Guppies keep eating shrimp food - how to feed both?

I have 3 guppies and 3 amano shrimp in a 10-gallon. The shrimp were added several days ago. I bought shrimp granules for food rather than the wafers (not sure if that's what they're called). My problem is that the guppies eat the food before the shrimp can even get to it. Some of it doesn't even make it all the way to the bottom of the tank before piggy guppy swallows it whole! I'm worried it will constipate the guppies, overfeed them, and the shrimp will have a poor diet. How should I be feeding them? Do I have the wrong type of food? Am I using the wrong method? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Honestly guppies will just eat anything without discrimination. If you want the shrimp to live add more hiding places or get a new tank.

 

I don't see how more hiding places will help me feed the shrimp? Is there a way for me to put the food into the hiding places? I mean, they already have hiding places, so....

If you're implying the guppies will eat the shrimp, that's not the case. One of the shrimp is as big as the guppies. The two smaller shrimp are still way too big for the guppies to eat. They all get along well. The guppies and shrimp peck algae off the same objects together at the same time. I guess I don't really understand your reply.

 

Just speaking from experience

 

Okay, but your reply had nothing to do with helping me feed the shrimp, which is the problem. The problem isn't "my guppies are eating my shrimp."

 

Ahh yeah I see where I messed up, sorry. Truth be told your shrimp are likely getting all the food they need. Any time you see your shrimp rubbing their "hands" on the surface of something then moving them towards their mouth they are eating. Shrimp are bottom feeders and actually thrive off poop and low level organisms like algae. I'd say you are currently good to go.

 

It may be helpful to feed both foods at exactly the same time. If the guppies are busy snatching up tropical flakes, they'll be less inclined to notice a sinking pellet dropped at the opposite end of the tank.

Some people have also had success feeding blanched or frozen veggies to shrimp—my RCS ignore it and the snails eat it all and I would far rather feed my shrimp than snails, so I don't bother with that anymore.

Finally, shrimp don't often need much in terms of food—if your population is low enough, just detritus, biofilm, and algae should be enough to keep them happy indefinitely. Hopefully this helps! : )

 

I will try blanched veggies. My guppies, especially the piggy one, go straight from eating their pellets at the top of the water to scavenging for food at the bottom. The shrimp food I have isn't very quick to sink (should I maybe soak it first?). By the time it starts making its way to the bottom of the tank, the guppies are already there to eat it! (I definitely feed my guppies enough--they're just pigs.)

If my shrimp are getting enough food, as H Farnsworth has suggested could be the case, then probably some blanched veggies just for my own peace of mind (that they really do have enough food) might be the best way to go. I'll give it a try.

Thanks!

 

Hello, if worried about shrimp not getting enough food they are nocturnal & you can feed them after lights out. Hope this helps!!!!!

 

I will try blanched veggies. My guppies, especially the piggy one, go straight from eating their pellets at the top of the water to scavenging for food at the bottom. The shrimp food I have isn't very quick to sink (should I maybe soak it first?). By the time it starts making its way to the bottom of the tank, the guppies are already there to eat it! (I definitely feed my guppies enough--they're just pigs.)

If my shrimp are getting enough food, as H Farnsworth has suggested could be the case, then probably some blanched veggies just for my own peace of mind (that they really do have enough food) might be the best way to go. I'll give it a try.

Thanks!

A thin slice of zucchinI on a fork, or even an algae wafer just before you go to bed would likely do the trick.

Just remove the uneaten vegetable the next morning. Easy peasy. I wouldn't even bother blanching it but it's up to you.

 

Super suggestions! Thanks! I will try them all out and see what ends up working best.