# Threadfin Rainbows food?



## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I bought 3 pairs and noticed they don't feed at the surface or off the bottom! Strictly mid-water feeders.
What are you guys feed these? I'm crushing up flakes or sinking foods so they can pick at it as it sinks.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

When I had the related spotted blue eyes, they really liked frozen cyclops. The cyclops have near neutral buoyancy when thawed, so tend to stay suspended in the water longer than other foods.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

thanks!


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I have these fish for a few days now. Some of them feel safe enough to go to the surface.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

These guys are pretty fun. I spotted a male half heartedly display against a female guppy. I guess the female guppy looks similar to a threadfin female.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I'm feeding them frozen daphnia and white worms (small enough for their mouths) in addition to crushed flakes. Their colors are better with the live/frozen food. I'm planning to start a daphnia culture once the temperature is cool enough to ship.

I just realized these fish are perfect for a shrimp tank if you guys are looking. They have small mouths and never feed off the bottom.


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

mine use to love bbs, white worms and baby daphnia.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

TAB said:


> mine use to love bbs, white worms and baby daphnia.


@TAB I read they don't live too long 3-4 years. I hope to get a breeding population from these 3 pairs.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

mistergreen said:


> @TAB I read they don't live too long 3-4 years. I hope to get a breeding population from these 3 pairs.


That's what I tried to do with the spotted blue eyes, which have an even shorter life span. It didn't work.


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## vvdo (Mar 7, 2006)

mistergreen said:


> I bought 3 pairs and noticed they don't feed at the surface or off the bottom! Strictly mid-water feeders.
> 
> What are you guys feed these? I'm crushing up flakes or sinking foods so they can pick at it as it sinks.


Azoo makes a micro pellet which is slow sinking, these pellets are even smaller than the smallest pellets from spectrum. I also crushed hikari discus pellets as well as tetra crisps. I also feed frozen brine and micro worms. If you have a lot of aggressive eaters as tank mates they will find it difficult to fill their bellies.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Yeah, they're with guppies and a pair of pearl gourami. The guppies can be aggressive but they're getting their share. I feed 2-3x a day to make sure they get some food in them. I've been making my own foods. I've notice the thread fins seems to like omnivore food a little better than carnivore foods. 
I'll have to figure out the recipe on how to make it sink slower, maybe whip more air into the mixture before drying.

Anybody got them to spawn and raise babies?


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Aggh, one male kicked the bucket. No signs of external symptoms.


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## DutchMuch (Apr 12, 2017)

that stinks  especially when you dont know what did it.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

So here's my food recipe that the threadfins like.

- 1-2 lbs fish & squid 
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup kelp/seaweed
- 1/3 tsp of tumeric
- 1/2 a multi-vitamin pill
- 2 fish oil pill
- 1 cup of whole wheat
- 1 tsp yeast

Spread the mixture out thin and dry on parchment paper. I have a convection oven so it does the job.
I then crush the dried food up to an appropriate size in a mortar/pestle.

I tried forcing the wet mixture through a sieve to make pellets but it's too wet.

***
I just saw a video on pellet making machines. Looks like the food is extruded and flash cooked & dry. So it's not possible to make at home.

Actually, now that I think about it. making pellets can be done. I have a noodle press I can try on. The key is I have to cook the food first so it sets...


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