I need help feeding my catfish

[Komodo]

I put in my tank eighteen baby Malawi Cichlids three days ago, about five cm each. I am on holiday so I can watch things closely. The fishes are supper active, I knew they moved fast and nonstop but I had no idea just how much. The Electric Yellow seems to enjoy fighting the current made by the circulation pump. They swim against the current, let themselves be pushed back only to start all over again, very cool.

I also put in the tank four very small Synodontis lucipinnis (Dwarf Petricola), Catfish, about three cm each. For the first two days I noticed that the food I feed, flakes for now, don’t ever reach the bottom. And this morning one catfish was floating and one is missing. This would explain a slight rise in Nitrite and Ammonia. I immediately went to the shop and purchased Nutrafin basic food for bottom feeders. I hid the tablet under a tight place to keep the Cichlids from eating it. It worked for about five minutes. The catfish did come first and eat but this one particular cichlid came down and finished the food. I tried another spot hidden by rocks with the same results. I am encouraged that they had a chance to eat. Although only two catfish showed up, I suspect a second on is dead somewhere.

So when do I feed my catfish?
After the lights are out?
As I feed the other fish?

 

[Ricky 1]

I put pellets down the inflow, and they go fast down to the ground dweller, just before doing that put a pinch of flake in at the top for the others, it seems to work ok my Petricola love them

 

[Mebbid]

I had the same problem, they will eventually learn to come up to the surface to feed though. They swim upside down skimming the surface of the water, it's really neat to see.

In the meantime, you might try some blanched zucchini tied to a rock. It will take the cichlids a while to eat it and will give the synos a chance to nibble.

 

[KevinM]

My Bumblebees learned when I feed the tank to come out and eat no matter what time of the day it is.

They do get a lot of food, Tho, I do tend to feed a tad more then I should just to make sure they get some. All the extra they clean up at night or the snails get.

You might have to hand feed them(drop some sinking pellets, etc) till they learn when its time to eat. 99% of the catfish Ive had do learn when its time to eat.