Loaches Online Forum

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone has any tips on how to train loaches to hand-feed?
I've read that Clowns and Yoyos will do this, and it seems a great way to bond with my stripy friends.

So far, mine are still juveniles, I've got 5 from about 4 - 6 cms. I've had them about a month

They don't "hang out" as a group really yet, or feed from the surface. In fact, after demolishing my snail population (although not the MTSs yet) they don't seem too bothered about flakes or pellets at all. So, as they don't come to the surface for food, I'm not sure how to train them to do this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Wex

If you hold the food in your hand, the scent of the food will excite them and eventually they will overcome their fear and shyness. This may take time but eventually is worthwhile.

Thanks for the advice Doc. Any food you'd especially recommend? Something irresistible?

I did the same as Doc. I used the homemade frozen food and just held a piece between two fingers. After a while (several days) one would overcome it's fear and eat. Once one does it the others are much braver and you will soon have 20 loaches all trying to eat at once.

My clown loaches are just beginning to take food from my hand and I have had mine for 4 months!! I find bloodworm never fails, I defrost it and soak up the surplus water, then it is easy to hold in your hand. Mine also love Tetra prima/bits and Hikari algae wafers.

Val

Baby Clow Loaches are easier then grown up. to get their daily Enchitreus albidus served with a small stick but as they grow up they prefer to wait for the food in the bottom.

Many of my fish will crowd around almost any frozen food, but bloodworms are the best, and will feed from algae wafers that stick to the glass.
They also dive for food while I am gravel vacuuming.

Bloodworms.
I used to hold a frozen cube, shake it just a bit to get some ends wiggling about then hold it very still.
The youngest were always the bravest and would end up laying on my hand trying to gobble as much as they could before the bigger guys took over.

you have to hang on tight as it melts, tho. don't want anyone scarfing down a large frozen gob.

Great advice all, thanks!
Frozen Bloodworms it is then! I will visit my LFS later this week.

Wex

Mine are really good about hand feeding but now I can hardly get a finger or a hand in the tank to work without getting nibbled.

I started with frozen blood worms. After a few weeks they were eating out of my hand. I now thaw frozen foods so I dont have my hands in the tank as much. They don't even take shrimp from my hands at this point.

I just got 14 Sid's a couple of months ago and I can tell you that I have been nipped by all the different loaches I have and those little fish have a serious little nip. I have a freckle/mole on my arm and they never miss a chance to bite at it when I am cleaning or rearranging.

I remember having a few sid in a mixed Botia tank and the sids never got molested despite their diminutive size

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

I bought some frozen bloodworm today. The guy in my LFS advised that I defrost and wash it first, as the water it's frozen in is nasty. So, don't know others experiences are there, but it seems sound advice?

I'll post any new fish nipping experiences!

Spot on folks, it took 2 attempts to get the small ones feeding first and now they're all over me like a rash as soon as I put my hand in the tank with a block of bloodworm!

Great experience, I love how silky soft they feel wriggling in your hand

The biggest one still doesn't like to go for it though, just had a couple of nips of him, otherwise he hangs out and waits for the bits that escape the gang.