# Feeding bottom dwellers (catfish)?



## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

How do you guys go about feeding your catfish or bottom dwellers while at the same time, not over-feeding your africans? I recently purchased a Synodontis cat and it seems difficult to feed him... the african cichlids just devour any food before it hits the bottom.


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

After the lights have been out drop some sinking pellets.
Even better, try some algae wafers/disks during normal feeding time or after the lights have been out for a while.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Dump in a large amount quickly so the cichlids are busy gobbling at the top and the synos get what hits the substrate.

Of course, you only want enough for the syno's to hit the substrate, so it takes some experimenting.


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## cindylou (Oct 22, 2008)

I have tried every way you can think to feed cats and other bottom dwellers so cichlids don't get it. They will get it every time. There is no way, you just have to hope they can get something to eat. They (cichlids) will get algae wafers/disks as well. opcorn:


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

I put the pellets right into the strong surface current coming off of two filters and the food goes up-down-- and all over the place making it difficult for the cichlids to get it all. The cats get plenty on the bottom. (I feed NLS pellets, btw, so not sure if flakes or other food would move around as well)
You might set up a water jet on the opposite side of the tank from the filters and simultaneously drop the food in from both sides. 
Others have tried using a piece of pvc pipe to deliver the food directly to the bottom. Another idea is to have a hanging/floating plant in the tank and drop the food in around branches so the cichlids have to hunt around a bit.

Robin


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I used to "hand feed" my synodontis multipunctatus using a long-handled tong. I've break up pieces of NLS H2O sinking wafers and tap the substrate with the tong end holding the wafers. They'd come running!!! My lucippinis, which I have now, are not as gregarious and hide when the tong comes. Now I have to sort of hid the bits of wafer in crevices so the peacocks don't get them.


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## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

Currently I have "slow sinking" pellets. I assume that the NLS sinks fairly quickly?


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## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

How fast do the NLS pellets sink?

:-?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Some start sinking immediately and some float a few second longer. It's like a rain of pellets for several seconds. At first the cichlids chase pellets to the bottom but then they keep grabbing the ones closer to the surface and some make it to the bottom for the synos.


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