C multibarbus ?

[rayn]

I finally have a lead on a multibarbus and have been emailing with a lfs about finding one. I sent a pic with common name and latin name both to avoid confusion on what I want. The initial response I got was that they only eat live?! I figure this is true at the beginning, but aren't they able to be weaned over to frozen?

 

[FMarini]

they only eat live in the ocean, but you can convert them, it will take time. A number of us have.
I found ghost shrimp to be excellent live food during the establishment period.

 

[rayn]

That is what I had thought, just wanted confirmation . I told them to get it if they can so we will see.

 

[namxas]

Franks has had more experience with multiple specimens, but IME, these fish do wean.

Of our two specimens, one is a solid stick-feeder, altho it likes you to "fool" it by presenting the food as if it's a shrimp on the substrate (the "stealth stick" works perfectly for that).

The other eats fine, but prefers to eat PE mysis from a pile on the substrate (not interested in the stick at ALL).

HTH

 

[rayn]

I'm really hoping they can get it. I've been looking for months now without luck. I think it has something to do with temp and where they are collected though. Glad to hear there are different possibilities as to the weaning and what they eat.

 

[namxas]

Take a look at the weaning article, and scroll down past the pix of the ghost shrimp. There's a little vid of what I mean by "presentation".

Our "stick-feeder" will take food from the stick like all the others if it's hungry enuff, but it really goes nuts if we "pretend" the food is crawling on the substrate. Maybe we can get a quick vid of it...

 

[rayn]

Gotchya. I watched it and got it. I kept waiting for a fish to pop up and take it though.

 

[namxas]

Gotchya. I watched it and got it. I kept waiting for a fish to pop up and take it though.

LOL...that's just a "try it like this' vid.

What I'd LIKE to do is show the difference in the fish's reaction to just seeing a disembodied piece of food on a stick in the water column compared to the way the fish goes nuts when the food is presented in a more natural manner.

I can literally have the ghoul chase the food all over the tank if I'm so inclined.