Feeding Gouramis

[delboy65]

Hi,

I recently bought a couple of gouramis & have noticed that when i feed using both flake & crisp, the other tankmates (neons, guppies & lemon tetras) manage to eat most of the food before it gets chance to sink down the gouramis. Is there anything i should be doing different, different technique, different food ?

 

[afremont]

Hi,

I recently bought a couple of gouramis & have noticed that when i feed using both flake & crisp, the other tankmates (neons, guppies & lemon tetras) manage to eat most of the food before it gets chance to sink down the gouramis. Is there anything i should be doing different, different technique, different food ?

Give them a couple of days, they'll adapt. I have a DG in a show tank that worried me at first by doing exactly as you describe. Just feed appropriately and soon the gourami will be first in line when it's time to eat. They like to eat food in the mid water layers, but will happily adjust to top feeding when required. A couple of days of missing out to the greedy fish and they seem to catch on.

I have some red serpaes in the same tank that thought they were too good to top feed, they took a little longer, but they got over it too. They really seem put out by being "forced" to come to the top, so I put a pinch of flakes below the water and let them go. The flakes sink right away and the serpaes do their thing.

You can also try feeding in different areas of the tank. Put some food on one side for the frenzy feeders and then lure the gourami to another area, or just feed in several spots so that a couple of selfish fish can't monopolize the food.

 

[delboy65]

Hi,

I recently bought a couple of gouramis & have noticed that when i feed using both flake & crisp, the other tankmates (neons, guppies & lemon tetras) manage to eat most of the food before it gets chance to sink down the gouramis. Is there anything i should be doing different, different technique, different food ?

Give them a couple of days, they'll adapt. I have a DG in a show tank that worried me at first by doing exactly as you describe. Just feed appropriately and soon the gourami will be first in line when it's time to eat. They like to eat food in the mid water layers, but will happily adjust to top feeding when required. A couple of days of missing out to the greedy fish and they seem to catch on.

I have some red serpaes in the same tank that thought they were too good to top feed, they took a little longer, but they got over it too. They really seem put out by being "forced" to come to the top, so I put a pinch of flakes below the water and let them go. The flakes sink right away and the serpaes do their thing.

You can also try feeding in different areas of the tank. Put some food on one side for the frenzy feeders and then lure the gourami to another area, or just feed in several spots so that a couple of selfish fish can't monopolize the food.

Cheers Afremont