Neon Tetra feeding issue

[[email protected]]

I'm setting up a new tank (29gal). So far I have only 3 neon tetras
in the tank with no other fish. My problem is that the neons hang out
near the bottom which wouldn't be a problem but they seem to not
notice when I place food in the tank. I'm feeding them flake food and
they often don't notice the food until it starts to get soggy and
float to the bottom. often it makes it all the way to the bottom
before they notice and as such, never gets eaten. I'm only feeding 3
or 4 flakes so I'm sure I'm not really over-feeding but I'm not sure
how to 'train' them to get them to notice the food floating at the top
of the tank. Any suggestions regarding this?

[Jürgen Exner]

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:13:23 -0800 (PST), wrote:

>I'm setting up a new tank (29gal). So far I have only 3 neon tetras
>in the tank with no other fish.

Did you cycle the tank? How? Or did you put the neons into a virgin
tank? They are _NOT_ a suitable fish for cycling a tank but require
stablized and prefer even somewhat spezialized water conditions.

>My problem is that the neons hang out
>near the bottom which wouldn't be a problem but they seem to not
>notice when I place food in the tank.

What are your water parameters? Chances are they just feel very sick in
an uncycled tank. They can get used to other water conditions with time
but prefer soft water, below pH 7, and shaded. Filtering over peat moss
helps a lot.

Besides, 3 is really not enough. Neon tetras are social fish and should
not be kept in schools of less than 5-7 fish.

jue

[[email protected]]

On Jan 23, 2:08*pm, Jürgen Exner > wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:13:23 -0800 (PST), wrote:
> >I'm setting up a new tank (29gal). *So far I have only 3 neon tetras
> >in the tank with no other fish.
>
> Did you cycle the tank? How? Or did you put the neons into a virgin
> tank? They are _NOT_ a suitable fish for cycling a tank but require
> stablized and prefer even somewhat spezialized water conditions.
>
> >My problem is that the neons hang out
> >near the bottom which wouldn't be a problem but they seem to not
> >notice when I place food in the tank.
>
> What are your water parameters? Chances are they just feel very sick in
> an uncycled tank. They can get used to other water conditions with time
> but prefer soft water, below pH 7, and shaded. Filtering over peat moss
> helps a lot.
>
> Besides, 3 is really not enough. Neon tetras are social fish and should
> not be kept in schools of less than 5-7 fish.
>
> jue

Yes I was trying to cycle the tank using the neons so that's probably
my rookie mistake. The seem basically ok and once the notice the food
they do go after it but you may well be right in that they're not
feeling as well as could be. pH is high 8.0. I considered buying
something to lower it but the only thing i found said not to use in a
tank with plants and while I don't have any yet, I want to get some
soon. I don't have a general hardness or carbonate hardness test kit
yet so I haven't tested for those values.

[Jürgen Exner]

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:49:39 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>Yes I was trying to cycle the tank using the neons so that's probably
>my rookie mistake. The seem basically ok and once the notice the food
>they do go after it but you may well be right in that they're not
>feeling as well as could be. pH is high 8.0.

Try filtering over peat moss. That will lower the pH, soften the water,
and darken it. All of this will probably make your neons feel more
comfortable.

jue

[[email protected]]

On Jan 23, 3:17*pm, Jürgen Exner > wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:49:39 -0800 (PST), wrote:
> >Yes I was trying to cycle the tank using the neons so that's probably
> >my rookie mistake. *The seem basically ok and once the notice the food
> >they do go after it but you may well be right in that they're not
> >feeling as well as could be. *pH is high 8.0.
>
> Try filtering over peat moss. That will lower the pH, soften the water,
> and darken it. All of this will probably make your neons feel more
> comfortable.
>
> jue

will give that a shot. thank you.

[Zootal]

I would add a half dozen more Neons. That isn't that much of a load for a
tank that big, and the fish will be much happier with a few more of their
buds to socialize with. I've seen the same thing in large tanks with few
fish, especially if the fish aren't used to the tank. Give them a bit of
time and their appetites will improve. They won't starve.

> wrote in message
...
> I'm setting up a new tank (29gal). So far I have only 3 neon tetras
> in the tank with no other fish. My problem is that the neons hang out
> near the bottom which wouldn't be a problem but they seem to not
> notice when I place food in the tank. I'm feeding them flake food and
> they often don't notice the food until it starts to get soggy and
> float to the bottom. often it makes it all the way to the bottom
> before they notice and as such, never gets eaten. I'm only feeding 3
> or 4 flakes so I'm sure I'm not really over-feeding but I'm not sure
> how to 'train' them to get them to notice the food floating at the top
> of the tank. Any suggestions regarding this?

