Re: NANFA-- live foods/ elassoma

R. W. Wolff (choupiqu_at_wctc.net)
Mon, 18 Dec 2000 22:42:47 -0600

My personal favorite live food for fry fish are the easiest to culture as
well. Euglena and paramecium. They are aquatic, and freshwater, so they
don't foul your tank up. I think they probably help water quality, since
they are protozoans, and if I remeber right, they eat bacterias. Next step
up would be grindal worms, also easily cultured, but not aquatic. Fruit
fly, both fly and maggots work good for those fish that are too big for
grindals. Next step up would be white worms ( a little harder, they need to
be kept cool) ,glass worms ,blood worms, black worms larval flys ( mosquitoe
drain fly etc.) and daphnia .

All these foods work good for elassoma , except maybe adult fruit flys. I
have had tanks work from the 2.5 up to 15 gallons. I have never had one
jump out of tank, doesnt mean it couldnt happen. All my tanks for elassoma
use foam filters, they hate current, current is actually bad for them. It
hurts there sensory pores ( which replace the lateral line). The larger
tanks all have some driftwood in them. I use lots of java moss, and other
plants that will grow for me. I also like to have several grades of gravel.
The fry and smaller adults like to hide around and in course gravel. Dim
light is good too. Another thing, snails. Snails a great scavengers, and
baby snails are important in the diet of elassoma. Make sure the water
stays very clean. They are suseptable to dropsy/ bloat and wasting diseaes.
The outdoor tub ponds work great too.

Hope this is of some help.
Ray

/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org