Regular Member Happy Oranda Posted August 28, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted August 28, 2005 I got my black moor 5 days ago. It looks fine so far. But I found that it only eat the food (flake) floating on the surface of water and just ignores any food sank down to the bottom. As it cannt get enough food just from the surface, it always cruise under the surface for any tiny bit of food left. I dont know if it is the habit from it was born or has been feeding in that way. This puts me into a dilemma. If I put more food on the surface (unsoaked) and fish will swallows too much air, that will cause a swimming bladder problem. If I dont, the poor black moor wont get enough food at all. Any idea to train it to grad food in the bottom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member daryl Posted August 28, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted August 28, 2005 Many fish have to learn different eating habits and signals when they move to a new home. Surface feeding is rather common - most stores surface feed. Goldfish - contrary to popular belief - are not dumb. Particularly when it comes to food! Their natural instinct is to root on the bottom looking for food. Since your moor will not starve by missing food for a day or two (and my bet he will not even do that!), I would stop feeding him the flakes on the surface and only feed the sinking pellets. Feed him with a bit of a routine - I always feed after I turn the lights on in the morning, dropping the food in the same place each time. When I feed at dinner - I signal the food arrival by dabbling my fingers on the water surface. They all know that means time for food! Drop the pellets in and watch. He will search the surface for quite a while at first and then give up. As he is swimming around, he will smell the food on the bottom and root it out. Within a few days he will know exactly when feeding time is by your signals- he should start to dance in anticipation and go right for the food when you drop it in. He will learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member d_golem Posted August 28, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted August 28, 2005 black moor has some disadvantages regarding their vision. from my own experience with my black moor, it's obvious they can't see really well, particularly things right in front of their eyes. i feed my goldies sinking pellets, and my black moor almost always "nose" the pellets as it sinks then eats it. and also my moor is almost always the first to forage the gravel after feeding. my guess with ur moor is that it already distracted with the flakes on the surface, it didn't see the sinking flakes and thus ignored them. i've always drop the food as near as possible to my moor, ensuring it gets enuff food. maybe u can vary the diet (and it's better to give diff types of food to ur fish) and only feed sinking-type stuff, so it'll only notice the sinking stuff instead the ones on the top. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Happy Oranda Posted August 28, 2005 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 28, 2005 Thanks for your advice. I will try some sinking pellets and give it some time to learn. I hope it will learn quickly as my other fish are always starving and eat up everything they can find, even a snail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kissy Posted August 28, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted August 28, 2005 You can also try hand-feeding. Fish stores usually feed their fish floating foods, so he just isn't used to it yet. The one thing that is the same, is that they usually know that food comes from fingers. Try holding a pellet above water and dab you fingers in the water like Daryl does to get his attention. Then stick you finger in the water. If he doesn't come over investigate, just drop the pellet while his attention is on your hand. He'll eventually learn where the food is so no worries He probably does find extra food at the bottom when your not looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Happy Oranda Posted August 29, 2005 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 29, 2005 He did pick up food from my fingers as I tried before, he even sucks my finger without any food in. And today I did see it searching in the bottom after 10 mins I feed, but at that time no food left at all. Fish sometimes is like kids, it takes months to help them get a good habit, but would take a couple of days to destroy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Happy Oranda Posted August 29, 2005 Author Regular Member Share Posted August 29, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member tinker Posted August 29, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted August 29, 2005 I've switched to feeding my moor live brine shrimp, which just by virtue of swimming around, he seems to be able to eat better and more. Plus they REALLY like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member mookie Posted August 29, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted August 29, 2005 B) Just use sinking pellets and stay the course!! He/She will come around when they figure out that their dinner is right underneath them. Plus try to put the pellets in when the fish is under your hand, this way the pellets will hit him/her in the noggin. That will get their attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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