Five star general (Hemichromis elongatus) and pellets..

[CombatWombat]

I have an established 110 G tank with an oscar, a jack dempsey, a mayan, and a green terror in it. Recently, about a month and some change ago, I added a five star general. And for the life of me, I cannot get this fish to eat Hikari pellets that the rest of the fish are eating. I feed large floating pellets. The general doesn't typically come up to the surface like the rest of the fish, though I don't think that's the problem. He did try to take small pieces of pellets that got through the larger fish's gills, but he just spat them out immediately each time. I know this is a healthy, hungry fish. The colors look good, he's active, and on one occasion when I gave the rest of the fish mealworms, he ate a little piece of a worm that came out through their gills.

I really don't want to starve this fish to death.. But I also don't want to keep spending money on live foods. I want him to eat pellets like the rest of them. Is that even possible with this fish? Any advice?

 

[tlindsey]

I have an established 110 G tank with an oscar, a jack dempsey, a mayan, and a green terror in it. Recently, about a month and some change ago, I added a five star general. And for the life of me, I cannot get this fish to eat Hikari pellets that the rest of the fish are eating. I feed large floating pellets. The general doesn't typically come up to the surface like the rest of the fish, though I don't think that's the problem. He did try to take small pieces of pellets that got through the larger fish's gills, but he just spat them out immediately each time. I know this is a healthy, hungry fish. The colors look good, he's active, and on one occasion when I gave the rest of the fish mealworms, he ate a little piece of a worm that came out through their gills.

I really don't want to starve this fish to death.. But I also don't want to keep spending money on live foods. I want him to eat pellets like the rest of them. Is that even possible with this fish? Any advice?

How long in days have you had the 5 Star General? Also stop feeding live for awhile.

 

[CombatWombat]

So I looked through my credit card statements, and it looks like it has been almost exactly 3 months! ? In that time the tank only got live food like twice, and the general didn't get any of the full worms, he only got a tiny piece or two that came out of other fish's gills.

 

[lunsforj]

Try hikari sinking pellets. Fish don't really like feeding on the surface as they are exposed to overhead predation in the wild. There are a plethora of birds that prey on these guys in their natural habitat, so getting the food down in front of them away from the surface helps to transition them a little faster. Ive had the same issue with H. fasciatus and frempongi. Also something like frozen blood worms might be a good transitional food that is a little easier to feed than live.

 

[CombatWombat]

Try hikari sinking pellets. Fish don't really like feeding on the surface as they are exposed to overhead predation in the wild. There are a plethora of birds that prey on these guys in their natural habitat, so getting the food down in front of them away from the surface helps to transition them a little faster. Ive had the same issue with H. fasciatus and frempongi. Also something like frozen blood worms might be a good transitional food that is a little easier to feed than live.

Yeah, he eats frozen bloodworms, frozen beef heart, and dried shrimp. It's just the pellets I can't get him to eat. I have some sinking ones, he didn't like them either. He takes them, but spits them out a few seconds later. Should I try GarlickGuard or something?

 

[duanes]

In nature they feed on small fish and invertebrates, it may be pellets are too dry, crunchy, and large.
And I agree coming to the surface may be instinctually a bad place to go, being the perfect size prey for just about any fish eating bird..
Soaking the halved or quartered pellets in garlic of "fish juice" to soften them up might be the ticket.
I had a wild caught goby that was the same way, it would rather starve for month than eat a pellets always spit them out,...... it would however eat chunks of fish, the shrimp meat, I believe the consistency and dryness were turn offs..

 

[CombatWombat]

I believe the consistency and dryness were turn offs..

The discouraging part is, he also spits out the chunks that the other fish have pushed out through their gills. You'd think those pieces are already nice and mushy..