I've got my yellow bullhead catfish to eat raw meats and worms readily now, but he still doesn't go for the cichild pellets floating at the top of the tank. Sometimes he eats the sinking shrimp pellets, but he usually spits them out again. Is there any way to get him to like the pellets? He's approx. 10 inches long, and probably a year or two old. Finally, if I can't get him to eat pellets, how can I ensure he is receiving the nutrients and proteins required to be healthy?
Getting my Catfish to Eat Pellets
Started by
Guest_MUBOTE_*
, Aug 23 2008 12:08 PM
5 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_teleost_*
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Posted 23 August 2008 - 04:52 PM
Welcome mubote and thanks for joining the forum. Most Catfishes are converted to prepared pellets pretty easily (since they have such a strong appetite). If your fish is healthy, you can withhold all foods for a week or two and add a few pellets and see if the fish accepts them. If the fish fails to eat them right away, remove the pellets and try the following day.
I believe sinking pellets are more appropriate for a bullhead but I suspect your bullhead will take to floating pellets pretty quickly. I might advise adding the pellets just before you typically turn the lights off for the evening and make sure the bullhead is feeding. It's important to not offer the frozen foods until the fish readily accepts pellets. In my opinion pellets are an excellent staple for most most fish but I also like to offer frozen foods as well as freeze dried foods for a mixed diet. Good luck.
I believe sinking pellets are more appropriate for a bullhead but I suspect your bullhead will take to floating pellets pretty quickly. I might advise adding the pellets just before you typically turn the lights off for the evening and make sure the bullhead is feeding. It's important to not offer the frozen foods until the fish readily accepts pellets. In my opinion pellets are an excellent staple for most most fish but I also like to offer frozen foods as well as freeze dried foods for a mixed diet. Good luck.
#3
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 24 August 2008 - 07:44 AM
Just to add a note of agreement with teleost...
When I kept bullheads in the past, they learned quickly that I was "the food guy" just from droping in sinking pellets for them... then they learned quickly that some of the food doesn't sink fast enough and started cruising the surface of the water slurping floating cichlid pellets off the top of the water.
And you may have to withhold food fr a while... a 10 inch bullhead could easily go a week without food... at which point he will eat almost anything that doesn't run away form him...
When I kept bullheads in the past, they learned quickly that I was "the food guy" just from droping in sinking pellets for them... then they learned quickly that some of the food doesn't sink fast enough and started cruising the surface of the water slurping floating cichlid pellets off the top of the water.
And you may have to withhold food fr a while... a 10 inch bullhead could easily go a week without food... at which point he will eat almost anything that doesn't run away form him...
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#4
Guest_MUBOTE_*
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Posted 24 August 2008 - 12:55 PM
Just to add a note of agreement with teleost...
When I kept bullheads in the past, they learned quickly that I was "the food guy" just from droping in sinking pellets for them... then they learned quickly that some of the food doesn't sink fast enough and started cruising the surface of the water slurping floating cichlid pellets off the top of the water.
And you may have to withhold food fr a while... a 10 inch bullhead could easily go a week without food... at which point he will eat almost anything that doesn't run away form him...
Thanks for the info. I'll keep him on a diet for a while. As I speak, he's vacuuming through the gravel in search of food; this is something I've never actually seen him do before (It's around' 2 in the afternoon), not even at night. If he's hungry enough, will he eat the pellets up during the day? Right now, I have some floating pellets on the surface, and he keeps rising up to the surface, but he has yet to actually eat one of the pellets. He just rises and goes back down again.
I've already fed him frozen dead sunfish... is it too late for him to go back?
Sorry about all the questions, but I'm new to raising wild fish, and thanks.
#5
Guest_Doug_Dame_*
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Posted 24 August 2008 - 03:35 PM
After they're partially soggy, you could trying squeezing a few pellets between your fingers, often that will turn them into sinkers. It should be only necessary as a short-term tactic, your catfish should quickly learn to eat at the surface too. (Variety always good, of course.)Right now, I have some floating pellets on the surface, and he keeps rising up to the surface, but he has yet to actually eat one of the pellets. He just rises and goes back down again.
d.d.
#6
Guest_MUBOTE_*
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Posted 25 August 2008 - 09:29 PM
After they're partially soggy, you could trying squeezing a few pellets between your fingers, often that will turn them into sinkers. It should be only necessary as a short-term tactic, your catfish should quickly learn to eat at the surface too. (Variety always good, of course.)
d.d.
he's eaten the floating pellets which slowly sink to the bottom!!! Thanks guys, i guess it's only time before he starts eating them off the top too.
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