# Frustrating Rhom



## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

Hello, I have a XL large rhom in a 55 gallon tank. He's about 8-10 inches in length. I just got him about 2 weeks ago. The LFS of course had him strictly on all medium sized gold fish. I have tried to feed him Brine Shrimp, BeefHeart, floating pellets, and even messy frozen blood worms. He just let's it fall to the gravel right in front of him and than get sucked up by the filter I beleive when hours pass so it's missing. Anyway what should I do? I've tried the tactit of not feeding the rhom for a couple days an than trying to feed it frozen. have any ideas? Is there a better food that's non live and not as expensive as gold fish that the rhom will love to eat?

Thank you!


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## Memphis (Apr 26, 2003)

He just let's it fall to the gravel right in front of him and than get sucked up by the filter I beleive when hours pass so it's missing.

you lost me there thats a easy check there..look in the filter and see if the food you gave him is there or not..if its not he ate it!..when i had my old rhom it was well over 2 months before hed come out with the light on and eat in front of me, but i knew he was eating becasue it was gone in the morning..give him some time. but he deff needs a better food source then just feeders..my advice is start slow with him..we all want to watch our fish eat..and 9 out of 10 times they will with TIME..offer him diff types of food at night with the lights off, let him get used to looking for his food at the bottom and not swimming around, then over time work him to feeding with the lights on, and before you know it he will eat right in front of you...mine did


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## Memphis (Apr 26, 2003)

and on a side note when i first got my rhom he wouldnt eat at all, i talked it over with Ron from fishpost.com and he said check the PH a rhom of 10" or better is a old fish and there used to a Ph of around 7.0 i checked mine and it was 8.2 he said lower it and watch the diff..and i did as told and thats when he really turned around..so also check your PH and if its high set it to 7.0..and also IF it is to high make sure you lower it very gradual and a fast ph drop and kill the biological balance of your fish tank and make it cycle all over again which is bad


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## LEON (Dec 5, 2003)

Try some other types of non live food that are closer to what he was eating (goldfish). I would try catfish fillets. Cut them up into some ediable pieces, wrap them in plastic wrap, in tupperware, then into the freezer (relatively cheap). Give him a couple days without eating, then after you have defrosted a piece of catfish in hot water, give it at try. Pellets and the other types of food that you were trying are just to far out of his normal range. Tell us if it works.

I've been doing this for a couple months and my rhom loves it. Thickened up nicely.


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

damn i feel you king kong! i just got my rhom about a week ago and i'm trying to get him to eat some small shrimp. he just ignores it for now but i'm sure i'll be able to pursuade him to eat it. its just going to take some time and lots of patience. good luck to you bro!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Smelt and catfish filets. Dont feed him for a week or so and then add at night before you go to bed.


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

as said before wait a week,full 7 days,I bet he eats then


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## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

I just don't want to starve him.... I mean I know they can go on months without eating because of their fat storage.. I just don't want him to lose his thicknes... Anywhoo I'm going to check my PH.... Thanks for the info on that!!!!! It might be high...


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## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

P.s is it ok if i dig up worms and feed it to my piranha? I'll just simply squeeze the dirt out of the worm to reduce any mess.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Going 7 days without eating is better for him than feeders, he wont loose any size....that is just what I would do, but everyone is different. Worms are fine as long as you dont use fertalizer or pest killers on your lawn.


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## DuNNoE48 (Dec 28, 2003)

i use paper clips to hook pieces of beefheart and have a string tie to sumpn and i just let the meat dangle and turn on the powerhead so the currents make da meat move so it looks like its alive...i tried it on my rhom and it worked


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

DuNNoE48 said:


> i use paper clips to hook pieces of beefheart and have a string tie to sumpn and i just let the meat dangle and turn on the powerhead so the currents make da meat move so it looks like its alive...i tried it on my rhom and it worked


 thats a crazy tactic!!! Do they ever swallow the string?


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## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

Yeah, I wondering if the piranha could injur himself by swalling the paper clip or the string myself.


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## Xtremek43 (Dec 5, 2003)

ouch i wouldnt try that, i could see him injuring himself on that paper clip, maybe just tieing the string around the meat...


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## DuNNoE48 (Dec 28, 2003)

never seen them bite anything except the meat...but yea i should think of a better way


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

I went through the same thing with an 8 inch rhom,I waited 5 days then feed him and it was on.it's been a while now and he eats in front me,and nice and plump.Probually still adjusting to the change also,let us know when he starts munching


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## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

K bro, I will


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## rhino116 (Dec 30, 2003)

I have an 11" Rhom that is almost jet black. I feed him large frozen shrimp that are shelled. I defrost them under hot water. He eats three of them and his gut is busting. Try it. Good Luck!


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## Hoser98 (Dec 31, 2003)

My Spilo doesn't eat in front of me whatsoever. I've had him 3 weeks now, and I haven't seen him eat yet. He eats, but only when I'm at work, or asleep. 
Your fish may be eating, you just don't get to see it.


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

how long should i starve me rhom? he is about 4-5"

is it okay to have him starving for a week?


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## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

J_treat trying raising the temperature to around 83...And than try feeding again after a couple hours. Raised temps raise Metabolism which makes e'm hungrier.


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

okay sounds like a plan i'll try that

btw is your rhom eating yet kingkong?


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## KingKong (Nov 3, 2003)

Yeah. I put some krill in there the other day. A large chunk of it which is labeled for Large predators since the shrimp is bigger in size than a small package. Anyway, I left it in there and I came back like 10 mins later so it was gone. I know the filter didn't suck it up cuz it was such a big chunk. Im excited. I just put another one in there and he ate it, I didn't watch him though. He still has to get used to me and the tank...


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## fiveo93 (Jan 19, 2004)

i went throught the same w/ my two 4" rhoms, all they would eat was feeders. but last week they have done a complete change, they eat whatever i give them, beefheart catfish, worms and tonight i dropped some raw steak and they ate it within minutes. mine are eating as much as 2 to 3 time daily, give em time to adjust.


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

sounds good bros ... thanks for the support, without it, i might have just given in and fed him feeders. i'm just going to have to be patient ... i know he'll come around


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