New Boesemani Rainbow won't eat...

11165 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Austin, Jul 29, 2013

Austin

Discussion Starter · Jul 20, 2013

My new boesemani rainbowfish I got yesterday very vigorously goes after the flake food I put in the fish tank, but it seems he sucks in the food and just spits it right out immediately after. Is it maybe the flake food that he won't accept? The other fish eat it fine.

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

RackinRocky

· #2 · Jul 21, 2013

Have you tried different foods? Maybe he wasn't fed flakes, and isn't used to them. Sometimes I'll get a new fish that isn't used to what I'm feeding on a particular day, and it won't recognize it as food, so either ignores it or spits it out. Sometimes they do spit out the food if the piece is too big (Rainbows have small throats) and then re-eat it as it gets smaller.

I would try brine shrimp, bloodworms or Tubifex, and maybe try some pellets. Or even a mix of all three--he's bound to like one of them! Cut up the bloodworms to make it easier for him to eat them. I have noticed a lot of fish don't seem to have been fed flakes, but will go for the pellets, or vice versa. Also, what brand of flakes are you using? Maybe he was used to another brand. Try something high quality, like Omega One, or New Life Spectrum.

Austin

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 21, 2013

Tetra brand flakes. I will probably buy omega when I run out but I have a LOT left... It's like an economy sized can. If he doesn't eat in a day or two ill buy some brine shrimp.

thanks.

JDM

· #4 · Jul 21, 2013

The NLS have a really small sinking pellet. It sinks very slowly or will sit on the surface for a while. I started using it when I got some smaller fish. As funny as it was when the small guys grab a larger pellet and scoot around with it in their mouth to keep the "catch" away from the others, it wasn't terribly efficient.

Never used flakes.

Jeff.

jaysee

· #5 · Jul 21, 2013 (Edited)

Austin said:
My new boesemani rainbowfish I got yesterday very vigorously goes after the flake food I put in the fish tank, but it seems he sucks in the food and just spits it right out immediately after. Is it maybe the flake food that he won't accept? The other fish eat it fine.

It's not a matter of not accepting the food - it is a sign of stress. it wants to eat but it's not comfortable enough to eat. In my experience it is normal for new fish to not eat. I don't bother feeding new fish for the first few days.

You should just toss the tetra flakes. Aside from the fact that it's nothing but junk, the economy size can means that it will lose it's nutritional value (what little it has) before you are even close to using it up. Garbage belongs in the garbage. Go get your fish a quality food to eat.

Austin

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 22, 2013

I will get some better food soon and some frozen live foods to feed too.

I thought I'd update. He seems to be eating; he seems to "barf" out his gills though quite often, or spit it back out in tiny pieces. He is making a mess!! -_- But I think hes downing quite a bit of it now.

RackinRocky

· #7 · Jul 23, 2013

Good for you! Yeah, seems like everything Tetra makes is junk, including the food! Mine love frozen bloodworms, Emerald Entrée (brine shrimp w/spirulina), regular brine shrimp, krill and Mysis shrimp. I rotate them all, giving pellets and flakes every other day. That way they get a big variety. Also, veggies and fruits cut in teeny pieces are also good for Rainbows. The shrimp pellets are a nice treat too, and you can crush them or soak them so they are easier to eat. I must have over a dozen foods for my fish!

So glad to hear he's eating! My Rainbows also frequently "barf." They are pigs, and try to get pieces that are too big into their mouths. One time one of my girls had a shrimp pellet in her mouth, and had her mouth wide open for the longest time (well, it was probably only 10 minutes, but seemed longer) and finally the shrimp pellet came bursting out. So now I crush or soak them.

Austin

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 23, 2013

RackinRocky said:
Good for you! Yeah, seems like everything Tetra makes is junk, including the food! Mine love frozen bloodworms, Emerald Entrée (brine shrimp w/spirulina), regular brine shrimp, krill and Mysis shrimp. I rotate them all, giving pellets and flakes every other day. That way they get a big variety. Also, veggies and fruits cut in teeny pieces are also good for Rainbows. The shrimp pellets are a nice treat too, and you can crush them or soak them so they are easier to eat. I must have over a dozen foods for my fish!

