# Help Surface Feeding Ember Tetra



## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I bought some Ember Tetra and I am having a real hard time teaching them to eat. I am not sure what kind of low quality food the breeder/store fed them, but I strive to feed all my fish NLS. 

I have gotten my Endlers and Celestial Pearl Danios to eat NLS by crushing it into almost a powder, once they got a taste they always came to the surface. These Embers however will not come near the surface, they stay in the bottom 1/3 of the tank...I thought Embers are suppose to stay in the mid-top of the tank? I have gotten them to eat by adding some shrimp powder food and letting it blow around as they chase bits. I am a fan of turning my filter off when I feed my fish to make sure they get it all without it sinking, and also it becomes a sign when I turn the filter off that it is time to eat. These Embers will not eat with the filter off, if the bits are not blowing around they are not interested. I tried dropping NLS right in front of their face as it sunk and they did not even chase it. If I can get a few to eat at the surface will they teach others? Long as I have some trained it should be no problem adding new Embers to the school I would think. The next thing I am going to try is using a feeder ring with the filter on, and see if they find the food at some point throughout the day when I am gone. I haven't even gotten them to really taste the NLS, and I am hoping that they will develope a taste for it as all my other fish have and they really love it. I have seem them go after a few tiny pieces of NLS but they spit them back out and that was the end of that. 

Any advice would be appreciated, I am really determined to get them to eat NLS, I use 0.5mm pellets but I think even those are too large without crushing them first.


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Teebo said:


> I bought some Ember Tetra and I am having a real hard time teaching them to eat. I am not sure what kind of low quality food the breeder/store fed them, but I strive to feed all my fish NLS.
> 
> I have gotten my Endlers and Celestial Pearl Danios to eat NLS by crushing it into almost a powder, once they got a taste they always came to the surface. These Embers however will not come near the surface, they stay in the bottom 1/3 of the tank...I thought Embers are suppose to stay in the mid-top of the tank? I have gotten them to eat by adding some shrimp powder food and letting it blow around as they chase bits. I am a fan of turning my filter off when I feed my fish to make sure they get it all without it sinking, and also it becomes a sign when I turn the filter off that it is time to eat. These Embers will not eat with the filter off, if the bits are not blowing around they are not interested. I tried dropping NLS right in front of their face as it sunk and they did not even chase it. If I can get a few to eat at the surface will they teach others? Long as I have some trained it should be no problem adding new Embers to the school I would think. The next thing I am going to try is using a feeder ring with the filter on, and see if they find the food at some point throughout the day when I am gone. I haven't even gotten them to really taste the NLS, and I am hoping that they will develope a taste for it as all my other fish have and they really love it. I have seem them go after a few tiny pieces of NLS but they spit them back out and that was the end of that.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated, I am really determined to get them to eat NLS, I use 0.5mm pellets but I think even those are too large without crushing them first.


I have found new additions to the tank can lose their appetite for a few days due to stress and may just need some time to settle in. I would say when they get hungry enough they will eat. Adding all sorts of different foods trying to get them to eat can to lead possible other problems like water quality and fish eating old food with fungus. I'm fairly certain if you give them time they will eat whatever you give them when they get hungry enough.

Dan


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

As long as they're not wild caught, and they don't have hollow looking bellies they should be fine once they acclimate to the tank and the activities of the other species. Embers are pretty small and somewhat timid from what I've read, could the other fish in the tank be getting the food before the Ember Tetras notice it?


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I am a planted enthusiast with little fish experience, the only thing in this tank are a few various shrimp and snails. I am not worried about polluting my water this is a riparium that is a nutrient consuming machine, the bottom is bare because it is sort of a quarantine tank. Their bellies are silvery so I assume they should be okay, one was a bit thin and ended up dying a day after I got them. I will give it more time...I really like this fish, they are the best micro schoolers and the smallest Tetra you can find.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I keep trying with no success, I even bought more thinking they need help from 1 smart fish to follow. They will not go near the surface they stay in the bottom corner, I have tried crushed NLS and various powdered shrimp foods, they let it fall all around them they are in no way interested in eating it. They are dying of hunger, stomach goes flat then they die. I really do not know what else I can do, I tried leaving food in a feeder ring, pump on, pump off, nothing. Same issue with my Galaxy Rasboras, they will not eat. I have had all these fish for over a week, the Galaxys seem to be interested in the shrimp pellets but they can not get into the shrimps feeding dish. The only thing I have not tried is crushed flake, I always thought that food was garbage so I never used it.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Teebo said:


> I keep trying with no success, I even bought more thinking they need help from 1 smart fish to follow. They will not go near the surface they stay in the bottom corner, I have tried crushed NLS and various powdered shrimp foods, they let it fall all around them they are in no way interested in eating it. They are dying of hunger, stomach goes flat then they die. I really do not know what else I can do, I tried leaving food in a feeder ring, pump on, pump off, nothing. Same issue with my Galaxy Rasboras, they will not eat. I have had all these fish for over a week, the Galaxys seem to be interested in the shrimp pellets but they can not get into the shrimps feeding dish. The only thing I have not tried is crushed flake, I always thought that food was garbage so I never used it.


I use Omega one Flakes, they are decent quality, and all my fish are healthy eating them, with once a week bloodworms


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## Tvadna (Jan 17, 2013)

Make sure your CO2 isnt too high. 
Try using a floating plant so that they have some cover. It's possible they're not comfortable near the surface for some reason.
Try sinking your food with your fingers so it reaches them and they get a taste for it.
Try a different food.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I am not using CO2. I have balls and mats of Riccia floating at the surface and only half the tank is lit. I let it sink as I said, it falls like rain around them, they have eaten it before but not anymore. I have tried 4 different foods so far. 

I will admit, I am so used to shrimp and labyrinth fish that I did not use an air pump. This is a quarantine tank and is not heavily planted, most the plants are above the surface that eat nitrates but only their roots are submerged so I don't think roots will give me the oxygen I need. I noticed some fish at the surface, so I thought crap they are lacking oxygen. I added an airstone which I blasted them with all night, they seem happier now moving around in a group not just hovering in a corner at the bottom as much. I wonder if I did permanent damage with several days to a week of low oxygen levels? Mostly small fish died but I did have a full plump larger one die on me last night so I figured food was not the entire issue and oxygen was. Stupid mistake, I have been so used to shrimp, Bettas, and Gouramis that I overlooked it, plus my tanks are so heavily planted I would never need an air pump. Not sure if you need CO2 to get away without an air pump (CO2 = more oxygen production from plants).


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## SueD (Nov 20, 2010)

I feed my nano fish mostly frozen foods: baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops. Zoo Med has a Can O' Cyclops that when fresh in liquid form must be used within a week but can be frozen for longer storage. I freeze this in cubes.


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## KayakJimW (Aug 12, 2016)

Teebo said:


> I keep trying with no success, I even bought more thinking they need help from 1 smart fish to follow. They will not go near the surface they stay in the bottom corner, I have tried crushed NLS and various powdered shrimp foods, they let it fall all around them they are in no way interested in eating it. They are dying of hunger, stomach goes flat then they die. I really do not know what else I can do, I tried leaving food in a feeder ring, pump on, pump off, nothing. Same issue with my Galaxy Rasboras, they will not eat. I have had all these fish for over a week, the Galaxys seem to be interested in the shrimp pellets but they can not get into the shrimps feeding dish. The only thing I have not tried is crushed flake, I always thought that food was garbage so I never used it.


FWIW, I have NLS pellets and NLS flake. My Galaxies/CPDs ignore the pellets, but they devour the flake.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

NLS makes flake!? 

I just thawed some SanFrancisco brine shrimp and bloodworms, shot some into the group with a turkey baster. They went after the brine shrimp but not the bloodworms. I will have to buy NLS flake!


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## KayakJimW (Aug 12, 2016)

Teebo said:


> NLS makes flake!?


Oh yeah! I got into New Life Spectrum while keeping cichlids, but they have a community freshwater flake too. Has the same natural color enhancers as the cichlid food, and it has garlic, which is an appetite enhancer for picky fish


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I have religiously used their .5mm sinking pellets and have seen great color enhancing benefits from it! One of my Bettas prefered it over anything, even frozen treats, he just wanted his NLS.


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