How can I stop my fish from eating the bottom dwellers food?

[Carefree_Dude]

I'm having a small problem; I have some extremely gluttonous Cichlids that like to eat the bottom feeders' food before it hits the bottom. the only way to get enough down there is to pour in a massive amount. Is there any way to discourage the cichlids from eating all the food? right now I have resorted to shooing them away with a stick.

 

[GhostShrimpMan]

If feeding pellets or flakes crush everything into very small amounts and spread across entire length of tank.

(2K!)

 

[ecoli73]

do it after dark....pitch dark

 

[cdubel01]

video of u chasing cichlids with a stick while feeding please?

I have a very similiar problem, like was mentioned, I try to feed my bottom dwellers at night after the lights are off and shortly after I have already fed the others. I put in flakes first to keep the fatties busy then give it a sec and add the shrimp pellets or w/e in the back corner with the lights off and most of them ignore it and it actually makes it to the bottom... GL.

 

[Valous]

You could try a feeding tube. a small pvc pipe and put the sinking pellets down the tube so the get to the bottom. Its an idea i have been meaning to try for my pictus.

 

[lincolngoh]

1, make sure the chiclids are full first

2 Use a PVP pipe or net to get the food to the bottom.

 

[piggy67]

What type of food? I use a feeding rod for my bottom dwellers(talapia)..

 

[kamilusoof]

lolz
i got the same problem...
My oscars eat the food brfore it reach my rtc,
i also follow 'chasing them with a stick'.....
very effective
lolz

 

[GinBlack]

LOL chasing them with a stick! The pvc idea sounds like a good one! I have piggy cichlids and to make sure my ray gets his food I use a turkey baster! For plecos I put their food down at night.

 

[Morganj2]

All of the above are great! You could also try feeding two different spots at once, thats why I do.