So glad to hear he's eating! My Rainbows also frequently "barf." They are pigs, and try to get pieces that are too big into their mouths. One time one of my girls had a shrimp pellet in her mouth, and had her mouth wide open for the longest time (well, it was probably only 10 minutes, but seemed longer) and finally the shrimp pellet came bursting out. So now I crush or soak them.

Ahh, most of my stuff is tetra, water conditioner and stuff. It's just what I've used for years! Probably because it was cheapest.. Fairly often you get what you pay for though.

I'll have to try those foods! I want to give my fish a very healthy diet. I'm into healthy eating myself. Tetra flakes are probably the McDonald's of fish food.

They are pigs!!!!! I only have one (I will get more soon I feel guilty having him alone!!) but having just one is crazy enough! It's odd because they are so mellow until you put food in and then they dart up and down at 1000 miles per hour! My poor angelfish is more dainty than them and it is calmly getting food while the rainbow is spazzing out.

RackinRocky

· #9 · Jul 23, 2013

How funny--I can just imagine the sedate angelfish looking at the Rainbow, and thinking, "What is up with you? Are you crazy?" Yes, they are happiest when there is at least 6 of them. That's why I have 6. Not all of the same type, but at least they do shoal together. I have a single Bolivian Ram, and he's fine by himself. You can keep them singly, but not a good idea with Rainbows. And yes, I agree, you get what you pay for with most things!

Austin

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 24, 2013

I went to buy more and all of them had at least a tiny hint of fin rot, so I didn't get any. :/ sadly only one pet store nearby actually carries them and its petco...

Do you happen to know if it will be okay to get 3 males and 3 females? Or too high a male:female ratio?
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RackinRocky

· #11 · Jul 24, 2013

I know what you mean--Petsmart is the only one around here that carries them. Good that you didn't get them--you don't need fin rot to start out with.

Most people do recommend more females than males, but you could try 3 M and 3 F and see what happens. Since the ones they sell are generally juveniles, you may not notice a problem until they get more mature. That's when fighting would occur, if it's going to. So you could be fine for months, then suddenly have a problem. It's kind of a cr*p shoot. Some fish are more docile than others. Just hope you get easygoing ones! Also, it depends on who pairs up with whom. You could have two males fighting over one female. A lot of different scenarios are possible so there's really no solid answer, unfortunately.

Austin

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 24, 2013

Well I guess I'll see. I can always buy more females and have more than 6 total. I think I'm just going to have 2 angels and 6 boesemani rainbows. I think I'd have room.

jaysee

· #13 · Jul 24, 2013

Small issues don't prevent me from buying a fish I want. A tiny bit of fin rot will naturally cure itself in as little as a week.

Sent from Petguide.com App

Austin

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 24, 2013

Ahh! I did google fin rot on my phone before I decided what to do. It sounded it it would go away but I didn't really have time to be sure. Oh well, better safe than sorry I suppose. I may get some in a few days still then depending how they look. It was very slight.

ChuckinMA

· #15 · Jul 29, 2013

My Rosaria rainbow fish did the same thing for the first two days. But once he got hungry enough, he started devouring the flake food. Now he splashes me as I feed!

Austin

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 29, 2013

Yup he is eating now and the rainbows are all real pigs!!

boxercrazy156

· #17 · Jul 29, 2013

I have 10 Bosemoni Rainbow and I don't feed flakes I feed pellets if your rainbow is small may I suggest omega one micro pellets all fish love them and a pellet has more nutrition then a flake thats what I use for srting new fish on in my aquarium I recently added some small turquoise rainbow and they love it when the fish get bigger I use new life spectrum community formula or thera a + UI am using both right now untill my new rainbows grow some of my rainbows are 6 inches long

Austin

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jul 29, 2013

Thanks I've heard great things about omega brand. I will keep those names in mind. I'll probably buy some new foods soon.

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