Foods for Elvis

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

So, what I've found is that his tail is way too heavy for him to forage properly, and he really has to work to go vertical for foraging. I feed progold right now, and he doesn't even like it... spits the stuff right out! I wonder if he'd get used to it...

Are there any things I could feed him that he doesn't have to struggle to pick up off the bottom? I am unsure about floating food because of swim bladder issues and gulping air, but what else could I do?

[sarajo 566]

You can train him to hand feed

I find that strange he turns down the pro gold..what else are you feeding him?

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

I've tried progold, salad supreme wafers chopped really tiny, and spinach. The only thing he likes are the wafers. I know Steve feeds a varied diet, but would it really make him so picky? I even have tried feeding just the tiniest pellets of progold to see if it's because his mouth is too small, but he still just spits them out immediately. Clem and Hoover just scarfed them right down this morning, so it can't be that they've expired or anything.

I'd like to try hand feeding, but first I have to get him to eat something other than 'fishie potato chips' (salad supreme) first!

[smegypsiren 1,315]

The one thing Phyllis really likes is Omega, I had some laying around and her Repashy was cooling. She's just never been crazy about SG or super green. Idk that this helps much on the foraging issue. He might just need time to settle in.

[sarajo 566]

You can try saki hikari (purple bag) it's comparable to pro gold IMO and the pellets are much smaller. I've actually had better luck with that over pro gold. (And i have never heard of a fish not wanting pro gold!) Have you tried feeding blood worms or repashy?

My new guy has a pretty long tail as well and he Is not the best forager either, but I think as long as elvis is eating and it's not affecting his overall quality of life he will be fine. I imagine he'll grow into it a bit

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

I haven't tried bloodworm or repashy yet but planned on bloodworm tonight because it's Monday. I might mix him up some soilent green and crunch some progold into it tonight to see if he likes it covered up by that strong sg flavor. I mainly wanted the progold in him because it will give him some bulk and add length a little more quickly in a healthy way. He needs to be able to hold his own come breeding season. Have you seen any of the growth with purple bag? It actually might be something to switch over to for everyone, if my finicky floater and gulper will take it as well as Elvis.

[ahardeay 826]

I saw tons of growth on Saki purple here I will post a comparison for you in a sec.

[ahardeay 826]

Ok sorry it will have to be later they wont cooperate for the "after shots" lol

[sarajo 566]

I just started feeding saki hikari a couple months ago and I don't feed it as a staple so I can't really say how much growth my fish have put on from it, but my floaty otis doesn't float nearly as bad when being fed this vs. the pro gold. I just soak it for 30 sec. before feeding so it sinks right away. I think sakura feeds the purple bag too and I'm sure you know how big her fish are!

[koko 14,315]

Have you tried to soak the pro gold for just a min.. maybe they are to hard for little Elvis... Also try and mix some progold into the SG

[dnalex 13,633]

Have you tried to soak the pro gold for just a min.. maybe they are to hard for little Elvis... Also try and mix some progold into the SG

^This

Is he spitting any other pellets?

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

Those are the only ones I have right now in the way of pellets, and they are the same hardness as the wafers but he still eats those over the progold, and even after they've soaked he still refused them. I'm about to make a batch of S.G. right now, and will add the progold to that. I gave everyone a bit of garlic while I was cooking supper and they all enjoyed that along with their Bloodworms. Do you think instead of the SG I should just try soaking in garlic water instead of plain old tank water?

[dnalex 13,633]

Try the garlic water

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

I think the garlic water worked. He scarfed them down in less than a minute. I'll see how he does this week before I start salt and prazi. I was more worried about getting food into him than potentially lowering his appetite via prazi.