Is there a way to get scarlet badis to eat manufactured food?

Danielle · 05-05-2009, 01:10 AM

flakes, pellets?

freeze dried foods?

frozen?

or will they only eat live stuff?

I've got a pair in a QT tank and they are actively hunting around.. seem to ignore the micro pellets I put in though. I have some freeze dried stuff and might have some frozen things left.

wondabread · 05-05-2009, 01:17 AM

What I've done is at the same time of feeding live foods, also feed freeze dried or frozen food. I have never tried to convert my fish to flake (the ones that only eat live), even though that would be awesome.

If you are having trouble getting them to eat frozen/freeze dried food, try adding some garlic additive(buy it at a good pet store)- it's supposed to enhance appetite.

wakesk8r · 05-05-2009, 01:06 PM

I feed mine frozen blood worms. I have a little cone thing that suction cups to the side of the tank so they dont go everywhere. It took a couple days but they figured it out

Danielle · 05-05-2009, 05:15 PM

Thanks guys.

I'm going to be out by one of the better LFS (not petco or petsmart.. and actual tropical fish store!) so I'll pick up some live food for them to start as they are kind of thin, along with some frozen stuff and some garlic and supplements. I need more meds for dosing the QT tank anyways.

hmmm... maybe I'll get some more cherry shrimps.... I'm down to three and I think they are all female

keitarosan · 05-05-2009, 05:37 PM

i have 4 of these in a heavily planted tank. since i rarely see them in there, i never bother to check if they're eating. i never see them eat at all even if they're out during feeding time. all other fishes are going nuts over the food but the badis just looks at them. didn't even try to taste it but they've been in my tank for almost a year now so i guess they're eating something else that they can find in the tank.

i feed my fishes all kinds of food. flakes, live, pellets, frozen and the dry cube tubifex worms. badis ignores all of them.

Bk828 · 05-10-2009, 10:07 PM

I actually had a baby sunfish a while back who for a few months ate nothing but live/frozen bloodworms/bbs.. He would avoid the flakes until i placed him in a tank with other fish, and i guess he saw the other fish eat flakes so he started going crazy for them 2.

susankat · 05-11-2009, 01:56 AM

I keep mine in a tank with a small powerhead and they eat frozen daphena, shrimp and bloodworms. I just thaw out what I need and pour it into the tank and the water movement from the powerhead keeps the food moving and they chase after it.

05-05-2009, 01:10 AM	#1
Danielle Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: portland OR Posts: 28	Is there a way to get scarlet badis to eat manufactured food? flakes, pellets? freeze dried foods? frozen? or will they only eat live stuff? I've got a pair in a QT tank and they are actively hunting around.. seem to ignore the micro pellets I put in though. I have some freeze dried stuff and might have some frozen things left.

05-05-2009, 05:37 PM	#5
keitarosan Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 59	i have 4 of these in a heavily planted tank. since i rarely see them in there, i never bother to check if they're eating. i never see them eat at all even if they're out during feeding time. all other fishes are going nuts over the food but the badis just looks at them. didn't even try to taste it but they've been in my tank for almost a year now so i guess they're eating something else that they can find in the tank. i feed my fishes all kinds of food. flakes, live, pellets, frozen and the dry cube tubifex worms. badis ignores all of them. __________________ - Keitarosan

05-10-2009, 10:07 PM	#6
Bk828 Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (45/98%) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,151	I actually had a baby sunfish a while back who for a few months ate nothing but live/frozen bloodworms/bbs.. He would avoid the flakes until i placed him in a tank with other fish, and i guess he saw the other fish eat flakes so he started going crazy for them 2. __________________

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05-05-2009, 01:17 AM	#2
wondabread Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 160	What I've done is at the same time of feeding live foods, also feed freeze dried or frozen food. I have never tried to convert my fish to flake (the ones that only eat live), even though that would be awesome. If you are having trouble getting them to eat frozen/freeze dried food, try adding some garlic additive(buy it at a good pet store)- it's supposed to enhance appetite.

05-05-2009, 01:06 PM	#3
wakesk8r Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24/100%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lake Travis Texas Posts: 416	I feed mine frozen blood worms. I have a little cone thing that suction cups to the side of the tank so they dont go everywhere. It took a couple days but they figured it out

05-05-2009, 05:15 PM	#4
Danielle Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: portland OR Posts: 28	Thanks guys. I'm going to be out by one of the better LFS (not petco or petsmart.. and actual tropical fish store!) so I'll pick up some live food for them to start as they are kind of thin, along with some frozen stuff and some garlic and supplements. I need more meds for dosing the QT tank anyways. hmmm... maybe I'll get some more cherry shrimps.... I'm down to three and I think they are all female

05-11-2009, 01:56 AM	#7
susankat Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tulsa, Ok Posts: 718	I keep mine in a tank with a small powerhead and they eat frozen daphena, shrimp and bloodworms. I just thaw out what I need and pour it into the tank and the water movement from the powerhead keeps the food moving and they chase after it.