# Getting my Rhoms to consistently eat.......Big PITA!!!&#33



## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

My Rhoms are being such a PITA to get eating, after bringing them home. Is it normal for them to not eat, then start eating, then to stop eating for a day or two, then maybe eat again? I thought they were known for not eating, then after a while, cutting loose and eating like pigs? I hope they start eating steadily soon. This sporadic eating pattern really blows!

So far.....my RB's are way more fun to keep then these things.

Getting very frustrated!

Blue


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## wizardslovak (Feb 17, 2007)

well i had problems with my single P , didnt want to eat or ate too much
i just starved it for couple days and gave him couple pellets every day, now he is eating like a champion and colors are awesome!!


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

I feel like starving them for a week, and then seeing if they come around, but I'm not like that.


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## Uncle Jesse (Feb 18, 2007)

My rohm does the same thing, he will eat every day for 2 weeks then BAM will not eat for 2 or 3 days. I have had him for a little over 2 years, I got him when he was half an inch he's about 7 inches now and has done it all his life.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2009)

Blue I feel your pain. lol At least your have had SOMETHING to eat. My guy has had nadda for almost 3 weeks. I have decided to starve him for 5 days (what dooes it matter if he isnt eatting anyways?) Then I will again try some bite size fish or shrimp. I wish you all the best


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## chomp chomp (Oct 28, 2003)

my rhom didn't eat for almost a week when I got him.. I tried all kinds of food but he eventually took a liking to Smelt from my local grocery store. When you are defrosting the frozen food make sure you are doing so in cool water and gradually bing the temp up to room temp. Also try feeding him with the lights out.

My rhom went from eating nothing to eating a ton. Also try to add a powerhead if you do not already have one running.


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

I've had my big rhom for just about 2 months now. Early on, I was treating him for various ailments, so his eating patterns were very inconsistent. Now, I feed him two half-dollar sized pieces of tilapia stuffed with pellets each night. He eats both pieces 4 out of 5 times. The fifth time, he's still eating at least one and then taking a half bite out of the other.

I agree that it was very frustrating early on... I probably threw away half of the food that I bought because it was being left for too long in the tank. I suppose it's a matter of feeding in moderation and NEVER overfeeding to keep him consistently hungry.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

I only feed my serras once a week...2-3 times when they were little. Once you've got some meat on them, it doesn't take much to keep them at a healthy weight.


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

BioTeAcH said:


> I only feed my serras once a week...2-3 times when they were little. Once you've got some meat on them, it doesn't take much to keep them at a healthy weight.


I think these 2 could use some more meat then. I don't think the LPS was feeding them like they should be fed. I just want 2 healthy fish is all.


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

I finally figured out what was going on with them not eating. I had them in my 135 (6' tank) with a nice divider. One they couldn't see one another with, but they always hung out at the divider, and it was almost like they knew there was another fish on the other side. So, I decided to move them to their own separate tanks, and see what happens. The bigger one has a 90 gallon to itself, and the smaller one has a 70 gallon. NOW, that they have their own tanks, and can't sense another fish behind a divider, they FINALLY are starting to eat on a regular basis.

My advise is to NOT use a divider with RHOMS!

Divider = bad feeding habits!


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

Blue Flame said:


> I finally figured out what was going on with them not eating. I had them in my 135 (6' tank) with a nice divider. One they couldn't see one another with, but they always hung out at the divider, and it was almost like they knew there was another fish on the other side. So, I decided to move them to their own separate tanks, and see what happens. The bigger one has a 90 gallon to itself, and the smaller one has a 70 gallon. NOW, that they have their own tanks, and can't sense another fish behind a divider, they FINALLY are starting to eat on a regular basis.
> 
> My advise is to NOT use a divider with RHOMS!
> 
> Divider = bad feeding habits!


yeah a divider will stress out both fish for sure, rhoms are solitary as we all know and 2 rhoms
in a same tank is not good, even if you have cichlids in there like some do, they do not like it
it stresses them out big time.

i only feed my rhoms like every 3 to 4 days, keeps them health and they eat most of the food offered


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

The bigger peru rhom eats like 3 big chunks of fish a day now, and the little guy eats one smaller chunk of fish a day. It's nice to see them eat finally!


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

What's the normal amount of food to feed a rhom at 4.5"s, and another at 9"s?

The 9" rhom eats like 3 or 4, 1/2" chunks of talapia or smelt, and maybe some krill or shrimp chunks, a day. The little guy eats 1, 1/2" chunk of smelt or talapia every 2 - 3 days.

