Tetras searching for sinking pellets / frozen food suggestions

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fouldsy

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
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Location
Seattle, WA
The last few days, I've noticed that a good number of my Neon and Glowlight Tetras (probably 15 in total) start scrounging around the bottom of the tank once the flakes are all gone during feeding. I feed them Tetra Color Tropical Flakes once a day, enough so that it's all gone within 3-4 minutes, and with next to none of the flakes reaching the gravel. Everyone seems to eat, it's not like the larger Silver Hatchefish or X-Ray Tetras get the bulk of the food.

My concern is that I also feed API Bottom Dweller Pellets for my false Julii Corys, and the Tetras are often getting their grubby little mouths on the pellets before the Cory's. I guess they've started to realize there's some different food available and fancy a bit of that too! I've started mixing up the locations where I'll drop the sinking pellets which seems to work, and the Cory's always seem to find the food quite happily regardless.

Anyways, I haven't noticed this kind of behavior from Tetras before. Has anyone else? In years gone by I used to mix up feeding some frozen foods too, but given I recently got back in to things after a 5-6 year break, there seems a much wider choice of frozen foods available. Any suggestions as to what would work well?
 
Feed your sinking foods an hour or so after lights out. All your fish would appreciate variety and they love frozen. You can also really spoil them with chopped fresh shrimp or live foods. Just be careful about the overall amount fed.
 
Hadn't thought of feeding the sinking pellets after lights out, thanks. I'll try that and see how it goes.

And yeah, I'd like to offer variety in feeding now the aquarium has been stocked for 6 weeks or so now - any suggestions on frozen foods Tetras would enjoy - brine, bloodworm, etc. and any particular brand to look for/avoid?
 
Enriched brine shrimp or small bloodworms would definitely be a hit. Most of the commonly seen brands are pretty equal in quality and reputability IMO. One of the major brands (hikari or SF bay I think) have a smaller bloodworm size that would be perfect for tetra. I can't remember which brand for sure though. Sorry.
 
Awesome, thanks guys. I'll have a look around the store tomorrow and see if I can find some SFbay bloodworms.
 
My angelfish were doing the same thing...getting to the sinking pellets before my kuhli loaches. The after lights out feeding works!
 
I just tried feeding the pellets after lights out and it seems to be a lot calmer in the tank. Some of the Tetras are hunting around in the gravel, but it doesn't seem as bad. I also picked up a pack of SFbay blood worms as well as a pack of SFbay brine shrimp to mix it up. They were both the smaller blister size which seems ideal for my guys. I was thinking a couple of times a week, I'd feed one of these frozen blister packs rather than the flakes.
 
I use any type of hikari frozen and dry foods. They pack the food with nutrients just before freezing them, so that they can be used by your fish. I've always seen my stock freak when hikari (dry or frozen) hits the water... heck even my kuhlis come out at day time from just the algae tabs. And I've seen my vampire shrimp pick up hikari bloodworms and brine as well... everyone will enjoy it :)
 
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