing I want to do is puting anything in the tank that is going to kill my fish.

 

[megos1]

Fresh Veggies....just rinse them off, no soap or anything. You should be alright. I have never had any problems with pesticides or heard anything about people having problems with them.