Striata not eating well
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:57 pm
Dear members,
I recently got into Botia Striata and I love them. I originally purchased two striata from my local dealer, one 1.5 inches one about 1.75 inches. I placed them in an established tank with a few Platties and a couple of Plecos. I fed them all the same Tetra fish flakes in a rotating selection of the different types of food twice a day. The loaches would eat the food towards the bottom and would display the proper teritorial behavior I've read about if one of the platties went down to the floor of the tank. They were quite active and they seemed normal and happy.
One week ago my local dealer got two more Striata in and I picked them up to give the loaches a more proper social grouping. The two new loaches are larger, one is about 2 inches and one is about 2.25 inches. The new loaches joined with the other two and things seemed just fine. I've noticed over the past 5 days that the new loaches haven't been feeding. When the fish are fed the original loaches (smaller pair) still get excited and come out to feed as normal. The newer loaches just hide in the rocks when it's feeding time. They might come out but thats only to chase the smaller loaches before going back. I thought I might be spooking them so I've been feeding them and then promptly leaving the room to watch from the doorway but I see no change.
I'm worried that the new loaches aren't getting enough nutrition and that there might be something wrong that hasn't reached a crisis moment yet. I was wondering if there was something I could to to entice the new loaches to eat. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
I recently got into Botia Striata and I love them. I originally purchased two striata from my local dealer, one 1.5 inches one about 1.75 inches. I placed them in an established tank with a few Platties and a couple of Plecos. I fed them all the same Tetra fish flakes in a rotating selection of the different types of food twice a day. The loaches would eat the food towards the bottom and would display the proper teritorial behavior I've read about if one of the platties went down to the floor of the tank. They were quite active and they seemed normal and happy.
One week ago my local dealer got two more Striata in and I picked them up to give the loaches a more proper social grouping. The two new loaches are larger, one is about 2 inches and one is about 2.25 inches. The new loaches joined with the other two and things seemed just fine. I've noticed over the past 5 days that the new loaches haven't been feeding. When the fish are fed the original loaches (smaller pair) still get excited and come out to feed as normal. The newer loaches just hide in the rocks when it's feeding time. They might come out but thats only to chase the smaller loaches before going back. I thought I might be spooking them so I've been feeding them and then promptly leaving the room to watch from the doorway but I see no change.
I'm worried that the new loaches aren't getting enough nutrition and that there might be something wrong that hasn't reached a crisis moment yet. I was wondering if there was something I could to to entice the new loaches to eat. Does anyone have any ideas about this?