Just curious how their feeding compared to everyone else's fish is all.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

I had the same problem. I have a 2.5 - 3" rhombeus and he wouldn't eat for a couple of days when I brought him home.

So my dad tells me to let him try - and then he just sticks his hand in the tank, and hand feeds him like a baby. I couldn't believe my eyes. The rhombeus was following my dad's fingers and my dad was even petting him!


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

Body wise....they don't look too bad. Gettin like meaty looking now!

From this:









too this:









and the little guy, from this:









to this:









The little GR hasn't filled out near as much as the bigger one. In time! I'm just glad they're finally eating.


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## Trigga (Jul 1, 2006)

You shouldn't feed your bigger serras daily..like once or twice a week would suffice depending on the size of your feedings


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

Trigga said:


> You shouldn't feed your bigger serras daily..like once or twice a week would suffice depending on the size of your feedings


How come? I though as long as it's not red meat, feed them til they won't eat anymore. They look a lot healthier now.


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

I'm firing up this thread again, instead of starting a new one on the same subject.

My Rhoms are eating so inconsistently, along with starting to leave the food unless I turn off the light, that I really don't enjoy them that much anymore. Is there ways to train them to eat when it's dropped in, and with the light on too? I mean..sh*t, they're even getting where they won't eat, even with the light off, and turn down certain foods that they have always eaten in the past. They were once on a diet of shrimp, talapia, squid, pollock, krill, catfish nuggets, and smelt. Now, they won't touch anything but smelt. I mean, I just picked up some FRESH talapia, and they won't even touch the stuff. I'm getting very frustrated, and feel like I need to just cut off the feedings altogether, then after a very long period of time, start offering them something they aren't eating right now, and make them eat it, or starve!

I'd like to hear some of the things that some of you have tried, and had success with, to get your Rhoms to eat a wide variety of fresh and frozen foods, consistently. Also, if I was to hold out long enough, do most Rhoms pick up on the dry pellets, like most pygos do?

Shoot me some feedback please,
Blue


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

Just feed when he's active and hungry.
I've had them go a while without eating, nothing to worry about.


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

Winkyee said:


> Just feed when he's active and hungry.
> I've had them go a while without eating, nothing to worry about.


They all seem very active, but the picky eating is out of control. If possible, I'd like to get them to eat when I drop it in, like my gold piranha does.....that's if it's possible?


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## jmax611 (Aug 6, 2006)

dont feed them for a month. they will come around


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

jmax611 said:


> dont feed them for a month. they will come around


what about pellets, same thing?


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## bigshawn (Dec 29, 2005)

All it takes is time, like many others have said on this board they won't starve themselves just don't brake down (like I have so many times) and only offer them the food (pellets) you want them to eat solo fish I would feed but every 2-3 day maybe 2x's a week unless very small then every other day jmo


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## jmax611 (Aug 6, 2006)

Blue Flame said:


> dont feed them for a month. they will come around


what about pellets, same thing?
[/quote]
pellets are harder cause most of the time p's dont go to the top. i didnt feed my elong for almot 6 months trying to break him off live (i fattened him up first though). they can go a while w/o food. 6 months was a little extreme but it was worth it now my elong eats everything but live. i feed him every day. sometimes he dont eat right away so i'll skip a few days or a week then when i drop some food in hes on it


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

good feedback guys!

thanks


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## weerhom (Jan 12, 2007)

catfish fillet at night works every time. Except if your nitrates are high. Nitrates can be the reason the fish won't eat.


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

yeah im pulling out my hair again with my blue rhom, he is going on close to a month not eating
but his back looks ok so far. and you look at my black rhom, he eats everyday....4 to 5 shrimp
or a chunk of white fish daily....its funny to see the different patters of fish....


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

My large rhom....I take a huge piece of fish and wave it outside his tank....if the starts getting excited and nosing the surface...I know he is hungry. When I remove the cover...he will snap at the surface of the water trying to get the fish....and attack it when it is dropped in. If I wave food outside the tank and he doesnt react....the fish will float to the bottom and I will be fishing it out the next day.

My large maculatus....he goes crazy when I go near his tank like he is starving....I drop food in....he may or may not eat. I never know with that guy. I feed him on the same days as my rhom...which is once or twice a week.

Both look great nice and healthy....they just react differently. I have had my rhom for about 6 years...and the maculatus probably 4. My point is that feeding is an individual thing. What works for some...might not work for others. One thing I have had the best success with is not feeding daily or on any pattern. This has worked great for groups of fish because they never know when the next meal with be....they tend to fill up when they can.


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