Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: Helen on December 03, 2013, 09:03:28 AM
-
Are cardinal tetras surface feeders? I've noticed that mine seem to prefer the sinking wafers to flake. Was wondering if another type of food might be better for them. They seem to be doing remarkabley well considering the care they get at the moment.
-
I can't give you specific information about cardinals but...
Generally you can tell if a fish has a specific preference by the shape of it's body and mouth. A surface feeding fish will have an upturned mouth and the upper side of it's body is likely to be flat. The Arowana is a typical shape for a surface feeder. Conversely, a bottom feeder is likely to have a down-turned mouth and a flat underside; Cories are a good example. A fish that has a more central mouth and curved top and bottom sides will feed in all areas.
Needless to say, there are complications, but it is a good general rule if you are in doubt.
Going by the pictures of the cardinals, I would say it is a general feeder.
-
Cardinal tetras have terminal mouths. Terminal mouths are typical of midwater fish and allow the fish to approach their food head-on. They will feed from the surface but they are mainly mid to low feeders. I'd try very small pellets that sink, big enough so they have no problems eating it. Make sure you soak them in a cup of tank water for a few minutes so they're nice and soft and should sink once you pour them in, plus they'll be easier to digest.
If they're not going for the flakes, try breaking them up into smaller pieces for the fish. I do this for my white clouds and black phantoms who prefer them that way rather than nibbling at big flakes.
-
They seem to be doing remarkabley well considering the care they get at the moment.
I've just remembered the reason we haven't seen much of you recently - she's almost 10 months old now isn't she? How is she doing?
-
Baby is doing very well, thank you and yes she's nearly 10 months. She's very active. But the fish are actually a help as she'll stay in one place for at least 5 minutes watching them, so they now get fed most mornings! And it prompts me to clean the tank so she can see the fish more clearly - though I have to do that when she's asleep or daddy is entertaining, so doesn't happen so often.
I think I've only lost cories, and I think they starved, as they didn't get fed for many weeks. :( Cured my snail problem though.
-
Just an idea for you Helen. With you being busy with your toddler, try small water changes every week (20-25%) as well as cleaning the gravel with the gravel vacuum. Takes 30 minutes at the very least for me and worked well when I was on a busy schedule. Once I got into this routine my tank looked clear clean and healthier than when I was doing maintenance every 2-4 weeks with 50% water changes which took longer to clean.
Frequent maintenance = less time and effort. Just something I've noticed. Just a thought :)
-
I don't know how big your tank is Stephan, but a 25% water change for me is about 40l. So in 10l buckets that's 4 out, 4 in. And takes a bit longer than half an hour. Problem is that I can't start it unless I know I'm going to be able to finish, as taking time to wash my hands is usually long enough for all help to break loose! Cleaning the filter is one of the more time consuming jobs. There was actually mud in there last time! :o I've stopped injecting CO2 and no longer turn on the extra led lights, so the plants don't grow so quickly any more. The down side is that I've got more of an algae issue, but it can mostly be easily removed. I have enough bottom feeders to stir up the gravel just enough that I don't seem to get a noticeable build up of milk. And the tank ispretty heavily planted - even more so as the cryptocorynes have taken over with the lack of 'gardening'! Last time I changed the light tubes, I put in one with a lot more yellow / green in the spectrum. I will be using those for both tubes going forward as the extra light means that my limnophilia has gone beautifully bushy, and stopped getting leggy so quickly. :) I also don't feed the fish as much as I used to. Before they got 2 meals a day. Now they get one meal most (but not every) days. I will get to a point where I find the ideal routine, but I'm not there yet as it's difficult to establish a routine that specific with my little monster. Other reason for not doing anything fish related is that monster is just started to learn how to open cupboards and I don't want her to realise that there are cupboards under the fish tank. I know it won't work forever, but I want to put off having to child proof the fish tank as long as possible. Not sure how to do that with push catches.
-
Back in the 1980s I used these (http://www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Drawer-and-Cupboard-Catches--6-Pack/575090,default,pd.html) on all my kitchen cupboards, they kept my two out! If they ever come back in stock.......
-
Hi Sue. We've got some of those, but not got around to fitting them yet. What I'm not sure about is whether they would work with the type of catch that doesn't have a handle. In that you push it to make it pop open then push it again to close it.
-
I used them on kitchen units that just pulled to open. They should also work on the kind you push to open. The long hook goes on the door, the very short hook on the cupboard frame. When the door is pulled open, the two hook together. You then push the door in slightly, press the long hook away from the short hook and open the door properly. Small hands can't manage to do this, or at least mine didn't; even the one who worked out how to unclip his pushchair safetly belt clasp and how to remove the safety gate (the kind you fixed by tightening two rubber screw fixers against the wall).