Help! Clown Loaches not eating

[lazyturbo]

I bought a few clown loaches two days ago. Since that time, I don't think they've eaten anything.

I've tried flakes, pellets and cucumbers. But none seem to interest them in feeding? What else should I try?

 

[Lotus]

Bloodworms are their favorite food, and frozen is the best. You can also try shrimp pellets. They won't usually eat cucumbers.

 

[lazyturbo]

Thanks. I will try the bloodworms.

 

[unwritten law]

try snails?

 

[jo3olous]

what else is in your tank with them? Are they scared to come out of hiding? do they have enough places to hide?

If they're not eating, they could be stressed, I would check your water peram.
You can also try putting the food in front of their mouths with tweasers. I would definitely think they are stressed though if they refuse to eat. Beware of skinny disease, they often lose color and their stomachs look inverted

 

[Joeyb1731]

I mix blood worms and brine shrimp on every 3rd day of feeding. I bought a surringe from cvs and I mix up the frozen shrimp and worms with some tank water, suck it up with the surringe, feed my guys on top, and then reach about halfway down and shoot some of the mix to my loaches, they come out of whatever hole they are in and eat it all up, when I feed them pellets, i soak the pellets in a little tank water so they sink right away, I then feed my other top to middle swimmers (so they dont steal everything), I then put the soaked pellets about 4 or 5 inches down, my loaches swim right out, take a pellet each, then go back in their hiding places with it. They will find a way to eat, even if you dont go as crazy as me, if they are not eating for sure, check your water

 

[bartnl]

ya i had the same problem the first couple days..but later on they go crazy when i put the food in

 

[lazyturbo]

Thanks guys.

The bloodworms worked, and they're eating. The only problem is that sometimes when I feed them, some of them are in hiding and don't know that there's food. How are they going to know there's food when they're hiding or sleeping?

 

[LadyLail]

If they're hungry, they will eat. Fish aren't as needy as some make them out to be IMO. Not knocking anyone's practices, but they will come out and scavenge when they get good and hungry. Ofcousre you want enough food in the tank to allow for this, but I really wouldn't worry- what happens to you when you sleep through dinner and wake up the next morning? You go to where you know food usually is and eat- same thing for the fish.