Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Food and Feeding => Topic started by: Geoffish on March 01, 2018, 02:11:03 PM

Title: Kuhli loach vs fiveband barb
Post by: Geoffish on March 01, 2018, 02:11:03 PM
Hi

I've recently added 6 kuhli loach to my tank and I'm wondering if they're getting enough food. I've got 8 fiveband barbs who seem to eat most of the the food before it sinks to the bottom. Does anyone have any tips for making sure kuhlis are getting their dinner without overfeeding the greedier fish?

I've been using flakes daily and (rehydrated) freeze dried daphnias and bloodworm periodically.

A bit more about my tank:
260 litres (exchange substrate, etc)
External filter
Aqua soil substrate
Various live plants
Pile of dragon stone and a reasonable bogwood log
8 fiveband barbs
5 cardinal tetras
3 otos
12 amano shrimp
Title: Re: Kuhli loach vs fiveband barb
Post by: Sue on March 01, 2018, 04:11:02 PM
I would use sinking pellets for the loaches, small ones since they are not the biggest of fish. Soak the pellets in some water then use a long pipette or turkey baster to squirt the pellets on the bottom of the tank near to where the loaches hang out. Distract the mid and upper feeders with their flakes!
Title: Re: Kuhli loach vs fiveband barb
Post by: Geoffish on March 01, 2018, 06:21:40 PM
Aha, cunning! I'll need to pop out and get a turkey baster tomorrow then.  :) For now I did your trick of crushing up the flakes a bit so they were more spread out (read that on another post).
Title: Re: Kuhli loach vs fiveband barb
Post by: Sue on March 01, 2018, 06:49:49 PM
I also use a small pestle and mortar to crush pellets that are too large  :) For example, the algae wafers I feed the stiphodons because if I put the whole half-wafer in the dominant male takes possession but if it is lots of little bits they can all get some. We just need to be sneaky  ;D
Title: Re: Kuhli loach vs fiveband barb
Post by: Helen on March 04, 2018, 05:12:32 PM
I also have both kuhlis and five band barbs. I have had the kuhlis for several years, but the barbs are a recent addition to my tank. I have been feeding sinking pellets to my kuhlis without grinding them. The kuhlis seem to be quite happy nibbling the edges of the sinking pellets. However, with the introduction of the barbs, I have started to grind the pellets (also at @Sue 's suggestion). I soak them in tank water for a bit and then just tip the whole lot in the tank. (I have found that the soaking makes the grains sink quicker, because I don't use a turkey baster) I also have rasboras and rainbow fish that I distract with flakes. I probably over feed my fish because plenty of grains make it to the bottom of the tank over quite a large area. But the kuhlis and barbs all seem happy picking up the grains from the substrate and foraging together.