need fish help?

Question

I have a normal cold water tank and have just got 5 little guppie fish things and one catfish!! I have never seen him eat as he does not come up to top like the others at feeding time, will he be eating the uneaten food that has sunk to the bottom or will i need to buy special food just for him?? Please anyone with useful advice as i dont want to starve the poor thing!!
Also how often would you recommend cleaning the tank out, before i got this fish tank and i had normal goldfish i was cleaning it out once a week with a gravel cleaner and removing about 25% of water and adding freash water. now i have the guppy's and catfish do i carry on with a weekly gravel and part water change??

Answer 1

Hi
Cat fish are basically ground feeders they will go on plants and other objects and eat any settled food there, but they mainly eat of the floor of the tank.
I change about 10 to 15% of the water every week and also treat the new water with "Tap Safe" which removes chemicals which are added to the water, I also add 10grammes of sea salt it helps the fish
Regards
John

Answer 2

Keep the cleaning the way you've been doing it - you've got it just right!

You don't say what kind of catfish you have, so there can be a number of reasons it's not eating. Some catfish are nocturnal, so they'll only be active and eat after the lights go out. Some are primarily vegetation eaters (algae eaters, otocinclus cats), so while that's good news for your guppies, you may need to feed the catfish algae pellets. You don't want to add so much food that a lot is sinking to the bottom and doesn't get eaten - this will only cause you to have to clean the tank more often.

See if you can find the type of catfish you have in these link sand see what (and when) it should be fed): http://www.liveaquaria.com/ , http://www.elmersaquarium.com/000tropfishcareguides.htm

Answer 3

Cat fish with scoot around the bottom of your tank looking for left overs. You can also buy cat fish pellets but if you choose to do this make sure you buy the small ones and do not over feed them. You mentioned you have a cold tank! Goldfish and tropical fish require different temps. Ths tropical fish need at least 78 degrees to maintain thier health, otherwise the may contract ick. Depending on the size of your tank and how many fish you have a 25% water change once a week should be plenty. Make sure you use water conditioner when you do a water change because the clorine can burn fish lungs. In regards to the water change I use a pump that attaches to my faucit, this make the changes very easy and allows me to vacum the gravel at the same time. You can find them at most fish supply stores for around $ 30.00.

Answer 4

Your cleaning regimen is fine if they are making little fishes. The catfish is a bottom cleaner. Most of the time he should get enough from what is sinking to the bottom. You can give a couple pellets of sinking food (shrimp pellets or something something similar) 1 or 2 times a week if you think he's not getting enough. If you do, watch your amonia levels and if they start to rise, cut out the sinking food. (watch the amonia levels weekly anyway.)

Answer 5

Just thought I'd add...this is not a cold water tank. Guppies are tropical fish. The only real "cold water" fish in pet stores are goldfish. You need to make sure your tank temperature is up to at least 76-78 degrees in order for them to thrive. It should also improve their appetite. Another idea is to ask the pet store what they were feeding them. They may have suggestions.

Answer 6

well with the cleaning yes its still the same.
cat fish are bottom feeders and u can get sinking food for them. but i dont ofter use that food and my 4 catfish and 2 sucker and a red fined shark fish what are fine with the food that falls from my guppies/fighter/tetteras.

but if ur worried just get the sinking food as well

Answer 7

everybody will in all risk say "blue" fish, yet i'm quirky and could say new fish, or crimson fish smoked fish,or crimson fish cooked fish, final yet no longer least crimson fish stunk like fish!

Answer 8

Nope, that is what catfish do. They spend their days trolling along the bottom picking up whatever they find down there. I hardly ever see my little one but he is there running around. Hope this helps!!!!

Answer 9

Catfish are scavengers.

They will eat any food that sinks down.


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Answer 10

you would be better off with a heater in it for guppies.also keep changing the water wont do the fish any good you need a filter. you can buy cat fish food or use live food.