# Feeding just freeze-dried, frozen, and live worms?



## darthodo (Aug 27, 2005)

My grammode won't eat much pelleted food if any. What if I just feed him live mealworms, earthworms, freeze-dried krill and crickets, and frozen bloodworms. He eats all these quite well. I can soak the freeze-dried and frozen food in Kent Zoe, which is what I do often. Is this okay. I can starve him for 3 days and he will eat one or two pellets, then he holds out until I starve him again. He will eat the aforementioned foods every day.


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## Big Vine (Feb 26, 2007)

Put it this way, if it was an oscar, I'd force it onto pellets...if it starved him for a bit, then so be it. I just think it's very important for providing a well-balanced diet of what they require. Fortunately I haven't ever needed to do this, but I've heard that it works quite well. Just takes some will-power not to give in to their 'feed me' dance, lol.

But in your case we are talking about a completely different fish...of which I know very little...
I'd hate for you to attempt this method, only to find that your fish ends up starving itself to death. I doubt it would come to that, but some fish can be very finicky when it comes to this and perish as a result. :?

What condition is he in now...healthy? Skinny?
That might dictate your course of action, at least to some extent.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you feel he's in good condition and strong enough to handle the 'starvation' (offering only pellets every so often until he starts eating them regularly) approach I outlined above, then I'd go for it. If you think there's a decent chance this might result in him kicking the bucket from starvation (which I doubt, but like I said I don't have experience with these guys), then don't.

Wow, that probably didn't help you much...sorry...
Maybe TFG and some of the others who are more experienced with the big guys can be of more help.
BV


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## darthodo (Aug 27, 2005)

Thanks. He is not skinny. I guess I'm just impatient with him.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I personally would try shrimp as a staple diet. If you get frozen be sure to thaw it our first in some tank water, dump the water then rinse the shrimp to get the small pieces off. Your filter and water column will thank you for that. Personally I would not feed those things every day, BUT one of those things each day might work. You can also gut load the crickets by feeding them quality cichlid pellets 

If I feed any kind of live feeder anything they get gut loaded with fish food for a few days first...

OR You could try making a slurry of everything in your wifes blender (my wife loves when I do this) With the main ingredient being pellets and shrimp. And don't get the pansy shrimp, get the shrimp with all the legs and such. Guapotes love em


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