Glass catfish and guppys.

[Invader675]

I've got 6 guppys and added 6 glass catfish to my tank this week. I have tried feeding them but the catfish don't seem to want to eat. The guppys ate all the flakes before they got deep enough for the cats to notice. I added King British catfish food but the guppys ate all of that too and I had to stop before I overfed them!
I'm worried what to do, the LFS said it would be fine to have glass cats and guppys together but I find my catfish spend most of their day hidden.
Would feeding them with the lights off help or should I remove the guppys and get a 10gal for them?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Invader675

Glass cats can be nervous fish and it might just take a little while for them to get used to their new home and begin acting normally.

But, these unusual fish do not often roam around the tank and act like most of the other fish. Instead, they might find an area they like and seldom stray from it. Mine were like that and once they found a group of plants they especially liked, they pretty much stayed put. When they ate it was only food that floated close to their faces. They never went to the top to feed, but I have heard that some of them will do that.

Mine were especially fond of live blackworms and tubifex worms, so if they don't seem to eat in a few days, you might try some of them.

Of course, if you have a good excuse to get another tank, why not take advantage of the opportunity?

 

[sylvia]

I would try to feed them live foods or at least some of the frozen equivalents - brine shrimp and bloodworms are always appreciated. Eventualy they should adapt to the commercial flake and pellet foods but it may take a little extra time. Also, try feeding the guppies at one end of the tank and the glass cats on the other to minimize competition. Be patient and just watch closely for any sign of ill health and you should be fine .

 

[Invader675]

I'd love to feed them live food, I can't get any where I live though and I don't have the time to look after my own culture . When the light goes off they seem happy, I look into the tank with a lil light I have. I read up on them before I got them and knew they were shy but too shy to eat is scary.
One seems to 'rest' alot on the sand, it just stops moving totally for 10~15mins then will dart about like crazy. I think one of my guppys is worried too, he picked up 3 pellets and took them to the cave where the catfish are staying and dropped them there for them! Good lil' Leon.

 

[sylvia]

Aww - that's cute

You can try feeding them after dark so the guppies don't get in their way. Are these kryptopterus bicirrhis? If yes, they should be able to search for food in the darkness quite efficiently.

 

[Invader675]

I guess I could get some Tubifex dried pills, I remember from last time I had fish that they are sold near me. (6 years ago nwo, I hope they still are there!).

Since I turned off the light the cats are being very bold, although they don't like me looking in at them, the guppys swarm to my light but they seem scared of it so I stopped. The pellets I added are sat on the bottom of the tank still.

Next week I am planning to add an algea eater to clean up the sand, it's starting to get a bit green (I'd change the water and suck it out but want to let the glass cats settle in first). What small, cute, pretty and fun algea eaters are there?
I want something about 1~3inches long that wouldn't be aggressive to a young guppy and wouldn't scare the cats. Maybe if they are very small 2 or 3.
The LFS I go to always has flat fish that are about this size but I'm sure they must be babys and would grow to massive sizes.

 

[bunjiweb]

I have 8 glass cats and 6 african glass cats, they always get fed sinking granular food after dark...

You will find they take a couple of weeks to get used to your aquarium though...

Ben

 

[fishncurrysauce]

I would try to feed them live foods or at least some of the frozen equivalents - brine shrimp and bloodworms are always appreciated. Eventualy they should adapt to the commercial flake and pellet foods but it may take a little extra time. Also, try feeding the guppies at one end of the tank and the glass cats on the other to minimize competition. Be patient and just watch closely for any sign of ill health and you should be fine .

How do the fish know which end of the tank to go to for food? do u put a sign in there or just tell them? seems like they aint gonna know otherwize!

 

[Torrean]

flake food on one end. get the guppies over there then drop in the live food for tha cat's on the other. maybe???

 

[fishncurrysauce]

talking about monkeys on one thread now u talkin cats?

 

[Macracantha]

How do the fish know which end of the tank to go to for food? do u put a sign in there or just tell them? seems like they aint gonna know otherwize!