Tigrinus - Is Weaning Possible?

Trident2004 · Post by **Trident2004** » 14 Jun 2007, 12:34

Greetings...

I recently purchased a 4-5 inch tigrinus. The LPS advised they fed it feeders. Is there a way to successfully wean it off live food? I'd appreciate your suggestions. thx.

John

Richard B · Post by **Richard B** » 14 Jun 2007, 21:31

Most predators can be weaned onto alternatives, with very few exceptions (if any).

Sometimes a dead fish will be taken straight away by a hungry fish, sometimes it needs to be "agitated" to stimulate the predator. Prawns, mussels, & worms are all woth a try particularly with a fish like yours which is small will feed regularly in order to grow as quickly as it can

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 14 Jun 2007, 22:56

if a lion can learn to eat meat, another predatror should at least be able to take frozen (and thawed) fish, or shrimps

TheFishGuy · Post by **TheFishGuy** » 01 Jul 2007, 12:56

I've got three large aggressive cats all of which eat fish fillets or blugill. I hand feed so it makes it a little easier to make sure only they get the food.

I started by knocking out a gold fish (put it in a net and whack it on a hard surface) then putting my hand in the tank and waving it in front of the cats face. Eventually he got hungry enough to take it. Then I tried a pice cut off of a fish fillet, same thing, slowly putting my hand in as to not spook him and eventually he took it. Now after almost two years, as soon as they seem e coming they know it's time and sometimes all three are waiting at the surface before I even get there LOL... Dog tame

synoguy · Post by **synoguy** » 16 Jul 2007, 21:19

I have a B. juruense, and to start with it turned its nose up at dead or preprepared food, however though it sounds cruel the best way i have used to wean my predator's off live food is to carefully "starve" them it sounds cruel but if you are careful about it and offer some dead/prepared food a few days after it last ate live, and leave the food available for a short while then remove it if not taken, then the next feeding time do the same. It took 4 or 5 days after its last large live feeding for my juruense to get used to shrimp, after that it was pretty easy to get him onto catfish pellets. I find its easier to get a predatory used to shrimp before dead fish, not sure why maybe the stronger smell?

either way i've used this technique on 3 P.ornatus, one P. blochi, 2 Lima Shovel noses and the B. juruense.

Good luck!

Simon