Darters not eating well
#1 Guest_p3purr_*
Posted 10 February 2008 - 01:48 AM
I'm feeding frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and white mosquito larvae. I've tried tubifex but they don't like that. I got them during the convention in Greensboro this past summer. They all ate great from day one but the past 2-3 weeks they are all starting to eat less. For the most part they seem to be hungry but not interested in what's offered.
Any help would be apprecialted.
#2
Posted 10 February 2008 - 01:39 PM
The other thing is have you changed the time of day that you feed them? I have noticed that since I consistently feed in the evenings after work, that if I decide to try to feed early in the day on a Saturday or something, that the fish seem to be unprepared for it or are just not ready to eat.
Just some thoughts...
#3 Guest_Casper Cox_*
Posted 10 February 2008 - 02:34 PM
you also might try keep a tank outside and having sponges and water mosses in the fishless container. bring a big piece in every once in awhile and squeeze and flush it out. they love that too. sometimes i bring home some of the underwater mosses i find and they really go to picking. just because we cant see these tiny edibles does not mean the darter cant!
but mike might be right w/ temps and lights. if it is real cold they will slow down eating. by the same token if it too warm it means death for a lot of darters. lights, room temp, powerheads all add heat to a tank. the folks that seem to do best are nothern folks w/ tanks in their basements for darters... just a general statement but one to consider. dont let the tanks get warm.
casper
#4 Guest_Nightwing_*
Posted 10 February 2008 - 09:39 PM
#5 Guest_nativeplanter_*
Posted 11 February 2008 - 01:26 PM
I am by FAR not a darter expert. But..I had to comment on the warm statement. First, of course, IF you can keep darters at cool(under 70) temps, that's no doubt the best. However...I have an un-cooled tank in an apt. that does NOT have A.C. and last year I had several days when the tank temp was in the mid 80's. The darters(rainbows and a greenside) never showed a bit of stress, and went right on going on as if nothing was amis. Now...I do NOT of course recoment those temps if they can be avoided, but with good O2 content in the water, and good movement..I t hink darters can be kept at suprisingly balmy temps.
I had a similar experience as a grad student. We had AC, but couldn't afford to run it much. Being in Georgia, it got pretty hot in the summer. Darters seemed to be OK, but I too had good current going. They always ate well and were trained to a feeding station that got the bloodworms to the bottom (so they wouldn't get snatched up by the shiners). I really need to make one of those tubes again soon.
#6 Guest_p3purr_*
Posted 11 February 2008 - 10:54 PM
Seasons might have something to do with it, tank is a lot cooler than during the summer. My lighting schedule hasn't changed.
I was feeding bloodworms for a while and just didn't get any more. I picked some up today and will see how that works.
During the summer my tanks got way too warm, sometimes 80 and a few times 82. I cut the lights back some, had a box fan aimed at the tank and added a few airstones. They faired very well. I had asked which fish would fair the best in the heat when I collected them (ok, just tried not to get in everyones the way to often).
#7 Guest_p3purr_*
Posted 13 February 2008 - 07:24 PM
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