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Aquarium Advice FINatic
FOR BACKROUND, READ THIS. FOR JUST MY QUESTION, SCROLL DOWN:
Hi all. For the past year I've had a tank with 2 columbian catfish (black-fin shark, white-fin shark, etc). I had 1 that was always slightly bigger than the other, and since pretty much day 1 the larger one picked on the smaller one. So the smaller one was always sick, for no apparent reason other than stress. After about 2 months we had to seperate them, then every few months we would try putting them back together, and it wouldn't take more than a day or 2 for the larger one to start picking on the smaller one again. And by larger i mean barely. The small one grew to be about 3.5", and the large one maybe 3.75.
There is plenty of current, plants, places to hide, etc. Well out of no where a year later (when seperated) the smaller one went crazy one night. Don't know how to explain it but she just kind of freaked out, started bouncing off the glass like she was blind, and then ate gravel until she died.
Well anyways, to make a long story short, we are going to be purchasing and adding another columbian catfish, however at this point the larger one is about 4" and the largest one at any store we have been to is approx 3", and they are a lot skinnier. From what I have read these fish aren't aggresive, however I'm afraid to even put them together. What can I do to stop the larger one from picking on the smaller one? I've read about some catfish that if you don't feed them enough, they will go looking for food, and basically eat anything in the tank. So I'm thinking that could explain it. So how much am I supposed to be feeding them? My pet store told me once a week is fine, however I personally have found that every other day keeps them happy. At one point I was feeding them everyday and it made my nitrate levels go way up.
I want to keep her well fed, so she leaves this new one alone and lets it grow some. She eats... a LOT! Her stomach literally has a bulge when she is done eating. She will eat food until it won't even go in her belly anymore. We will treat her to feeder guppies sometimes, and she'll eat 2-3, and have the hugest bulge in her stomach, and still try going for more.
AND THE QUESTION IS:
Sorry for all the rambling! Haha. Basically my question is, how much and how often should I be feeding them? Thanks everyone!!
-brent
PS- If it makes any difference, they eat a wide variety of food: sinking pellets, shrimp, blood worms, live fish, flakes, etc
Hi all. For the past year I've had a tank with 2 columbian catfish (black-fin shark, white-fin shark, etc). I had 1 that was always slightly bigger than the other, and since pretty much day 1 the larger one picked on the smaller one. So the smaller one was always sick, for no apparent reason other than stress. After about 2 months we had to seperate them, then every few months we would try putting them back together, and it wouldn't take more than a day or 2 for the larger one to start picking on the smaller one again. And by larger i mean barely. The small one grew to be about 3.5", and the large one maybe 3.75.
There is plenty of current, plants, places to hide, etc. Well out of no where a year later (when seperated) the smaller one went crazy one night. Don't know how to explain it but she just kind of freaked out, started bouncing off the glass like she was blind, and then ate gravel until she died.
Well anyways, to make a long story short, we are going to be purchasing and adding another columbian catfish, however at this point the larger one is about 4" and the largest one at any store we have been to is approx 3", and they are a lot skinnier. From what I have read these fish aren't aggresive, however I'm afraid to even put them together. What can I do to stop the larger one from picking on the smaller one? I've read about some catfish that if you don't feed them enough, they will go looking for food, and basically eat anything in the tank. So I'm thinking that could explain it. So how much am I supposed to be feeding them? My pet store told me once a week is fine, however I personally have found that every other day keeps them happy. At one point I was feeding them everyday and it made my nitrate levels go way up.
I want to keep her well fed, so she leaves this new one alone and lets it grow some. She eats... a LOT! Her stomach literally has a bulge when she is done eating. She will eat food until it won't even go in her belly anymore. We will treat her to feeder guppies sometimes, and she'll eat 2-3, and have the hugest bulge in her stomach, and still try going for more.
AND THE QUESTION IS:
Sorry for all the rambling! Haha. Basically my question is, how much and how often should I be feeding them? Thanks everyone!!
-brent
PS- If it makes any difference, they eat a wide variety of food: sinking pellets, shrimp, blood worms, live fish, flakes, etc