I think this is true about feeding Firemouths

[Lady Hobbs]

I was reading an article the other day that stated:

firemouths should be feed from the surface from an early age. Feeding them sinking pellets until they are adults causes them to never feed again from the surface.

I believe this! My adult always was given sinking pellets and she will not eat at the surface ever. Even when I turn the lights off. She will not come to the top for blood worms, shrimp, nothing. My 3 juvies, however, who have always been given floating pellets dash right to the top of the tank at feeding time. This article hit it right on the head for me.

Today I have NLS coming and will try her with that but I also know this will cause more forging around in the plants and probably tearing things up a bit. I would LIKE to keep them out of the plants but this fish is not eating as she should so will give it a go.

She's great, of course, with flakes because they sink but I want her on something better.

[Fishguy2727]

You can put the sinking pellets in a bowl. I used a heavy reptile bowl (natural-ish looking, not a bright white glass bowl for us at least). Then I used an UGF riser tube with a funnel from Wal-Mart taped to the top so I could put the food right in the bowl. It keeps the food in one spot so they know where to find it without it getting trapped in every crevice in the tank. It also lets you monitor if you are feeding too much or too little.

[tropfish]

That's so true! I feed my fish mainly sinking pellets (mostly for the bp's since thye have trouble getting food from the surface) and if i feed flakes or bloodworms as a treat all the other fish go crazy but my firemouth waits until something hits the filter flow and goes below the surface, then he'll eat it.

[nanaglen2001]

Meekis are bottom feeders, they sift thru the sand to find hidden insects and stuff like this. Thats their nature.

If you ever watched a Meeki trying to feed from the surface, you see that their complete body isnt build to be a surface feeder. My Meekis feed from above, but only if they are forced to. And you really can see that it really isnt their thing. They really have to labour to get the flakes. They use up more calories to fetch a flake than the flake offers.

So why the hussle to "train" them.

There is much slow sinking food on the market, so why bother. I feed mine with granulets, frozen food and live food. When the stuff has about half way sunken to the bottom, you should see my Meekis go into actionthumbs2: , water is boiling then:ezpi_wink1:

[Lady Hobbs]

Oh, I'm not trying to train them. I just find it weird that all will eat from the surface but one so that article struck a cord for me.

New food didn't come today so they will have to wait to start on it Monday.

[Lady Hobbs]

That's so true! I feed my fish mainly sinking pellets (mostly for the bp's since thye have trouble getting food from the surface) and if i feed flakes or bloodworms as a treat all the other fish go crazy but my firemouth waits until something hits the filter flow and goes below the surface, then he'll eat it.

Now isn't that weird? I feed my bp from the surface. They come up under the food and suck it in with no problems. But they will be switching food this week, too, and also getting theres from the bottom. Those, at least, are not fussy where their food is at as long as it's in their mouth. LOL

[tropfish]

nope, my bps can suck it off the sand, but they try to dart at the food at the surface. You can hear thme making sucking noises when thye clear the water lol, like little toung clicks. It's much easier for them to just grab it from the surface.