Phishies Inn

Well I got some angelicus loaches for my tank the other day. I didn't expect them to eat anything the first two days, but now they seem like they've settled down for the most part - still skittish if I come near the tank (unlike the danios which just go nuts and circle the top for food), but other than that seem fine.

Anywho, I'm not sure if these guys are eating. I have those tiny shrimp pellet things that I give my cory catfish in my 10 gallon, and they don't seem interested. One has picked at it for .5 seconds and changed his mind. The others don't go near them.

I got some frozen bloodworms today as a nice different treat for my fishies...all of my fish in all the tank gobbled them up instantly...except the loaches. Some floated right near the loaches and they didn't react...they looked at the food but other than that didn't touch it.

I also bought some of those Hikari sinking tablets specifically made for bottom dwellers like loaches and catfish...I'm not going to feed them now because I've already fed that tank once today and I don't want to overfeed. Do you think they'll go after the tablets? They don't "appear" hungry or starved...they spend most of their time scavenging the sand, I'm sure they're finding *some* leftovers...but loaches are supposed to be pigs, right? Shouldn't they be jumping for this stuff ;0

I wonder if they've found snails. I saw one knock a snail off the glass today, but he didn't eat it. Maybe they found some eggs though (hopefully!)...I cleaned out a nest of snail eggs last week, but I'm sure there's more.

Oh well. I just don't want to starve my poor babies!

sirdarksol

Try dropping a piece of the Hikari and a piece of shrimp pellet (break off little pieces so you're not overfeeding) in at lights out. As far as I know, most loaches are nocturnal, so they're probably eating at night. My kuhlis will eat during the day now, but the gold barb usually chases them away from the food after a minute or so. I just make sure they get fed after lights out at least a couple of times a week.

Butterfly

Like SDS said feeding at lights out for a bit will ensure they find food and soon they will be eating during the day. Also droping food at each end of the tank will help make sure they get some of the food while the other occupants are eating also. My Angelicus were a little more shy than my clowns the whole time I had them. The Clowns would scoot the angels over to eat and the Angelicus seemed to wait until everybody else finished.
carol

Phishies Inn

Well every other day at light's out I've been dropping one of the wafers around their hiding spots and they come out and nibble a bit. Not too much but anything is better than nothing!

And, when I feed the fishies the frozen blood worms, if I drop the food right in front of their "cave" they freak out and jump at it. So if nothing else, I know they'll eat the bloodworms! I just have to make sure to drop it in front of them so the danios don't attack it first.

Butterfly

They sound like their doing fine. Angelicus can be a little more reclusive than say clowns or Yoyos. They are still beautiful loaches.
Carol