Feeding Problems

[catfish4ever]

Just wondering, I have a raphael catfish and of course he is fairly shy, however, i rarely see him feed. He must eat because hes alive but i mean how can i vary his diet with bloodworm etc if he dosent come out to eat it? all the tiger barbs get it first, its like the only food he can eat is catfish pellets and thats boring for him, so how can i effectively vary his diet with other fish getting to it first? he does come out when the food is dropped for bloodworm etc whether day or night, although he probably comes out alot later at night as hes nocturnal?

 

[nic1]

Hey,
I have the same problem with my poor weather loach, he is continually hiding and I never see him eat, but he must eat as he's alive!
I always leave varied pellets under the rock where he hides and push it right in there so the other greedy fish can't get to it.

If there's a food that floats like tubifex worms then I stick some in a mesh bag with a marble in it so it stays put and push it under the rock.... After a couple of hours I remove the bag and it's empty so he's eaten it or someone else has!

 

[DreamertK]

Sometimes you have to trust that they are eating. Though when you have a pair of fish that are breeding in a cave/tube, thats one case when you know they're not getting anything to eat and dont know if you should interrupt breeding with some worms.

 
I have a loach that hides in these driftwood, even though I never see her, when I do see her she's in the most beautiful markings as if she's just been dining on the most exotic food in the world.

 

[fluttermoth]

Put food in after lights out, that's the best way to ensure cats get a variety of food.

The loaches should come out to feed, but if you only have one, they're probably too shy to. Nearly all loach species are social, and should be kept in groups.

 

[star4]

Turn the lights out, leave it at least an hour so the other fish go into sleep mode, if possible turn out the room light also then feed. I do this for my black collared catfish, I have had him 5 years and never seen him eat either.
 
As for the weather loach they need to be in a group they are very social. My lot know when its feeding time and wait at the front of the tank.

 

[nic1]

He was in a group but over the many years he's the lone survivor, his last mate died only a few months ago, probably why he's hiding! I'm reluctant to get more as he's already 8 and quite an oldie, but I'm unsure if I want anymore..... Predicament!

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, I see your difficulty. It's one that nearly all of us with social/shoaling fish have eventually.