feeding a ram cichlid

[fishstah]

I got a ram cichlid yesterday without putting much time into studying them. I live in a small town, so I went to the nearest city to buy a fish. I ended up with some type of ram. He is very beautiful, but I can't find any pictures of fish that look like him. At first he hid behind a peice of wood, but now he is moving around a bit and seems to be adjusting a little, but I can't get him to eat. I read that they wont eat flake food when in a new tank. I'm going to get some frozen bloodworms tomorrow, but I have 6 neons, and they are agressive eaters. I'm afraid he won't get to any. I would like some info on ram eating habits. Do they eat off the top or bottom? Does anyone have any advice on how to get the food past the neons?

 

[Rivercats]

I have 11 rams and they give new meaning to the word piglet! I could just be settling in. Also rams are very sensitive to nitrates and don't do well when added to a new tank. I don't feed flake food. Mine get New Life Spectrum Thera A round pellets as their staple, then frozen brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms (but the frozen brine shrimp is their favorite), and they absolutely love peas. I use soften a few in the microwave in some water, de-shell them, smash them, and feed. Also you are most likely using a food that it isn't used to eating so you have to give it time. Another thing is you could try those sinking shrimp pellets. As for as eating mine eat everywhere, top to bottom, and everywhere inbetween.

 

[aqua_chem]

When it comes to delivering frozen treats, I always used a turkey baster. Not only can you 'shoot' it right at them, but they eventually figure out that delicious things come out of it. The tetras are generally dumb as a post and probably wont figure it out for a while.