Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

teamuni asked in PetsFish · 1 decade ago

Slow goldfish keeps missing out on food.?

In my aquarium I have 5 goldfish and 5 zebra danios. One of the goldfish (a fantail with big eyes) is pretty slow when it comes to feeding time, and he seems content with just foraging among the pebbles, whilst the other 9 fish are darting all over the place, picking off the food, even with sinking pellets, they are pretty much all gone before they sink halfway. Any ideas to help my poor bugeyed fantail get his share?

16 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Sounds like the fantail is actually a telescope eyed goldfish or demekin. Any goldfish with modified eyes should only be in a tank with other goldfish with modified eyes such as celestials or bubble eyes or other telescopes. They just cannot see very well because of those huge eyes and often go under fed or worse all the other fish are insanely over fed while attempting to feed the demekin. There are a few tricks you can try to remedy the problem. One is to set up a demekin tank just for a few of them. You can also try to feed all the other goldfish at one end of the tank and while they are busy chewing toss in some food at the opposite end of the tank for the demekin to find. The demekin is finding food by smell not by sight. You can train them all to eat this way. Feed only after you turn the light on, which should be the signal to them to come eat. Goldfish will, with some time, remember where they found food and return there every time. You train the aggressive ones to one side and the demekin to the other. It is kind of tricky. Demekin for that reason should only be in a tank with simular types of goldfish and definately not in with comets or common goldfish. Rule of thumb for goldfish is single tailed fish with single tailed fish and double tailed (fancy) goldfish with other double tailed fish. But an aggressive ryukin will definately out compete a demekin for food. So you must group the modified eyed goldfish together. I have done the same thing in the past, I wanted all those cool breeds happily together in the same tank but it didn't work out well at feeding time. I plan on getting a tank just for demekin so I can keep them, they sure are cute and come in the most amazing colors and finnage.

    I hope all these fish you have are in at least a 55 gallon tank. 5 goldfish will quickly out grow a 55 gallon in just a couple of years. Just thought you would like to know. Good luck you certainly have a challenge on your hands!

  • 1 decade ago

    Try feeding the food on one side of the tank and while everyone is eating put a couple pieces of food on the completely other end of the tank, that way hopefully it will get a chance to sink while the fish on the other side are eating. Then your slower goldfish can go around and forage and will find the food.

  • 6 years ago

    This is common problem I have a goldfish that does that try hand feeding the one that is missing out or training it to follow things faster like food or trap the the other one. If this is not working give it some time maybe its not hungry if it truly is starving it will eat.

  • ?
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    Try the distraction and hand feeding technique. Feed the other fish first. Then, once they're all feeding away, place your hand in the tank near the fantail and drop the food right in front of him. Soon enough he'll associate your hand with food and you will be able to hand feed him :)

    Nice thought, huh?

  • 5 years ago

    I assume this is an American question, cos our frogs don't get that big. Yes, fish sleep and your bull frogs are active at night. Move the frog and if the problem stops it was the frog, so take the frog for a walk and rehome it far from your fish. If it wasn't the frog, it isn't the goldfish so you have an unseen predator?

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    when feeeding flake place the flake under the water and some on top, the flake under the water will sink therefore giving the slower fish time to feed.

  • 1 decade ago

    maybe your goldfish is upset of something like he needs a female goldfish or maybe he is too old and in that case

    you can take him out of the auqrium and put him in some other things with water while its the time for feeding and feed him separatly so he can get his share

  • 1 decade ago

    Oh, I feel bad for him! Could you feed them and use a net to keep the others away for a few minutes? Would it be hard to put him another smaller bowel for feeding time? I bet he's pretty and sweet. Dont let him get bullied!

  • 1 decade ago

    do your fish see you coming with the food? if so, make sure the slow ones see you too before you put the food in. Good Luck to your slow little fishy

  • 1 decade ago

    i wonder if you take him out of the bowl & feed seperatly , would the other fish bully him when you put him back when hes full .may be worth a try

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.