Newbie, help with Gastromyzon!

[buddythelion]

Hi, I'm new to the loach keeping hobby and was immidiately hooked when first saw a tank full of Gastromyzon. I have two in a 20 gallon and they are doing fine for now but they have no interest in the spirulina discs, all they eat is the algae on the glass and fake plants. What should I do because they have almost eaten all of the algae.

[Graeme Robson]

Hi. Welcome to Loaches Online.

I suggest you read this >> http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstr ... -fast-lane

[buddythelion]

Thank You, I will try the brine shrimp right now.

[Jim Powers]

I suspect your gastromyzons will begin eating the algae wafers as well as other foods in time. Its typical of hillstream loaches to take a few weeks or sometimes months, to start eating food other than tank algae.

[buddythelion]

Well, I tried the brine shrimp and they have no interest in it at all. I'm willing to try growing algae on roacks by putting them (rocks) outside but seeing how fast they eat I think it'll be more like a treat then a permanent food supply. I sure hope they take algae wafers soon, I really don't want them to starve.

[brett_fishman]

if they run out of algae, they will get hungry, and they will eat prepared foods..

you should ask the store (or whoever you bought them from) what they feed, then try that..this is a sure-fire way of getting your new fish to eat.

-brett.

[Jim Powers]

Unfortunately, many fish stores will just throw food in the tank and not really know whether the fish are eating or not. That seems to be especially true of hillstreams.
Too bad more stores aren't run by people like Emma.

[brett_fishman]

ok jim..

one bad thing is that many fish will prefer only one brand of one type of food (eg. hikari algae wafers) but dont like another (eg. hagen algae tablets)

-brett.

[buddythelion]

When I bought the Gastromyzons, I was told they were scavengers and would just eat anything I gave them, like plecos (they were labeled Hong Kong Butterfly Plecos). So does this mean that I should try different foods for them? I have frozen mysis shrimp, brine, freeze dried cyclopese, grinded flake, flake, hikari algae wafers, and wardley shrimp pellets. They won't take any of them!

[brett_fishman]

i have a feeling that they are perfectly happy as-is, feeding off the algae, when they run out, they will most likely accept algae wafers or shrimp pellets

-brett.

[buddythelion]

Thanks for the replies. I sure hope they will eat the algae wafers later on.

[Jim Powers]

I agree with brett, I think they will eventually eat the pellets. Just be patient. I know that can be difficult, I usually feel the same way when I buy new hillstreams. The fact that they are grazing on algae is a good sign. That means they have an appetite and want to feed. It would be something to worry about if they weren't grazing at all.

[brett_fishman]

most algae-eating fish would probably prefer to feast on real algae than a wafer anyday..as long as its the 'right kind' of algae...

-brett.

[Emma Turner]

A lot of these type of fish graze on the algae for the micro-organisms (Aufwuchs) it contains, rather than the algae itself, which is why it's important that they are added to mature tanks.

buddythelion, sorry to hear that the store gave you poor advice. These fish are not plecos, but Balitorids, a type of hillstream loach which need a specialist set of conditions to thrive. Have a good read of Martin's article (that Graeme provided a link to) so that you can be sure you're meeting all their needs. If you purchased (and quarantined) good healthy fish and are keeping them in the conditions outlined in the article, they will soon adapt and start to take prepared foods as well as the stuff in the algae.

Good luck,

Emma

[Martin Thoene]

If they are lively and actively seeking food at present that's a good sign. They will settle in and eventually work out all this strange stuff is food. My hillstreams eat just about anything I provide.

Martin.