Water Circulation and Feeding

I just added fish to a new tank over the weekend. I have 2 swordtails and 2 kuhlI loaches to start. The swordtails are now pretty active now (took them a few hours to feel comfy) and I'm wondering about a few things relating to the water circulation.

First, I have a 29G tank, with a HOB filter and a sponge filter. I noticed after adding the fish that the current (I'm guessing from the HOB) seems to keep the fish moving pretty well, they have to work in the current most places in the tank. There are a few spots at the bottom that are pretty calm but it looks like, for the most part, when they're swimming they're working at it. The [live] plants don't seem to move much though so maybe it's not as bad as I think?

Second - related to that - at feeding time it doesn't take long for the flakes to sink or get sucked up by the filter. The fish are done eating in less than a minute because they've either knocked everything off the surface or the filter has... After a day or so I see a few flake stuck to the filters intakes. The swordtails also don't seem to "eat" the flakes, they bite, break them up and then spit out the rest (too big of course) - I can't tell if they really only eat a tiny bit, or don't actually like what I'm feeding them (Tetra Min Plus shrimp flakes).

Third and final (not so much related) - is there any way I can tell if the kuhlI loaches are getting food? I have some cichlid granules that will sink to the bottom for them, but being nocturnal I can't tell if they're finding any...

Thoughts?

 

I would weaken the flow somehow, with the HOB you could add more water to the tank, this would make less of a downwards, and sideways current.

 

I have 2 HOB's on my 125 gallon tank. I suggest you use half the amount of flakes as normal and allow your top feeders to get to them before they fall. Then use granules(TetraMin) for the other half. These will fall quicker and allow your middle and bottom feeders to get them. But they will also not get sucked up as easily.

My 2 HOB's filters are very clean with little/no food waste in them. Just a thought?

 

Thanks - the HOB has an "adjustable flow rate" ( a little knob the changes the suction ) - right now I have it all the way open (full flow). I'll turn it down a bit...

When I do that, is there anyway I can tell if I've turned it down too much?

 

The current shouldn’t bother your swordtails at all. They are found naturally in flowing rivers in Central America. Even when in calm water they look like they are swimming to beat the band and going no where. As long as your filter isn’t moving the gravel around on the bottom your fish will lay there at night to rest. Now if your filter is moving the gravel around you might need to slow it down a bit – lol.

As for the filter getting some of the food, it happens and the only way to cut down on how much the filter gets to suck up is cut down on the amount you feed. I feed my swordtails a very small amount, only about what they can eat in under 30 seconds or so and I try to feed them twice to three times a day. I normally don’t feed them until the lights have been on at least 30 minutes. This way they are all up and about before the food hits the water.

As for what your feeding them, swordtails will eat just about anything you put in the tank. They even like algae chips as a treat. As for feeding the kuhlI loaches feed them at lights out and if you don’t see any food on the bottom the next morning they are eating. I guess the only way to know for sure that the swordtails are not eating it all is to stay up and check on them after lights out.

 

Your kuhlis will be nocturnal until you are able to have them in a proper school (at least 5). Kuhlis are also very sensitive to changes in water parameters which is why they are only suggested as a species for a well established tank (over 6 months minimum).

They are real scavengers and will definitely be getting any food that drifts down to them. Be sure not to overfeed.

 

Thanks Bow - I'm not picking up any substrate yet (I did LOL) but I think what I'll do, since they eat so fast is just feed a small amount like you're suggesting and turn the filter flow rate down while they're eating - for the minute or two it takes 'em that should work well...

Lynda - I noticed the Kuhli's out (or at least one of 'em, it's hard to see them both at the same time ) scavenging this morning after feeding - I didn't see them get anything, but the one (he or she ???) was certainly working hard at it... Just poking out from under the driftwood a tiny bit.

I did not know about the schooling requirement for them (growing up we only had two I think but that was 35 years ago) or waiting to establish the tank... After a few days though, everyone seems to be "at home" (the kuhlis were a bit pale the first day), very active and have staked out their hiding places. I didn't know they could burrow so well either...