Fish won't eat

[Anna94]

I bought Omega One Super Color Flakes and the platys went nuts and ate, but because the platys are fast and eat all the food and the cardinals only stay at the bottom of the tank they didn't get to eat. Also, it seems like the platys compete with each other during feeding time. What do I do to get the cardinals to eat and how can I stop the platys from competing for food? I tried sinking pellets, but the cardinals still wouldn't come out to eat. I'm starting to wonder if they're not eating because the platys eat it all and because the current from my air stone and filter move the water so much that the cardinals don't like it or it's too much for them. However, the current from the air stone and filter make the food go all over the place. What can I do so the cardinals will eat? I don't want them to starve to death.

 

[BBradbury]

Anna...

Tetras are schooling fish afraid of everything until they get used to their surroundings. Large fish, even they're peaceful are seen as a potential predator to your tiny Tetras. So, it's not surprising they stay clear of the Platys.

Get a good variety of flaked and freeze dried foods. Put some of each in a blender and blend all in to a fine powder. Next feeding time, spread a little of the powder around the tank surface. The Platys will miss some of the small pieces and the pieces will sink to the areas where the Tetras can feed. Feed a little two to three times a day if needed.

How is your tank planted? Surface plants help all the fish feel comfortable, so drop some individual stems of Hornwort, Water sprite, Anacharis or some other variety of fast growing floating plant into the tank. No planting in the bottom material is needed. These plants will grow quickly with decent lighting and clean water conditions. The plants will be good cover and a food supplement for the fish.

B

 

[Anna94]

Anna...

Tetras are schooling fish afraid of everything until they get used to their surroundings. Large fish, even they're peaceful are seen as a potential predator to your tiny Tetras. So, it's not surprising they stay clear of the Platys.

Get a good variety of flaked and freeze dried foods. Put some of each in a blender and blend all in to a fine powder. Next feeding time, spread a little of the powder around the tank surface. The Platys will miss some of the small pieces and the pieces will sink to the areas where the Tetras can feed. Feed a little two to three times a day if needed.

How is your tank planted? Surface plants help all the fish feel comfortable, so drop some individual stems of Hornwort, Water sprite, Anacharis or some other variety of fast growing floating plant into the tank. No planting in the bottom material is needed. These plants will grow quickly with decent lighting and clean water conditions. The plants will be good cover and a food supplement for the fish.

B

I already tried feeding them sinking pellets and they didn't really touch them. I only have fake plants and not looking to get real ones right now. They've been in the tank for 2 months so they gotten used to the tank by now. I only have 4 but plan on getting 2 more soon. Also, with the current my filter and air stone are making, the food goes all over the place already.

 

[pmvaldon]

its common for many tetra species to appear to "not be eating" in aquariums.

They actually do eat, microscopics, darting to n fro in the water current.

Best way after 40 years fishkeeping tetras, Get a small dither fish. Just 1 is fine. Something like a white cloud mountain minnow, or danio etc...

The minnow/danios are aggressive foragers.
The tetras will watch and learn and mirror the eating habits of those other small nano species.

good luck

 

[Anna94]

its common for many tetra species to appear to "not be eating" in aquariums.



They actually do eat, microscopics, darting to n fro in the water current.



Best way after 40 years fishkeeping tetras, Get a small dither fish. Just 1 is fine. Something like a white cloud mountain minnow, or danio etc...



The minnow/danios are aggressive foragers.

The tetras will watch and learn and mirror the eating habits of those other small nano species.



good luck

Will the GloFish danios work?

 

[pmvaldon]

yes the glo fish danios will work too

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Try feeding two areas of the tank, trick the platy to a corner with a small feed. Then feed the other corner. Lower level fish will get the idea! When they get hungry they'll eat!
Try a small granular sinking pellet.

Could be settling in if they are new.... People mentioned the shoal thing.
Ensure you get your numbers up!
Read pmv, that's a good post, up there^
And Bradbury, nice to see good advice.......still going on!

Good luck.
Sometimes it may take fish a while to adjust to new food.
Find out what they eat, keep on that! When you do change mix the two feeds together, fish recognise food.
Pretty much any fish will take a bloodworm, as a last ditch, try a pack of those.

 

[Anna94]

Try feeding two areas of the tank, trick the platy to a corner with a small feed. Then feed the other corner. Lower level fish will get the idea! When they get hungry they'll eat!
Try a small granular sinking pellet.

Could be settling in if they are new.... People mentioned the shoal thing.
Ensure you get your numbers up!
Read pmv, that's a good post, up there^
And Bradbury, nice to see good advice.......still going on!

Good luck.
Sometimes it may take fish a while to adjust to new food.
Find out what they eat, keep on that! When you do change mix the two feeds together, fish recognise food.
Pretty much any fish will take a bloodworm, as a last ditch, try a pack of those.

I only have 4 cardinals right now, but I plan on getting 2 or 3 more soon. I have NLS Thera A .5mm sinking pellets, but none of the fish like them. With the current and the surface agitation my filter and sir stone are making, the food goes to different directions already.

 

[pmvaldon]

hi anna,
yes ive found tetras don't go for Nls sinking pellets either. .5mm may still be too large fornthem id young cardinals.