Loach is feeding up top of tank??

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Aim
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Joined: Tue May 05, 2015 11:25 am

Loach is feeding up top of tank??

Post by Aim » Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:56 pm

I've noticed our Pakistani loach, for the past few days, has been rushing to the top of the tank at feed times and has been feeding up the top with our guppies and such. He seems to be getting just as much food as anybody. Because he eats at the top and then after a couple minutes eats off the floor like our other bottom feeders. So I'm confused at his behaviour. Has anyone else experienced this or know what he's doing?

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mikev
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Re: Loach is feeding up top of tank??

Post by mikev » Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:30 pm

Not unusual, and there is nothing wrong with it. Your loach learned that there is another way to feed and perhaps he likes guppy food (flakes) better.

I see this all the time with various botia species, including your b.almorhae.

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redshark1
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Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, Great Britain.

Re: Loach is feeding up top of tank??

Post by redshark1 » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:43 pm

I've had that behaviour when I bought some pellets and they were floaters not sinkers. The Clown Loaches learned that if they wanted the food they would have to take them from the surface. That they did and it quite noisy and spectacular (or should that be splashtacular?). :D
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

Diana
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Re: Loach is feeding up top of tank??

Post by Diana » Wed Jun 10, 2015 8:03 pm

Another ditto: Most Loaches are adaptable fish, and are quite willing to take the food from wherever it is.
Fish do not know that you add certain food for just certain fish. They cannot read the labels.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

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mikev
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Re: Loach is feeding up top of tank??

Post by mikev » Wed Jun 10, 2015 8:29 pm

They also cannot read the books where they are defined as "bottomfeeders".

Maarten B
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Re: Loach is feeding up top of tank??

Post by Maarten B » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:24 am

But they can read feedingtime from a nearby clock, to go and wait near the surface for the first bits of any food. :P

Yoyos are very inventive in getting extra food. One of mine goes around checking every feedingpipe above the water. When he sees bits stuck in it, he paddles himself out of the water to get it, eats it, then goes to the next pipe. Every day. The others sit below him to snap up loosened scraps.
Just an example from my tank, but to me, this kind of unexpected behaviour is one of the reasons to keep loaches.

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