Sparkling Gourami...

[abih2005]

Any ideas how I can ensure that my baby of the litter gets enough food? Since the cardinals arrived it has spent most of the time hiding!!

 

[KittyKat]

What's the set-up? Stocking, planted, size?

I usually feed at two ends of the tank for extremely shy fish and have a good crew who'll pick up any leftovers.

 

[abih2005]

54l gravel bottom, three pieces of wood, dried fern plants, the top layer is exposed so I suppose I should get a surface covering plant?

Two of my cardinals have started swimming in a 45 degree downward motion , bobbing repeatedly - as in not swimming levelly around the tank like the others? Water is fine, ammonia and nitrites 0 and nitrates 10ppm.
ANything to worry about?

 

[KittyKat]

What are the dried ferns? Tall plants/floaters should help the Gourami when feeding.

Water looks ok, pH?
How many of which fish do you have?

 

[abih2005]

5 gourami, 6 cardinals = stocking approved by several forum members, pH 7ish but fish were in tank of same parameters in the LFS.

The dried ferns are just plants from LFS, in small bunches about 6 inches high.

 

[chilli-spice]

im useless with the rest.
buuuut
this is the dried fern
i only know coz i have it lol
http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http/www.supa-aquatics.co.uk/uploads/products/full/171.jpg&imgrefurl=http/www.supa-aquatics.co.uk/products/aquatic/aquarium-decoration/natural-ferns/&usg=__YjgQtvU7ZHUOpr3eMn8zkzJiaxc=&h=867&w=500&sz=90&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=9GxQT3ksJQf5CM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Daquarium%2Bdried%2Bfern%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4DSGI_en-GBGB343GB343%26tbs%3Disch:1

 

[KittyKat]

Aye, stocking is good. Apart from feeding at both ends of the tank at the same time, you can get more plants. Still slightly confused about the ferns.. if they're dried, does that mean that they are dead? In which won't they decay and pollute the water? Also maybe training your fish to come for food at a certain signal might help.

 

[chilli-spice]

i don't quite know how it works with the dried ferns
but i have always added them to my tanks and never had a problem.
you're right though, they are definitely dead
have never been able to keep red plants alive, so i like to have some red dried ferns to add a wee bit of colour to the tank.
at the moment im impressed because i found blue ones.
obviously the blue ones don't look natural, but still a nice bit of colour in there

 

[KittyKat]

I am getting visions of dead, dyed fan corals here..

 

[abih2005]

Update: fish all seem fine, am going to see if I can net the little one and feed it within said net. Methinks the bobbing of the cardinals is related to post feeding behaviours.

 

[KittyKat]

It could get too stressed out to feed if you do that, and feeding while stressed may sometimes result in problems anyway. I think it would be easiest to try growing some Hygrophila (quite easy), or water lettuce. Maybe use a mix of not so buoyant foods (for the Tetras) and flakes for the Gouramis, or just sink some of the flakes.

 

[abih2005]

sink some flakes?...... how?

It could get too stressed out to feed if you do that, and feeding while stressed may sometimes result in problems anyway. I think it would be easiest to try growing some Hygrophila (quite easy), or water lettuce. Maybe use a mix of not so buoyant foods (for the Tetras) and flakes for the Gouramis, or just sink some of the flakes.

 

[KittyKat]

Take half of the flake you normally feed between two fingers, place fingers underwater, let go. The take the second half (with dry fingers, of course) and scatter it on the top as usual.

 

[abih2005]

Will give it a go. I usually feed a flake between the lot of them twice a day, sliiiightly worried I'm not giving them enough!

 

[KittyKat]

You'll notice if they don't get enough. If their bellies are comfortably rounded (don't sink in, nor bulge), then that is enough for them.

If you are only feeding a single flake, that might be the reason the Gouramis are being oppressed. Can you break it up into a number of pieces? For example, at least the same as there are fish?

As a general rule of thumb, feed as much as the fish can eat in 30 seconds (so no leftovers) once or twice per day (use your own judgment) and do not feed once per week.