Pearl Gouramis

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Hi, I have 2 pearl Gouramis along with

2 x Platys

6 x Neon Tetras

4 x Shadow Tetras

4 x Black Widows

1 x Plecostomus Bristlenose

In a 85L tank

My problem is Feeding, I feed all the fishes with flakes and little seedlike food and tablet for the catfish

My pearls get to the food but find it very difficult to put it in their mouth

They put their mouth up just above the waterlevel to get the food and start going gulp gulp but the nearly always cant find the food, always around it, by this time all the other fish have eaten the food.

so i put in some seed sized food which sink and they (hardly) eat those, are there some specially made food for them because i think are starving as they go to the gravel always pecking at it hoping to find some food, whats the best method to feed them?

They also go and bother my catfish while its eating trying to get the tablet, but the cat then starts to suck (attack) on the gourami and it goes away and comes back lol

I also saw the 2 gouramis kissing O_O?

anyhelp wuld b cool !

[Cath]

You could try some frozen bloodworms and also if you can get it live daphnia. I get mine from the horse trough and strain it through a sieve and wash it. All the fish love them.

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where would i be able to get some diapnia(auckland), will the pearls go hard and eat them? or do the same like other foods? can i grow these some how? I saw a friend (long time ago) he had a pool (plastic) with water and banana peels in them, he said he feeds the bug like thing swimming around in the pool to the fish ! is that this bug you speak of?

also what is the ph in remuera, auckland? if anyone knows :>

[Lucid]

you should be able to source some daphnia from a member on the forums here or alteratively you can get them from most stock troughs.

The bugs you saw, could quite possibly be dapnia, most people feed them lettuce leaves and a few feed banana skins, although most find they foul the water to quickly.

they can be kept in plastic barrels, but make sure they don't get too warm or they will all die off on you.

I find that all fish like them, and enjoy chasing the live food, they are a low source of vitamins and proteins although make a great alternative source of food to flakes and pellets, also you could try and get hold of some white worms, which the fish also love and are easy to culture.

B

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can i also feed them earthworms? like it says in this article

http://freshaquarium.about.com/gi/dynam ... thworm.htm

Article doesnt say where i should get the earthworms from, should the ones just in my yard be ok? or do i have to culture them myself and feed thoses ones ?

[Alan]

Those Worm Shredders that are mentioned in the above URL are obtainable from EJ.

I am fortunate to have had a set made for me from my design which is the same as the pic.

Excellent tool, can be used with peas too.

Alan 104

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so do i use earthworm from the yard or have to cuture them with certain foods 1st?

[Alan]

If you have the normal Kiwi backyard, with no chemical pollution, use the worms from home.

I find the best way is to collect them in the evening just after a shower, or in a shower.

Gently pull them and they will release their grip to their home.

The neighbors will think ya nuts, especially when the see you loading up yur icecream container,

then calling out to the Missus, "How much do you need for tea Darling??"

I do the same with snails, or is that escargoes??

Alan 104

[Caper]

just after a shower, or in a shower

Alan...you get worms when you get a shower ....oh, oh, you mean outside...sorry, don't be mad ...just kidding :lol:

Are daphnia worms?

[HummingBird]

Daphnia are tiny crustaceans that live in water

[Cath]

he he, I gather Alan means you can gather earth worms just after you've had a shower - it's to do with not offending their sense of smell.