I have just collected some redear sunfish for a research project. They previously were in an aquaculture pond with no supplemental feeding and I would like to get them on a formulated diet. I have tried a small floating diet and a sinking diet as well for about a week now, I leave the food in there for about an hour and try to disturb them as little as possible. Any suggestions?
Redear Sunfish Diet
Started by
Guest_jca264_*
, Sep 26 2014 11:32 AM
5 replies to this topic
#2
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 26 September 2014 - 02:46 PM
how big are they?
first try to get them onto something else that is small and floats but is natural... like a dried shrimp or krill or something... hunger and curiosity are good drivers and after a couple fo days they will probably try it... if it "tastes" normal to them they will keep trying it and learn to hit whatever you put on the surface.
after they recognize you as the food guy, you can pretty much get them to try anything.
Hikari Massivore Delight is the favorite of my warmouth... they are a sinking food if I remember right, but I have not seen one fall more than an inch or so in the past year before he sucks 'em in!
first try to get them onto something else that is small and floats but is natural... like a dried shrimp or krill or something... hunger and curiosity are good drivers and after a couple fo days they will probably try it... if it "tastes" normal to them they will keep trying it and learn to hit whatever you put on the surface.
after they recognize you as the food guy, you can pretty much get them to try anything.
Hikari Massivore Delight is the favorite of my warmouth... they are a sinking food if I remember right, but I have not seen one fall more than an inch or so in the past year before he sucks 'em in!
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
Guest_jca264_*
Guest_jca264_*
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Posted 27 September 2014 - 12:37 AM
They range anywhere from 3"up to about 10" but so far I've tried them on a floating, sinking, and a flake food diet. The problem I think is that they were already eating their natural food which is crustaceans and mainly mollusks and it will take a lot to get them to switch. I did however notice that some of the smaller fish were interested in the flakes after they had sunk to the bottom.
#4
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 27 September 2014 - 08:26 AM
OK, so they are pretty big already... the good news is that they will be able to survive several days with no food... the bad news is as you suspected that they are probably really used to doing things their own way.
I would still suggest that you try something freeze dried krill or shrimp. Fish that big are not going to recognize flakes as food. And they are probably going to ignore anything that doesn't see like what they are used to. You might even try to start with feeder shrimp/ghost shrimp/grass shrimp (whatever your local fish store calls them). live food might trigger a feeding response. Then if you only feed a few of those, and also feed the freeze dried krill (that you can buy in a jar) the competition and excitement might get them to eat a floating krill.
This is going to take some time, but you should be able to get them from live to freeze dried and then from that to a pellet.
I would still suggest that you try something freeze dried krill or shrimp. Fish that big are not going to recognize flakes as food. And they are probably going to ignore anything that doesn't see like what they are used to. You might even try to start with feeder shrimp/ghost shrimp/grass shrimp (whatever your local fish store calls them). live food might trigger a feeding response. Then if you only feed a few of those, and also feed the freeze dried krill (that you can buy in a jar) the competition and excitement might get them to eat a floating krill.
This is going to take some time, but you should be able to get them from live to freeze dried and then from that to a pellet.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#5
Guest_rickwrench_*
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Posted 04 October 2014 - 01:39 PM
When transitioning from live food to prepared food, I've had the best luck (by far) starting with frozen blood worms with older "set in their ways" fish. First, melting a cube in a small cup of tank water, then dumping it in, once they recognize the blood worms as food (and you as the "food dispenser"), they will readily attack the edges of whole frozen cubes just dropped in.
From there you can transition to other types of food, i.e., a pinch of flakes or pellets in addition to a diminishing number of cubes.
Redears are usually pretty quick to learn.
Rick
From there you can transition to other types of food, i.e., a pinch of flakes or pellets in addition to a diminishing number of cubes.
Redears are usually pretty quick to learn.
Rick
#6
Guest_centrarchid_*
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Posted 05 October 2014 - 05:23 PM
Redears easy to feed train.
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