Fish aren't eating new food

[Reaper216]

When I first set my tank up I got a small container of Tetramin tropical flakes. I was at a PetSmart last night and found a 5.3 oz container of Omega One First Flakes. I asked an associate and she said that it was great for new fish in new tanks. So I got 2, they were 4.99 on clearance.

My fish won't eat it. Any ideas?

 

[Bichir Bro]

Stress. Maybe. Did you cycle it? What's your levels look like? What fish did you get? What size tank do you have?

 

[Reaper216]

mollies, tetras, danios, a hatchetfish and a couple algae eaters. its a 40 gallon tank. They eat the Tetramin flakes, but not the Omega One

 

[Bichir Bro]

Ok hachet fish need schools of 5+ so I would recommend getting more. Especially since it's a 40 id get a bunch. Try feeding them their regular food but sneaking in increasing amounts of the omega one every feed. They'll just eat it and not know (hopefully) it's the new food and then you can just take them off the tetra and they'll eat the omega.

 

[Reaper216]

This is why I will now ask my questions here as opposed to the expets at my LFS....

I was told that because the hatchet looks like the blackfin tetras I have it will school with them. Any truth?

 

[Rivercats]

It is not uncommon for fish not to eat new foods. You can do as above or fast them for a day or two and then use the new flakes. Fish are more apt to try new foods when they are really hungry. When fish get hungry enough they will eat as there are few fish that will deliberately starve when food is available.

 

[Bichir Bro]

About the black fins, no they won't school with the hatchet. Hatchets virtually never leave the top so he shouldn't even see him. You definitely need more.

 

[Reaper216]

Thank you very much! Ill head over there to get more later today.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Ok, and also you have room for more fish. Now don't go overstockin but is there any other fishes you were lookin at?

 

[Reaper216]

Well I was looking at rainbow sharks last night, but was told they will nip at my other fish. They have a neat looking albino.

I was also looking at silver dollars (which is what led to the hatchetfish) but was told they will be too big for my tank.

I want more fish, but different ones. I am open to all suggestions!

 

[Bichir Bro]

Ok I wouldn't do the shark since they become very aggressive with age. Some silver dollars stay relatively small although they still do get big. If you want movement and stuff pictus cats are good candidates but they need schools. Zamora cats are also good but they need lots of driftwood. Hoplo cats will work too. You may also look into getting some killies, Gudgeons and some freshwater gobies. Go out and look around and see what ya like. Check back in with us if ya find somethin ya like.

 

[Reaper216]

Absolutely will do! I am going to get more hatchet fish tonight and will look around at what they have. Luckily? enough there is a Petco, PetSmart, and PetSupermarket all within 2 minutes from me, so I have many options

 

[Rivercats]

I strongly suggest researching any fish your interested in that you see before buying them. Be sure if they are schooling fish to get the appropriate numbers. Also silver dollars all get very large and they eat plants so you don't want them if you have a planted tank.

 

[Bichir Bro]

+1 to rivercats. Now I've noticed petco has healthier fish than petsmart so I recommend going to them. Although if you can a family owned small business fish store that's always better. Especially since obamacare is kicking in those poor people need all the business they can get. But petco has better employees that I've found know much much more than petsmarts employees do.

 

[Rivercats]

You can compare Pet Co to Pet Smart on a general basis simply because each store has it's own staff and way they do things. Just because 1 Pet Co is good doesn't mean all are good. Same for Pet Smart.

 

[Reaper216]

Well I will say that the employees at the Petco near me will actually spend time to explain things, and seems much more knowledgeable than the PetSmart. The manager there told me it was foolish to put so many fish in so quickly etc. There are a few smaller stores locally, i might check those out soon