DG hogging all the food meant for the cories... Help

My dwarf gourami loves to eat. Lately not only is he eating his food, but he's also eating the Hikari sinking pellets that i drop in for the cories! I feed everyone at the same time, i sprinkle flakes and also drop in a few pellets. The cories don't seem to be able to eat as much as they should, as he (DG) pushes them away as they try to eat. Dropping in several doesn't help, he'll guard them all (and eventually eat them). He's never violent so that's not a concern. The concern is him getting pudgy and the cories getting thin. Any ideas on how to feed the cories without him knowing?

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Good morning,

I've had the same issues in the past with my bottom dwellers food being stolen by tank mates. To resolve the issue, I feed a slice of raw zucchini every morning, sliced round about 3 to 4"s thick. I weigh the slice with plant anchors (link below) to make it sink. Prior to making it sink, I add a Veggie/Algae Wafer and assorted food sticks to the slice. This gives my bottom dwellers a chance to eat before it's stolen by other tank mates. I leave the slice in the tank for about 5 to 6 hours and I remove it before I have to "fish out" the anchors. If you feed at night remove any uneaten portions the next morning. See video below:

https://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/aquarist/170964-may-26-2014-265g-aquarium-video.html

Plant Anchors:
 

Another option is a ScrewCumber:
 

Some fresh veggies are good for your fish as well!

Ken

 

Good ideas. Thanks for the responses.:;toast

 

Hello,

I respectfully disagree. As you can see in the video, the Cory Cats and Pleco feed from the slice that has been stuffed. By the end of the 6 hours, all of the stuffing has been eaten along with most of the slice itself. The Silver Dollars will eat the green skin of the slice along with my Bristle Nose Pleco. There is very little left by the time I remove the slice.

The slice is stuffed with veggie/algae wafer, Earthworm Sticks, Shrimp Sticks, Spirulina Sticks, all of which the Cory Cats love. This has worked for me and my fish for many years.

A video is worth 1000 words.

Ken

 

Hello,

I respect your post and your views however, this does work. One way or another, the Cory Cats do get the nutrition they need via the stuffed zucchini slice. I've had Cory Cats to reach 12 years old and not only do they live, they thrive.

It's up to Falcon JJ if he wants to give it a try or not and I highly suggest that he does.

Note: Experts are not always correct. Too, this is only my experience and what has worked for me and my fish. There is no denying the Cory Cats feeding from the Zucchini slice in the video in post #1. For my fish to reach 12 years old, I'm doing something right! lol

Ken

 

Coradee is right. Though mine will eat spirulina and blanched spinach, aso they are 95% carnivores that hardly get anything out of vegs. Ian Fuller really is a Cory-guru that knows what he is talking about. Regards Aad

 

i'd crumble the pellets so they 'll sink divided to the bottom !!

 

I've had good luck with bloodworms, spirulina, etc. in a turkey baster. My false juliis know the exact spot that the turkey baster is pumped out, and whenever it's bloodworm day, they swim right to it and patiently (ok, impatiently) wait.

That is the best name for anything, ever.

 

Thanks for the help everyone. I've been feeding hikari pellets (not algae, has a picture of a cory on the bag) primarily as well as whatever leftover tropical flakes fall down there. A big help so far is the feeding after lights out trick, the DG is a lazy fellow and likes to nap as soon as the lights go out. I walked by late last night and saw only cories eating while the DG slept.

 

My dwarf gourami (and platies) do the same thing. I have 14 cory cats in my 40 gal breeder and i suspect they aren't eating enough. Sure enough I hide there food under the gravel and they find it first. They do there little wiggle dance every time they find the food =)

 

I love that dance

 

Omg its my favorite. I named two of my corys wiggles & waffles

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Waggles* I hate auto correct lol

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