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Feeding Brook Sticklebacks

Started by Guest_FishandFire_* , Oct 17 2007 08:47 PM

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10 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_FishandFire_*

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Posted 17 October 2007 - 08:47 PM

I have two Brook Sticklebacks that I have had for a little over two weeks. I have never seen them eat. I have tried flake food and frozen blood worms. They are in a 35 hex with several darters and around 7 Red Shiners. All the other fish are very eager to eat, but these two won't. Any suggestions?

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#2 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 17 October 2007 - 10:08 PM

Have you tried live blackworms? I tend to feed all new fish live blackworms then get them onto FD or frozen bloodworms.

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#3 Guest_teleost_*

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Posted 17 October 2007 - 10:18 PM

Have you tried live blackworms? I tend to feed all new fish live blackworms then get them onto FD or frozen bloodworms.

I feel the same way Drewish does. I always make sure and feed new fish live blackworms and "teach" them to eat frozen then hopefully dry.

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#4 Guest_scottefontay_*

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Posted 18 October 2007 - 09:18 AM

When I have "fresh" fish I find that putting them with fish that are eating usually makes them comfortable enough to take a bite and at least try it. If all the ones in the tank are new and none are eating I throw a couple of my feeder danios in there to stir things up. Sounds like yours have positive role models already so maybe try feeding them in low-light conditions if you are trying with the lights fully on? This may make them seem more at ease in my experience. Some recently caught banded killies and blacknosed shiners (I think) wouldn't eat until the danios were introduced, then they went strait to flake.

I would try feeding them in low light and don't necessarily stand at the glass and watch them to see if they eat (they can see you too!)

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#5 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 18 October 2007 - 08:57 PM

I have two Brook Sticklebacks that I have had for a little over two weeks. I have never seen them eat. I have tried flake food and frozen blood worms. They are in a 35 hex with several darters and around 7 Red Shiners. All the other fish are very eager to eat, but these two won't. Any suggestions?

Red shiners and even some darters are pretty stiff competition for new brook sticklebacks. Live food and less voracious competitors would help. But with red shiners you'll always have to feed pretty heavily for the sticklebacks to get a decent meal.

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#6 Guest_esoxandlepomislover_*

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Posted 21 October 2007 - 10:44 PM

I think those are great suggestions. I am in the process of trying to get my mudminnows to eat, but at the same token, they have only been in the tank for 4 days now.

If they haven't eaten in a few more days, I will try live foods. I am hoping that the mudminnows will learn from my other fish that are taking FD readily.

M.

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#7 Guest_FishandFire_*

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Posted 21 October 2007 - 10:49 PM

Update....

I can't find live black worms around here and don't want to order a whole bunch, so I have fed only frozen bloodworms the last 3 days. One is now eating, so hopefully the other one will smarten up soon and join in the festivities.

I don't think the shiners or darters are a huge factor. The sticklebacks haven't even shown interest until the one did yesterday.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

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#8 Guest_sumthinsfishy_*

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Posted 23 October 2007 - 03:18 PM

That's good your stickleback is eating.
I finally just got one a couple days ago, so I'm going through the same thing basically.
He actually ate a couple bloodworms today.

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#9 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 26 October 2007 - 07:43 PM

If your stickle backs are not eating, throw in a few shiners, their fins make great snacks! Those of you in the know, understand what I am talking about. :-D

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#10 Guest_FishandFire_*

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Posted 26 October 2007 - 07:50 PM

The one that is eating is starting to gain it's weight back. Lost the other one today, though. Hate it when fish aren't smart enough to eat (or I'm not smart enough to get them to eat) :-?

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#11 Guest_sumthinsfishy_*

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Posted 01 November 2007 - 11:29 AM

If your stickle backs are not eating, throw in a few shiners, their fins make great snacks! Those of you in the know, understand what I am talking about.

I had a stickleback once that wouldn't leave my other fish alone. So I put him in with my dwarf convict cichlid, and that was the end of that.
The stickleback I have right now is way too shy to pick on any fish. I have him in a heavily planted tank with a bluespotted sunfish, two black bullheads (about an inch long each), two ghost shrimp, and a bunch of shiners.