# Harlequin rasbora eating behavior



## microw (Jun 30, 2012)

My harlequin rasbora aren't the easiest for me to feed, because they only eat food that is on it's way down to the grown. Is this how they are for everyone? Maybe I'm not giving them their favorite food, but I'd love for them to eat like my bettas. But yea, if it's not sinking, they'll ignore it, even if they're starving. Is this normal? Anyone have any food recommendations?


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Mine are the same way, and I've had this group for about three years. I actually see them eat only rarely, maybe catching them eating the sinking food at mid level once a week. I assume they cruise the tank nibbling away at things, and I just don't see it - they are healthy and properly filled out so I don't think about it at all. I feed all my fish a mix of Tetra color crisps, frozen bloodworms, and spinach flakes as well as zucchini (which the rasboras never eat, but the other fish in the tank do).


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 19, 2012)

I'm the odd man out. My fish attack the surface... Now they would rather catch something sinking, or on its way down, but for the right food, I get a school of piranahs out of my H.Rasboras. The particular fav. is BettaMin flakes with shrimp. The red color can send the whole school to the surface with a school of neon tetras following. I've also seen them come up for crushed mysis dried shrimp, and the right colored tetra flake.

I've got a whole bottom clean up crew in my long tank.... Mystery snail, 3 trilineatus, 2 gourami, 7 ghost shrimp.... 8 neon tetras too!


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 19, 2012)

Once one fish (the brave one) breaches, the rest usually follow. How many fish do you have??? I have a school of 8


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## rodcuda (Jul 25, 2012)

I have black neon tetras that are the same way, only eat it on the way down. But they look good and I have a top notch clean up crew!!!


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## Fuze (Jul 26, 2012)

My Rasboras are always willing to dart up to the top of the tank to grab flakes. It is pretty fun to watch.

I guess they're not that picky. I just got 12 more (total of 20) and the new ones are even more eager than the ones I have had for a few months, which is strange because usually they take some time to get used to feeding.


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## lbacha (Apr 13, 2011)

Mine patrol the top 1/3rd of the tank waiting for the autofeeder to go off and then they will literaly jump out of the water for food (they have a bad tendency of attacking it as it comes out of the feeder and some inevitably gets stuck on the glass and they will jump up at those pieces) They don't even go low for food, that is the CDP's haven and the amano shrimps. I need to take a video I have 20 Rasboras and 12 CDP's and it's like throwing food in the carp pond at the zoo with them.

Len


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Mine are like piranhas, patrolling the middle of the tank then attacking and eating whatever hits the surface of the water. They will even try to eat duckweed and other floating debris, thinking it's food.


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## nalu86 (Oct 19, 2010)

Monster Fish said:


> Mine are like piranhas, patrolling the middle of the tank then attacking and eating whatever hits the surface of the water. They will even try to eat duckweed and other floating debris, thinking it's food.


Same here, little piranhas. I hate those fish, but they are awesome for cycling new tanks and now my aquaponics


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## AVN (Oct 3, 2012)

I had this issue with my Harlequins too, I solved it by feeding them bits of food held near the surface with tweezers and swayed gently up and down.


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## vnghost (Sep 21, 2012)

Mines are the first to grab usually out of the tetras in the tank. Lost one jumper recently. I only feed once a day so competition is tight.


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## jemminnifener (Nov 23, 2011)

I haven't had a problem with mine. They attack the surface as voraciously as the zebra danios. I do notice that they like to pick stuff up midwater. For example, if I put down an algae wafer. They will swim around directly above it to pick off the little particles that get torn off.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

Espei rasbora here. They will attack the surface, attack the water column and actively hunt the floor of the tank for food. They also have no problem going after repashy on the floor as well.


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## microw (Jun 30, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies. I'm pretty sure that my main problem is that my school is too small. I'm going to get 4 more tomorrow. I'm kinda embarrassed, but for some reason I thought having a school of just 4 was enough. 

Do rasbora only school with other rasboras?

I'm also going to search for a favorite food for them. Gonna try some of what Cynical Fish Guy has. Hope I get a couple of brave eaters. : )


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Mine only school within their species. They are great dither fish for shyer species though.


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## microw (Jun 30, 2012)

Today I learned about dither fish. That's pretty cool. : )


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## driftwoodhunter (Jul 1, 2011)

Mine also only school with each other...


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## annizoe (Jan 21, 2015)

*same issue...not eating*

I started my tank this past Friday (it is wed) and my betta can't be better...he's 3 and it's like he's got a new life...loving the tank. I got 4 raspbora because the clerk said no more than 4 to start to condition the tank. At first they were spritely and darting all over. Ate like piranhas. 2 days later they hardly move from the corner of the tank and just watch the TV...actually one goes to the other side and stares out in the opposite direction. They aren't eating now. they don't look sick but my tank has the lowest hardness (0) and high ph 8.2...the other levels of ammonia nitrate and nitrite are non existent as one would expect from a new tank. Do they not eat when not schooling?


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Might try feeding floating flakes to the regular crowd, and add some Hikari micro wafers. My fish go bonkers over them. The micro wafers float at first but then sink, so the lower fish get a chance to get them. If you sort of "throw" your pinches at the water, they'll sink faster.


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