[Ieyasu]

> wrote in message
...
> I'm setting up a new tank (29gal). So far I have only 3 neon tetras
> in the tank with no other fish. My problem is that the neons hang out
> near the bottom which wouldn't be a problem but they seem to not
> notice when I place food in the tank. I'm feeding them flake food and
> they often don't notice the food until it starts to get soggy and
> float to the bottom. often it makes it all the way to the bottom
> before they notice and as such, never gets eaten. I'm only feeding 3
> or 4 flakes so I'm sure I'm not really over-feeding but I'm not sure
> how to 'train' them to get them to notice the food floating at the top
> of the tank. Any suggestions regarding this?

Great advice from Jürgen and Tynk. I just wanted to jump in to address the
original question. Fish will sometimes be "shy" when they arrive in a new
tank, moreso when there are other sources of stress (such as amonnia/nitrite
levels from cycling your new tank) - the behavior you're seeing is not
uncommon.

My first suggestion is to make sure there are some hiding places in the
tank. A small plant or piece of driftwood they can hide behind will help
them feel more comfortable.

When you go to feed them, perform a noticeable behavior, but make sure you
do the same thing *every single time*. My method is to open the tank cover,
dip one finger into the water and splash around a bit. I put the food in
right after that. After doing this every day for a week or so, the fish
learn that finger splashes mean food and they all come up to the front of
the tank if I dip my finger in. I saw a video a while back of Takashi Amano
using a similar method when feeding angelfish - he took the food container
and tapped it in a fast rhythm on the corner of the tank before putting the
food in. After a few seconds, all the fish in the tank came over to the
corner where he was tapping and waited for the food to be dumped in.

-I

[Zootal]

> I wouldn't advise adding anymore fish, especially Neons right now.
> It's hard enough to cycle a tank with neons, and you're advising to
> add 6 more at once. Not a good idea.

I've done it many many times. Worked for me. Fish lived a long time. Eight
neons in a 29 gallon tank is not too many fish for a new tank IMNSHO.

[Jim Anderson[_2_]]

In article >,
says...
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:49:39 -0800 (PST), wrote:
> >Yes I was trying to cycle the tank using the neons so that's probably
> >my rookie mistake. The seem basically ok and once the notice the food
> >they do go after it but you may well be right in that they're not
> >feeling as well as could be. pH is high 8.0.
>
> Try filtering over peat moss. That will lower the pH, soften the water,
> and darken it. All of this will probably make your neons feel more
> comfortable.
>
> jue
>

Very bad idea to change any water parameter in the tank, OK to run peat
in the tank to keep the water parameters stable, but do change
parameters before the water is in the tank. Changing the PH or Hardness
in the tank will also change the Osmosis rate of oxygen and nutrition
absorption.

For beginners, it is best to not mess around with the water parameters,
keep fish and plants that match your water params.
I have mated Discus and Angles in 8.0pH water, but it was very soft RO
water, and the fish came from local breeders and were several
generations raised in local water.

Do a fishless cycle.
<http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/misc/fishlesscycling.html>

Great article on a easy, never fail planted aquarium called
The Bullet Proof Planted Aquarium by Ghazanfar Ghori
<http://www.aquariumgarden.com/info.php?
doc_base=articles/basics/bulletproof.html>

Have fun, and be patient.

[Zootal]

> Very bad idea to change any water parameter in the tank, OK to run peat
> in the tank to keep the water parameters stable, but do change
> parameters before the water is in the tank. Changing the PH or Hardness
> in the tank will also change the Osmosis rate of oxygen and nutrition
> absorption.

I once had a tank that had a cloudy water problem that just would not go
away. I tried to adjust water parms, I did frequent water changes,
mechanical filtering, etc. Nothing worked. I finally got sick of it and just
left alone to rot and stink. Four or five days later it cleared up on it's
own and has been crystal clear ever since. Unless there is something dead
contaminating the tank, I just leave it alone and let it run.

I used to adjust the pH religously. Then I got busy and didn't have time to
mess with the tank. The fish didn't seem to care and remained happy and
healthy. My water is fairly soft and the fish seem to like it as is.