SP have gone off floating pellets???

[daniel]

Here is a good question. My SP have gone off the floating pellets over the winter(most of the time).

Thing is, if i get them at just the right time of day (dusk), or one or two fish actually do go for the food, then everything is fine. The rest join in and eat normally.

Otherwise, they just hang around under the food, waiting for any pieces that do happen to sink. If i squeeze the pellets once wet, it sinks and the fish eat it???

Any suggestions on how to wean the fish back onto floating pellets?? I used to be able to just throw in anything and the fish would go straight for it???

[Murray]

My Silvers did similar things. Maybe they can see you and are a bit spooked. Don't feed them for a day and see what they do then.
I find that often, the next morning all the pellets are gone anyway (have been eaten)

[fishfood]

Another concideration water temp whats your temp atm

[Hamish]

Are all your levels ok? Ammonia, Nitrite, pH?

[bushboy]

my silvers - ex Murray -don't rise to food at all - but pellets are mostly gone next morning - shy little buggers!!
It would be nice to see a "feeding frenzy" but I am just sooo happy I have had no fatalities yet

[Outbackozzie]

Just wait till it warms up a bit - they are as timid as when its cold.

They actually die if you touch them at 10 deg c :(

[Martin A1]

I am observing the same things at the moment and was wondering about floating pellets being a problem just this evening.
My water was 10 degrees this morning (freezing!!).
Like Murray says they don't appear to eat it but next day its vanished.
I have also noted the best feeding time is more on the dark side of sun down (when I remember too - doh!)
I have lost a couple of fish to the cold last week I reckon'. Bring on the warmer days - I am done with winter!!

[daniel]

I am observing the same things at the moment and was wondering about floating pellets being a problem just this evening.


I have also noted the best feeding time is more on the dark side of sun down (when I remember too - doh!)


Sounds like the same thing. If I can feed them at the correct time (just as it is getting dark), everything is fine.

I originally thought it was water temp (this has been happening since winter kicked in a few months ago), that's why it didn't occur to me that floating pellets was the problem. Also, they will eat sinking pellets just fine.

I don't think it is me scaring them either, because when i "manually" sink some pellets, the fish will eat them while my hands are still in the water..

I think basically, i need to train them back onto the pellets somehow..

Also, the water temp is about 19 degrees if that helps

[Jason Palenske]

Some fish are also more mid to bottom feeders versus the surface. We have a park pond near us that I can generally tell you what your going to get by the depth of your bait.