# Red Tailed Shark Not Eating?



## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

I never see my red tail shark eat...liveaquaria says they're are not particular finicky eaters and will readily eat flake food although when I feed my fish, I'll usually get all the danios/barbs eating all the food, and him never seeming to come to the surface to eat. I hate to have food go to the bottom, but is that what I should do?

Thanks.


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

Have you tried bloodworms or shrimp? I thaw these out in a little tank water. I use an eye dropper to feed the less aggressive eater. They learn very quickly that there is food inside. How is your water quality now? Still zerro ammonia and nitrites? Red tailed sharks are not great cycle fish, so if you have water quality issues that may be why he is not eating.


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

Twistersmom said:


> Have you tried bloodworms or shrimp? I thaw these out in a little tank water. I use an eye dropper to feed the less aggressive eater. They learn very quickly that there is food inside. How is your water quality now? Still zerro ammonia and nitrites? Red tailed sharks are not great cycle fish, so if you have water quality issues that may be why he is not eating.


I have not tried bloodworms although I know they're easy to find at pet stores. I will definitely buy some. Yah  it's been 3 weeks and No ammonia, no nitrite, no nitrate readings...I'm quite suspicious, but I won't lie...I was too impatient seeing no progress, I went out and bought me a red tail  but api test kit says the water is perfectly fine.

Wait! it seems to me I have 5.0 nitrate! I will do another test soon


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## Burninator (Dec 3, 2008)

lol, thats a little high.


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

Burninator said:


> lol, thats a little high.


you do a water change at 40...?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Nitrates at 5 is not high.


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

Lupin said:


> Nitrates at 5 is not high.


Thank You


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

I just tried bloodworms but they are floating and the barbs/danios still eat them...It's been a week and a half so I'm assuming he's eaten something...recommendations?


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
how about a couple of catfish pellets,if you are worried about the others getting them,
feed them the flakes at one end,then drop the pellets in for the shark.


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

willow said:


> hi
> how about a couple of catfish pellets,if you are worried about the others getting them,
> feed them the flakes at one end,then drop the pellets in for the shark.


I will try that  do they sink? because if they don't...the danios are pretty quick to sniff out food and get to it, but they rarely feed off the bottom.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Yes, catfish pellets sink. The also make sinking wafers & sinking carnivore pellets. Something that I do is use a turkey baster to feed my pictus. He hangs in his cave and the loaches will devour every worm before they ever hit the bottom of the tank. I thaw the worms in a small pastic cup of tank water, suck some worms up into the turkey baster and then dump the cup-o-worms on the opposite end of the tank. Once everyone else is in a feeding frenzy on the opposite end of the tank I use the turkey baster to release the worms at the front entrance to his cave. He goes nuts for them! Does your shark have a particular cave or hang out spot? If so, my tedious little feeding method might get some yummy worms over to him.


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## Burninator (Dec 3, 2008)

Anyways, you have a similiar setup to me. My 9 aggressive barbs will make sure NOTHING sinks down before they consume it. That leaves the shark and 3 non agressive barbs with nothing. Ive gone with trying something different. I feed 2 times a day. once in the morning and that feeds all my barbs, then once in the afternoon with a sinking tropical pellet and shrimp pellets. 

ofcourse the barbs still get a mouthfull or 2 but not before some of the rest of the fish are able to get some as well. 

My shark wont touch bloodworms even when they are sitting at the bottom.



Lupin said:


> Nitrates at 5 is not high.


I was kidding.....


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

aunt kymmie said:


> Yes, catfish pellets sink. The also make sinking wafers & sinking carnivore pellets. Something that I do is use a turkey baster to feed my pictus. He hangs in his cave and the loaches will devour every worm before they ever hit the bottom of the tank. I thaw the worms in a small pastic cup of tank water, suck some worms up into the turkey baster and then dump the cup-o-worms on the opposite end of the tank. Once everyone else is in a feeding frenzy on the opposite end of the tank I use the turkey baster to release the worms at the front entrance to his cave. He goes nuts for them! Does your shark have a particular cave or hang out spot? If so, my tedious little feeding method might get some yummy worms over to him.


Yah, he tends to hang out in the back corner of my tank where i've placed 2-3 plants. working on getting a cave driftwood etc.


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