# Tadpoles as feeders??



## alaskanime (Apr 11, 2007)

I live in Alaska and unfortunatelly, the only thing available to feed my monster 8 inch pygo is feeder goldfish. I try to throw in some krill as a source of roughage and variation in his diet, but he's in a 30 gallon and is easily spooked. As a result, when I open the tank to feed him krill, he freaks out and doesn't eat it.

I was wondering if tadpoles could be a viable food source for him (as he is adverse to eating anything "dead")? And if so, what kinds and where can I get them relatively cheap??? I balked at paying $2 a pop at the LFS.

Please help!


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## joefish219 (Feb 8, 2005)

i don't know where you can get them. i have gotten them at lfs. as to feeding them yeeeeeeaaaaah, it might get a little messy. i see you have a 8 inch pygo and that might help but guts may thrashed about. i fee a small tadpole to my shoal of three and it was a bloody mess.

i say give it a shot but be prepared to clean up


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

alaskanime said:


> I live in Alaska and unfortunatelly, the only thing available to feed my monster 8 inch pygo is feeder goldfish. I try to throw in some krill as a source of roughage and variation in his diet, but he's in a 30 gallon and is easily spooked. As a result, when I open the tank to feed him krill, he freaks out and doesn't eat it.
> 
> I was wondering if tadpoles could be a viable food source for him (as he is adverse to eating anything "dead")? And if so, what kinds and where can I get them relatively cheap??? I balked at paying $2 a pop at the LFS.
> 
> Please help!


You live in Alaska as well-And your telling me that you cant find ne thing besides feeders-









LOL-Just hit up the grocery store or some of the fresh seafood markets up here-And get the guy some good food-Many options besides getting ripped off at our local fish stores-

Also where did you get this piranha from-the reef by chance-or animal house!!!!!If you would like help to get this sorted-Just hit me up under pm-

I also live in anchorage and travel to the valley dailey-So I'm sure we could get this taken care of-


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## alaskanime (Apr 11, 2007)

AKSkirmish said:


> I live in Alaska and unfortunatelly, the only thing available to feed my monster 8 inch pygo is feeder goldfish. I try to throw in some krill as a source of roughage and variation in his diet, but he's in a 30 gallon and is easily spooked. As a result, when I open the tank to feed him krill, he freaks out and doesn't eat it.
> 
> I was wondering if tadpoles could be a viable food source for him (as he is adverse to eating anything "dead")? And if so, what kinds and where can I get them relatively cheap??? I balked at paying $2 a pop at the LFS.
> 
> Please help!


You live in Alaska as well-And your telling me that you cant find ne thing besides feeders-









LOL-Just hit up the grocery store or some of the fresh seafood markets up here-And get the guy some good food-Many options besides getting ripped off at our local fish stores-

Also where did you get this piranha from-the reef by chance-or animal house!!!!!If you would like help to get this sorted-Just hit me up under pm-

I also live in anchorage and travel to the valley dailey-So I'm sure we could get this taken care of-








[/quote]

I actually got him off "Freecycle" - a lady was remodelling and couldn't keep him.

Yes, I understand that I can purchase fresh seafood. That's not the problem. _*The problem is every time I open the tank to drop anything in, INCLUDING his normal feeders, he freaks out, tears up the tank, crashes into the sides, and gets really stressed out.*_ As a result, he usually refuses to eat what I just dropped in. I've been staring at the same krill on the bottom of his tank for the past 3 days now, which he will try to nibble, but then spit out. See the problem?


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## Cal68 (Mar 23, 2007)

darken the tank a bit more? black background, rocks etc...you dont have mussels in alaska? my reds love that. also you can fish for salmon!


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## CorGravey (Feb 13, 2007)

krill on the bottom of the tank for 3 days??? i wouldnt eat that either. coop that stuff out 1-2 hours after dropping it in if not eaten bcuz it messes ur water up bad!


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## 8o8P (Jan 13, 2007)

You pretty much answered your question when you said... "but he's in a 30 gallon and is easily spooked..."

First thing you need to do is upgrade your tank to a 55. Yes, 30 gallons is ideal for a piranha, however, the width of your 30 gallon is only 11.5" which leaves only 3.5" for your fish to clear the tank. The trashing of the tank and banging of the glass are signs of a tank that is too small.

Second, Pygos are fishes that survive better in shoals. Plus the shock of moving from one house to another could add to the skittish personality.

Last, Id say add a live fish. When hes hungry, he'll eat it. Just leave the tank light off and leave the room.


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## bud......weiser (Feb 12, 2007)

alaskanime said:


> I live in Alaska and unfortunatelly, the only thing available to feed my monster 8 inch pygo is feeder goldfish. I try to throw in some krill as a source of roughage and variation in his diet, but he's in a 30 gallon and is easily spooked. As a result, when I open the tank to feed him krill, he freaks out and doesn't eat it.
> 
> I was wondering if tadpoles could be a viable food source for him (as he is adverse to eating anything "dead")? And if so, what kinds and where can I get them relatively cheap??? I balked at paying $2 a pop at the LFS.
> 
> Please help!


You live in Alaska as well-And your telling me that you cant find ne thing besides feeders-









LOL-Just hit up the grocery store or some of the fresh seafood markets up here-And get the guy some good food-Many options besides getting ripped off at our local fish stores-

Also where did you get this piranha from-the reef by chance-or animal house!!!!!If you would like help to get this sorted-Just hit me up under pm-

I also live in anchorage and travel to the valley dailey-So I'm sure we could get this taken care of-








[/quote]

I actually got him off "Freecycle" - a lady was remodelling and couldn't keep him.

Yes, I understand that I can purchase fresh seafood. That's not the problem. _*The problem is every time I open the tank to drop anything in, INCLUDING his normal feeders, he freaks out, tears up the tank, crashes into the sides, and gets really stressed out.*_ As a result, he usually refuses to eat what I just dropped in. I've been staring at the same krill on the bottom of his tank for the past 3 days now, which he will try to nibble, but then spit out. See the problem?
[/quote]
THIS IS WHAT YOU DO ,you go to your local grocery store and buy shrimp,white fish etc...and defrost what your going to feed to him in a warm cup of water and tie the food on a string and balance it so it floats in the middle of the tank and then take a couple of steps back and wait till he eats it.just do that every time and eventualy he'll see that theres no live food and he will have to rezort to eating what you have place in his tank and plus he'll always see the food because it'll always float and not sink and get hidden behind a plant or somn.try it out,it'll work







just when you do this dont give up and think he is starving,he's not going to starve him self if theres food in the tank..he'll get around especialy when you show him its not his dissesion on what he eats.and keep the tempurature above 80f if you can keep it around 82-83f it might make him more aggresive.good luck


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