How to Switch to Pellets

[Signature Farms]

One of my imports refuses to eat pellets. This is the only fish I've ever had this problem with. I've tried different brands like Omega and Hikari; he refuses to eat them. I've tried different sizes as well and he won't even put any in his mouth. He's been like this since I got him two weeks ago.

The only thing he'll eat are blood worms, and I know that's not a proper diet. I use frozen. I tried not feeding him the worms and only giving him pellets, but I was afraid he was going to starve to death because he refused to touch any of them so I went back to the frozen worms.

Could it be because his breeder didn't use pellets so he's unsure what they are?

What are some ways I can train him to accept pellets as food? He swims up to them, then turns away. He doesn't even mouth them at all. Yet attacks the blood worms like he's a tiger.

[shellieca]

LOL. Oh such a common problem. Try a quality flake. I have a male that can't eat pellets, he used to but for some reason he can't snag them anymore so I switched to the Omega One flakes & he attacks them like nobody's business. The others eat New life spectrum pellets. Remember they can go days without eating even weeks so don't feed him for 3-4 days & then offer him 1 pellet & only 1. Hopefully he eats it, if he does great but don't give him any more, make him want it. Remember their tummies are about the size of their eye so they don't require a lot of food. Give him just one for a few days if he continues eating the one increase to 2. It hard to not feed them but unless he goes weeks without eating he'll be fine.

[Myates]

It will take a few weeks before he starves.. it can take days before they will eat pellets. I'd continue only offering pellets for a week or so and see how he does then.

[Option]

I'm in the same boat as you. I have one female in my sorority that refuses to touch (like yours, she won't even mouth it at all) anything except bloodworms. I have managed to get the other females to eat flakes, but just this one female that refuses to touch anything except the bloodworms.

I'm going to starve this girl until she eats the gravel!!!

[AyalaCookiejar]

Have you tried New Life Spectrum or soaking the pellets in garlic juice? It can make them more appealing and NLS already has garlic in it.

[Option]

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

Have you tried New Life Spectrum or soaking the pellets in garlic juice? It can make them more appealing and NLS already has garlic in it.

I've never even seen this NLS brand anywhere. As for soaking in garlic juice:

1. Where do you buy the garlic juice from? (petstore? grocery store??)
2. Does the garlic juice pollute or contaminate the tank water?

[Signature Farms]

I haven't tried New Life Spectrum yet, I don't think I've seen it in the stores. I'll have to check online for it!

I was worried about him starving, I didn't realize they could go that long without food. I had him with pellets only for about five or six days before I gave up and went back to frozen. So I should keep trying pellets for longer than five days now while waiting to order/receive the NLS.. He's a very stubborn guy. The only other problem eater I had was my copper red HMDT. He finally chose the Hikari as ones he likes so that's what he gets. My others eat any pellet. My King will eat anything and everything. He even gets shrimp and krill treats the others won't touch.

Thanks for the advice!

[AyalaCookiejar]

I've never personally done it because switching pellets worked for me, but as long as its just garlic juice it won't hurt them. I'd assume that it's available in grocery stores. The pellets should absorb it. I have heard that NLS is only available at Petco and possibly some specialty fish stores.
I believe that NLF is a bit more expensive than any others. My brother saw it at Petco and he said it was like $7.

[Signature Farms]

$7 is not that bad considering how much we pay for our imported fish and shipping. I'll stop by Petco after work today (I'm at work now). I'd rather buy the food first since I don't use garlic that often. Good thing I have a few more fish coming... I have a LOT of food here now!

[AyalaCookiejar]

Haha, I have pretty much every product you can think of just in case I happen to get a sick fish or a picky one, and I only have two. Hopefully I'll be ordering 6 or 7 more by next month. :)