I have three new festae fry from APFP. They did not eat the first night i got them, but that did not seem too unusal for a first night in the tank. This is the second night, (i have had them almost 30 hours now) and i have attempted feeding them three times. i have cichlid flakes by omega one (recommended by someone at apfp), and I crushed it to small pieces before putting it in. It sits in the tank for a while before sinking, and eventually is sucked into the filter or rests on the bottom. This evening (besides the three feedings i have tried) i even floated some frozen bloodworms in front of them, but there was no interest. Are they eating the food off the bottom later? or is this normal behavior?
Festae wont eat...
- Thread starter Zerc
- Start date
rattle1972
New Member
you can try PE mysis shrimp. that is what i primarily feed my small festae. but i also feed the omega flakes and blood worms. mine attack all the food i put in there. they literally eat it right out of my fingers.
the festae are i think the only fish i have ever had that i never had a problem with them eating. a couple things i do different then alot of people i talk to is i keep my temp around 82-84 and i add a cup of water softening salt for every 100 gallons of water at every water change.
hope this helps.. good luck and post some pics i would love to see them.
the festae are i think the only fish i have ever had that i never had a problem with them eating. a couple things i do different then alot of people i talk to is i keep my temp around 82-84 and i add a cup of water softening salt for every 100 gallons of water at every water change.
hope this helps.. good luck and post some pics i would love to see them.
My Festae are not picky eaters. Though I must say, mine will not eat flakes. I never feed flakes. I use Hikari First Bites for the fry and then gradually wean them off of it and onto NLS Cichlid. I also feed a chunk of frozen blood worms every night. My guys grow like mad with my feeding regimen.
Get yourself a good pellet food like NLS Cichlid and stick to it. I have never seen a fish turn its nose up at NLS.
All 15 of my Festae are voracious eaters, the little guys meet me at the glass when I come home from work, they are so anxious to eat. And when a chunk of blood worms hits the water, it's like a feeding frenzy.
Get yourself a good pellet food like NLS Cichlid and stick to it. I have never seen a fish turn its nose up at NLS.
All 15 of my Festae are voracious eaters, the little guys meet me at the glass when I come home from work, they are so anxious to eat. And when a chunk of blood worms hits the water, it's like a feeding frenzy.
Here is a stupid question, and I am sure you have done so. Have you checked all water parameters? My Dovi stopped eating, and then started to die, I checked all of mine and everything was perfect, couldn't figure it out. OH YA, that includes the ph. DAH :scratch:
My ph had dropped below 6.0. :affraid: Dumb ass I thought. So since I have brought the ph up, its been just fine.
My ph had dropped below 6.0. :affraid: Dumb ass I thought. So since I have brought the ph up, its been just fine.
My only test kit at the moment is some strips, but they are new. my water is soft, just under 70 ppm, ph is 7-7.2 nitrate is around 20 ppm, nitrite is 0. I have done two water changes of 5 gallons (30 gallon tank) since i put them in.
the only thing i can think of is stress, i got them from apfp the same day they got them in, they probably only spent an hour in the tank at the store. two of them are a bit more active today, but the 3rd is still hiding under the little ceramic elephant... (i have a 2 yr old)
just to be sure of nitrate/ammonia i have put a little prime in the water every morning, just a few drops from the bottle.
the only thing i can think of is stress, i got them from apfp the same day they got them in, they probably only spent an hour in the tank at the store. two of them are a bit more active today, but the 3rd is still hiding under the little ceramic elephant... (i have a 2 yr old)
just to be sure of nitrate/ammonia i have put a little prime in the water every morning, just a few drops from the bottle.
rattle1972
New Member
my 12 festae came from california and spent 72 hours in a box, no heat pack, water was cold. they all lived and were going crazy for food as soon as they hit the tank. after, three days you say? they probably should be over the stress to the point were they are eating.
do you have other fish in there? if not, you can always try to put some smaller fish in there to try and draw them out.
i am absolutely horrible about testing my water, the only time i do is when there seems to be a problem. i do two water changes a week now. somtime i will throw in a 10 percent water change here and there extra.
good luck
do you have other fish in there? if not, you can always try to put some smaller fish in there to try and draw them out.
i am absolutely horrible about testing my water, the only time i do is when there seems to be a problem. i do two water changes a week now. somtime i will throw in a 10 percent water change here and there extra.
good luck
wtb fish with appetite. 
they only other fish i have trouble feeding is my black ghost knife, because hes SLOW! My SA/CA Cichlids are like a pack of starving fat kids. I have to be sneaky.. feed them at one end of the tank and hope they don't see the blood worms I give the knife on the other end!
they only other fish i have trouble feeding is my black ghost knife, because hes SLOW! My SA/CA Cichlids are like a pack of starving fat kids. I have to be sneaky.. feed them at one end of the tank and hope they don't see the blood worms I give the knife on the other end!
Well if interested in aggressive eating small fish. I have 1000's of fry. I have Amph. Hogaboomorum babies at about 3/4", I have Red Devil Babies at 3/4", both are F1's. I also have Dempsey babies that are about 1/2", these may have the Electric blue gene in them.
alotadollars
New Member
keep your light off may help them to come out of hiding and eat