JRoss Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 I'm interested to know what you all feed your bottom dwelling less active fish? I've got 4 Borneo Suckers which are brilliant at hiding, but I never seem to be able to catch them feeding. I'm guessing they get everything they need from the sides of the tank, although my tank is fairly new and so there can't be a whole lot there to feed on yet. I have tried putting in algae wafers a few times, but the other fish notice it before the Borneo Suckers do, and they hover around it for hours, presumably scaring the suckers away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsarmina Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 just a tip, don't feed them till about 1/2 - 1 hour after lights out. do it quietly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 I tried algae wafers for my borneo suckers also, and even though the other fish take no notice, neither do my borneo suckers. I had two for over four months who kept my tank glass and filter sparkling clean. When they died (from cold weather, not starvation) I had an algae explosion. I now have two new ones and I'm curious if the algae will disappear again without me having to do anything about it. I've given up trying to feed them as my old ones (who were not so shy and would graze algae while I watched) used to have eyes that would follow other food as it went past them but they would just ignore it - that included flakes, bloodworms, daphnia, etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 If they look and act healthy, I wouldn't worry too much. they might eventually try it and learn it's food, so next time you feed they'll go for it. it was like this with my bristlenose catfish, at first they didn't really pay attention to the algae tablets I dropped in, even now they'll nibble at it for just a bit before going somewhere else to find some algae to graze on. But they do pay attention to courgettes I drop in real quick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 I now have two new ones and I'm curious if the algae will disappear again without me having to do anything about it. Might take the new ones a few weeks to catch up, but they will eventually clean up that new algae. I have found that that a SMALL pleco (and I assume borneo suckers) will live quite happily on the algae and food scraps in a community tank. I had a 3ft tank under a window sill and it got REALLY green, took a little goldspot pleco about 2 months to get it clean, but it grew an inch doing it :lol: But as they get bigger or you get more there just isn't enough food to keep them going and you need to start supplementing their diet with wafers and veges. My big goldspot will hoover his 4 ft tank clean and still be looking for some discs or a slice of mushroom, usually both :lol: Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRoss Posted July 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Thanks for your advice. Janelle, mine seem to be in love with the filter too. I guess it must be the vibrations. I'll keep putting the algae wafers in every now and then, and just clean them up in the morning if they're still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 They probably hang around the filter because it produces the current they perfer. In their natural river environment there's a lot of strong currents, so they perfer tanks with fairly strong current, that's why they hang around your filter to be in the current. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 One of the misconceptions about borneo suckers and other hillstream loaches is that they are algae eaters. From what I've read and observed with mine is that their main diet is the microscopic organisms that live in the algae. As a result of their feeding they do keep the algae down but they won't feed on specialised algae based foods. Mine will eat JBL flake if it's crushed into smaller fragments and they will also eat shrimp pellets once they've disintegrated. They'll also nibble on bloodworms and mysis shrimps. Their love of sitting in a current is from their need for highly oxygenated water and their type of hemaglobin. Check out the links at Loaches On Line http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream-loaches-the-specialists-at-life-in-the-fast-lane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolette Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 cool, so now I know why my new catfish adores the filter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRoss Posted July 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 But if it is the current they like... why do they sit on top of the filter where there is little flow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoshark Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 Little flow, high current. Try putting a leaf or something there, see how long it lasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 I used to suspect they actually swept the algae off the glass by walking over it all the time as well as sucking on it since I would see little circular footprints in the green stuff. I figure though, as long as the algae is there the micro-organisms will be there, just like infusoria or bacteria will show up under the right conditions. Just as a side-night, my borneo suckers will forgo the filter to make their home on the large rocks I have on the other side of the tank. I think they like my filter because it is smooth and has algae on it as well as the fact there is good current there, and they can hide behind it. They seem just as happy to hang out on the rocks instead though, although they're usually hiding around the back where I can't see them. I find them pretty fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coelacanth Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 One of the misconceptions about borneo suckers and other hillstream loaches is that they are algae eaters. From what I've read and observed with mine is that their main diet is the microscopic organisms that live in the algae. As a result of their feeding they do keep the algae down but they won't feed on specialised algae based foods. I think you're wasting you time purple, I've tried telling users on here the same thing. Nobody pays any attention. Once people have an idea in their heads they stick with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 Yeah, I always read that borneo suckers weren't algae eaters, but people here keep insisting they are. Confusing... I guess it's like people claiming their goldfish are pregnant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 Thanks for that link Purple.. very interesting I've seen the hillstream loaches and was quite intruiged by them, but haven't got any yet. Obviously they are a bit different to the common fish, and it seems best to adjust their tank for cooler water, high flow and actually encouraging algae. I guess that people are confusing them with Plecos which are more adaptable (and usually love algae wafers) Dont let our lack of knowledge stop you posting good info Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 When we kept hillstream loaches, they noshed down on flake, blood worm, any treats fed out... the only thing they had to do with algae really was leave their marks in it as they slid over the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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