Been taking out the same rock and slathering it with thawed frozen bloodworm. This is the 5th day. When I put my hand in the tank and lifted out the rock, 4 hillstreams materialized from wherever they'd been hiding, from all different directions. There they were, little faces raised up, watching the rock leave the tank. Before it had stopped dripping they'd taken their chosen waiting posts.
After patting the rock dry, and smearing on the brine shrimp, I lowered it back into its place. For each of them it was a short hop to the rock, or a flutter down to the sand to catch the pieces that get pushed off by the feasting. Before the food was gone, there were 6 hillies all on the same rock! Shoulda had the camera...but the battery was dead. One of the 6 doesn't get much because he's either to shy or too scared to join the fray. He's smaller and very dark colored.
Since I've started feeding this way, I swear I've seen noticeable growth in the ones who get the most food! It is remarkable how quickly they figured out what was happening--all of them. The largest of the group was not the first to find it. It was the stellatus that was first the brave one. Then the larger cteno (who is a browney/red with chocolate fin edges) moved in and everyone else followed in short order. Very cool to watch.
