les

Hi all, I recently set up a 3', 30 gallon (approx 130 litre) tank.

It has been cycled with bacteria etc. and yesterday my fish went in - previously from a 4 gallon (20 litre) tank!!

I have:

* 1 zebra danio (the tigers MAY have picked on them in the small tank .. started with 5)
* 6 glowlight tetras
* 2 sucker cats
* 4 tiger barbs

All are friendly and are REALLY enjoying the new tank .. very active and playing with the powerhead currents etc.

NOW ....

When I used to feed them in the small tank, they would demolish the food !! In the new tank, they don't even realise that the food has been dropped into the tank ! Furthermore, the powerhead is so powerful that a lot of the flake food sinks before the fish even get to them.

What should I do ?

I have done the following with some success ...
Turn off powerhead and push the food into the water so it slowly sinks and the fish can see it and they kinda follow and eat it - not ALL the fish.

What are my other options to get them eating or should I not worry ? That it is perfectly normal and they just don't feel like eating yet since they are getting accustomed to the new tank ?

Any help appreciated !! Thanks !

Les

whitewavemoon

Hi Les,
I'm guessing your fish just need to get accustomed to their new home. After a few days, they'll probably be devouring their food again. It probably wouldn't hurt to check your water paramaters, to make sure you didn't throw your tank into a "mini-cycle" when you added your fish.
Congratulations on the new tank! Isn't it so exciting setting up a new one?!
Hope your fish are doing ok.
Jenn

atmmachine816

Congratulations on the new tank.

I'm wondering why you have a powerhead in your tank, do you mean filter because powerheads are not usually used in freshwater tanks. Let your fish get used to their tank, try feeding them the next day and they should eat.

les

Hello Hello !

It is a freshwater tank and the powerhead runs my undergravel filter - sorry, I was not very clear.

I will feed the suckers tonight and see how they go.

Thanks.

dazzler

be careful with those undergravel filters.... not many people here use or reccomend them. there are a gazillion better options for filtration out there hiowever you may be a lucky one and have great success. once you put fish into a new tank wait 24 hrs before feeding them.. my ten neons went in 4 days ago and theyy are slowly working the food thing out. the can live a surprisingly long time without food they will be fine when they are really hungry they will go looking for food.

good luck on the new set up

regards Dazzler

les

Yeah, I have read up heaps re undergravel filters and while some people swear by them, others despise them. My cousin has 2 x 6 ft and 2 x 4 ft tanks and they are all running undergravel filters and he has given me his formula for successful fish keeping !

I will not feed them tonight if that is the case because I don't want the tank with too much food scrap ... will slowly feed them in the next few days. See how it goes.