hard-to-feed krib

[Adron]

Hi guys. I have a lively 29gal community aquarium that is very peaceful and stable and everyone gets along. It houses 4 congo tetras, 2 swordtails, 2 platys, 1 oto, and 1 krib. The krib is a male (he had a lady friend until he killed her, because I hadn't yet read up on how choosy they can be). He seems to do more or less fine by himself, doesn't bother any of the other tankmates and vice versa.

The hard thing is making sure he eats. I do my best to distract the other mid and top swimmers with flakes on one side of the tank, trying to drop the cichlid pellets in for him fast enough that he'll get at least one, but that creates the problem of excess spoilage, and also these congo tetras are so **** fast they usually pick off all the pellets before even one gets low enough for the krib, who is smaller, slower, and much more shy than these tetras. I worry about overfeeding the congos this way. I have no reason to think my krib is unhealthily underfed at this way, he seems healthy, but i wonder how long this can go on. There are many days where I don't see him get anything to eat and I have to stop trying for the sake of the tank's cleanliness and the health of the other fish.

Does any one have experience with a situation like this, and do you know any tips that can help me make sure everyone gets a decent meal?

 

[Rivercats]

Will he pick up pellets off the substrate? Or there is a food called Repashy Superfoods that come as a powder and you mix with boiling water to make a gel that can be refrigerated that you can cut off sections and drop in where it will quickly sink to the bottom while the other fish feed. I use this for my nano fish and for many of my bottom feeders. It also stays good in the tank water for 24 hours and is always eaten by then (well at least in my tanks where it's gone in less than 15 minutes) If he looks like he's a healthy weight he's eating something. Possibly some flakes. I have to over feed my 220g due to the amount of small fish and bottom feeders and honestly I do a 50% WC weekly and my nitrates run about 10ppm. Have you tested you nitrate levels?