Flowerhorn not eating pellets

Gonzomagic

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 21, 2017
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Hi all. So a week who i bought a flowerhorn. It is currently in a Quarantined/temp tank. My larger tank is being readied as am in the process of resealing.

Anyhow. My flowerhorn intially wasnt eating. Assumed and read that moves and new environment can stress them. So put it down to that. I had bloodworm pellets which it ignores. And floating cichlid pellets which were also ignored. So went out and got some Hikari Cichlid Gold. Thinking its the best. Yet this was also ignored. I had some frozen whiteworm from before. Been in freezer some time. Tried this and seemed he would eat and spit out. Not sure if some was retained. And some spat out.

Spoke to person i bought from (local breeder and keeper who was getting rid) and he said it did take pellets. And might be down to stress. Suggested soaking pellets in garlic sauce and it acts as a draw to the fish as well as having anti parasitic properties. So did that and still ignored.

Ordered some freeze dried river shrimp and also ignored. Tried soaking in garlic no joy either.

Today i went got some live bloodworm and boom. Ate like a champ. Looked to have a bit of a belly too. Happy.

Question now is how do i get this chap on to pellets. I have some freeze dried bloodworm coming. And frozen mosquito larvae still to try.

Tank is currently with lights out as bulb is dead and have one on order. But was told to keep lights out for a while to help with stress.

Ammonia is 0. Water parameters are good it seems.

Temp is 27. Was told to increase to 30. Seems heater on max already but reaches 27'c.

I heard these fish pig out when it comes to food.

Any advice or suggestions welcome.
 

Gonzomagic

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 21, 2017
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6
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Just to add i think he ate all my snails. Had some red ramshorns on some caves from another tank. All were broken shells after a few days. Maybe filled his belly on the snails maybe. Was only about 6 snails though. Kinda adult size snails.

P.s he is young. My flowerhorn. Maybe 3-4 inches now.
 

Galantspeedz

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Feb 28, 2017
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My experience is they will eat anything

I feed all types of pellets, frozen bloodworms, live baby frogs....
 

Gonzomagic

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 21, 2017
20
6
8
44
For some reason he is ignoring pellets altogether. Think that is important to have the pellets as a staple. Guess now have a task of how to get him to eat pellets?
 

Galantspeedz

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Feb 28, 2017
2,037
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maybe pellets too big or too hard? try soak it in tank water for a while or break it up?
 

Gonzomagic

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 21, 2017
20
6
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Did soak in garlic sauce. No joy there. Normally pellets float. Eventually sink which i assume by that point saturated with water. Still ignored. Intially scouped out food. Now try 2 or 3 pellets and leave in. See if he comes round to it. Doesn't seem so
 

Galantspeedz

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Feb 28, 2017
2,037
1,445
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try frozen bloodworms then... i fed some frozen bloodworms till about 4 inches before i start feeding him a variety...
 

Gonzomagic

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 21, 2017
20
6
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44
try frozen bloodworms then... i fed some frozen bloodworms till about 4 inches before i start feeding him a variety...
Thanks man, will order some frozen bloodworms. Any joy with the freeze dried Blood worms at all? As hoping he prefers these also, easier to carry/Store, etc
 

Galantspeedz

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Feb 28, 2017
2,037
1,445
164
Thanks man, will order some frozen bloodworms. Any joy with the freeze dried Blood worms at all? As hoping he prefers these also, easier to carry/Store, etc
so far i started with fbw and because there is no issue i did not try others... after it grew about 4 inches... i started pellets and all other stuff..... so far the one he not interested in are frozen market shrimp
 
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