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If I'm not hungry, grab it and spit it out until it's crippled.

Started by Guest_catfish_hunter_* , Oct 07 2009 12:45 AM

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25 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 07 October 2009 - 12:45 AM

I bought some fathead minnows and small comet goldfish from Petco, gut-loaded them on some bloodworms and goldfish flakes for today, and fed them to my perch, SMB and green sunfish today. The pumpkinseed has a big enough mouth to eat them and so does the bluegill, but they refuse to eat them but devour the Red Shrimp like it's a two for one sale. The SMB targeted the goldfish first because they are slower and larger, then went about devouring the minnows like a happy little carnivore. Then, when his gut was full, he kept nabbing the minnows and spitting them out. Most came out unharmed, but one came out with a snapped spine and ruptured swim bladder because it sunk and was amazingly snapped up by the pumpkinseed, ending its misery. Why does the SMB feel the need to do this? Is this play behavior or just a kind of 'I'm not hungry yet but I will be' behavior or a aggressive, 'get out of my territory, you pink pipsqeauk' behavior? It's down to two survivors... make that one survivor, he just ate one :fishy:

Really! .

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#2 Guest_CATfishTONY_*

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Posted 07 October 2009 - 05:06 AM

My greensunfish and pickerel are the same way. last week my Pickerel ate to much,for two days it swam around with the tail of a feeder fish still out of its mouth.read his link it sheds a little light on the topic

http://www.wetwebmed...fdrartneale.htm

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#3 Guest_schambers_*

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Posted 07 October 2009 - 12:38 PM

Sounds like a cat killing mice even though it's not hungry - instinct.

Good article, Tony. Thanks!

Edited by schambers, 07 October 2009 - 12:45 PM.

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#4 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 07 October 2009 - 05:39 PM

i just put a little feeder dace in my tank for my sunfish to eat. my pumpkinseed ended up catching it and spitting it out 3 times, killing it and then just left it to float around.

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#5 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 07 October 2009 - 08:57 PM

He also chased them and struck at them just to watch them flee. He would grab two at a time and spit them out unharmed and chase them again. The bluegill still won't eat feeders, is this weird?

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#6 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 03:35 PM

He also chased them and struck at them just to watch them flee. He would grab two at a time and spit them out unharmed and chase them again. The bluegill still won't eat feeders, is this weird?

my bluegill won't eat feeders either, and its the biggest fish in my tank. usually all my feeders end up getting eatn by my big pumpkinseed, and sometimes my smaller one.

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#7 Guest_CATfishTONY_*

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 09:05 PM

Sounds like a cat killing mice even though it's not hungry - instinct.

Good article, Tony. Thanks!

'schambers, you are welcome. this site has helped as much if not more then here.
it is true some in life eat rice others do not!
life is real and true.
that's why it works.

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#8 Guest_CATfishTONY_*

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Posted 09 October 2009 - 09:21 PM

Some fish will not eat for a week or two, give them time.

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#9 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 04:49 AM

The bluegill will eat; gut-loaded crickets, earthworms, sun-dried red shrimp pieces, super mealworms, etc. He just won't eat or even chase feeder minnows or goldfish.

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#10 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 05:29 AM

Everyone except my SMB will eat sun-dried red shrimp, but they only nibble on and then spit out TetraCichlid sticks. Should I starve them a little and then try it again?

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#11 Guest_sumthinsfishy_*

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 05:53 PM

It's possible they just don't like that type of pellet. I've had that happen before

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#12 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 11 October 2009 - 08:34 PM

Everyone except my SMB will eat sun-dried red shrimp, but they only nibble on and then spit out TetraCichlid sticks. Should I starve them a little and then try it again?

yes.

i know it sounds bad when put that way but that's pretty much what it takes.

now, refresh my memory, are the tetra cichlid sticks the soft-ish ones, or is that the tetra pond sticks? your fish would probably like the soft sticks.

also make sure the pellets are plenty small enough to be eaten by your fish.

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#13 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 11 October 2009 - 08:35 PM

The bluegill will eat; gut-loaded crickets, earthworms, sun-dried red shrimp pieces, super mealworms, etc. He just won't eat or even chase feeder minnows or goldfish.

may have lost his predatory instinct. i'm not sure if this is really possible but it seems like this is what has happened in my tank. they're just so used to getting static food that when animated food comes along they don't really know what to do. they are kind of domesticated.

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#14 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 05:33 AM

may have lost his predatory instinct. i'm not sure if this is really possible but it seems like this is what has happened in my tank. they're just so used to getting static food that when animated food comes along they don't really know what to do. they are kind of domesticated.

Kind of like expecting a Subway sandwich but instead getting a live jackrabbit! LOL!

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#15 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 05:38 AM

It is the stuff that comes in the can with the firemouth and convict cichlid on it, and the pellets are hard but soften quickly. My friend has a wild-caught YOY channel catfish that eats them ravenously, but maybe sunfish and perch have more discerning tastes than something that will eat chicken liver and Dove Soap.

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#16 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 19 October 2009 - 09:14 PM

My fish are going to eat Hikari Cichlid Gold or they won't eat. I ran out of thawed bloodworms and earthworms so it is going to be the pellets or nothing. My resolve is strong and I am prepared, do your worst fishy fiends!

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#17 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 20 October 2009 - 09:21 AM

Good luck! Who are you trying to convert?

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#18 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 20 October 2009 - 09:34 AM

My SMB, green sunfish, pumpkinseed, bluegill and yellow perch. I just put some in the tank and they look at me like they are saying, "This isn't food!"

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#19 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 20 October 2009 - 02:44 PM

give em time, they'll eventually eat it.

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#20 Guest_catfish_hunter_*

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Posted 20 October 2009 - 11:33 PM

One of my Indo-Pacific House Geckos got loose and jumped in the aquarium and was promptly eaten by an appreciative smallmouth bass. The green sunfish seemingly ate only one pellet. I knew he would be the first to break. He's too greedy and fat to resist food.

Edited by catfish_hunter, 20 October 2009 - 11:41 PM.