Feeding Spotted Pictus Cat, or any bottom dweller?

[PghPittViper]

Hi,

I just got a Spotted Pictus Cat to go in my Oscar tank.

My question is how it ever eats? It is constantly swimming around, up and
down the tank, and never touches the gravel. Yet when I feed the oscar, it
doesn't get any of that food either.

I put a Spirulina disk in the tank, and it has been on the gravel for 2
days, untouched.

How do I make sure this cat eats so it doesn't die?

Furthermore, how should you feed cats in general?

TIA,

Viper

[NetMax]

"PghPittViper" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I just got a Spotted Pictus Cat to go in my Oscar tank.
>
> My question is how it ever eats? It is constantly swimming around, up
and
> down the tank, and never touches the gravel. Yet when I feed the
oscar, it
> doesn't get any of that food either.
>
> I put a Spirulina disk in the tank, and it has been on the gravel for 2
> days, untouched.
>
> How do I make sure this cat eats so it doesn't die?
>
> Furthermore, how should you feed cats in general?
>
> TIA,
>
> Viper

You generally don't need to feed Pictus. They are excellent scavengers
always on the hunt. If they are not eating enough, they will not
hesitate to try to go to the surface as a top-feeder (though this is a
bad habit they should not be allowed to develop). Oscars lose so much
food when given pellets, that alone would keep a Pictus happy. You can
feed them sinking bottom-feeder pellets (get them past the Oscar). Check
your Pictus's belly. Concave is a problem. Flat or bulging outward is a
sign that he is eating, just not when you are watching. They are
basically vacuum-cleaner-avores (they eat everything ;~), though a rich
protein diet is best (brine shrimp, bloodworms, krill, beefheart etc).
I'm not sure how enthusiastic yours might be about spirulina. Although
they tend to wolf down everything, Spirulina might be far down their list
of favourites. Their favourite food is probably fry, which they sweep
out of hidden crevices with their barbels, into their waiting mouth. If
your Pictus is not eating at all (very out of character), then check your
water parameters, and suspect illness, after he has been acclimated to
your water conditions.

NetMax