How do I help the weaker fish in my community tank to get food?

Question

Hi, I have a 5 ft heavily planted tank with platties(20-30), mollies(15-20), neons(20), glass catfish(10), clown loaches (2), and angolan elephant noses(4). Tank is fuctioning superbly, plants go great (2x150 watt metal halides and CO2 injection) fish never have any problems and filter is fine.

Since introducing the elephant nose I have started feeding a lot of frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and community diet. The clown loaches have become very effective at out competing the elephant nose to the food. I usually bury it under the gravel about 1cm in four or five spots at once but the clown loaches seem to get most of it before the elephant nose have a chance. If I try to feed the elephant nose by hand (they are pretty tame) the platties will push them out of the way. Any suggestions on how to help the elephant nose get a good feed? (Other than ditching the clown loaches altogether...)

Answer 1

The E/N's are muddy water fish,and also nocturnal. Four of them in the same tank might be a problem because they use weak electrical signals to navigate and to locate food. They might be confusing one-another with these signals. E/N's really like chopped earth worms in their diet,try the under gravel trick after lights-out (maybe like an hour),and maybe being in the dark will give them an advantage over the Loaches. If you want to observe the goings-on there are red night-lamps for the observation of nocturnal fishes that are popular with catfish enthusiasts,that might add a whole new dimension to your hobby.(These red lamps are supposedly invisible to the fish.) It would be a fun experiment. Let me know how it works out. I'd be very interested in the outcome.Good luck.-----PeeTee

Answer 2

Even though the loaches are excellent scavengers maybe feeding the hidden food during the night cycle would help. Well after lights out would be my choice as the loaches tend to be more of a daytime feeder.

Sounds like an awesome tank, hope you find a workable solution to the problem.

MM

Answer 3

spread the average food at all the space of the aquarium so other fish may have the share off the food....