Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all,

I have just added 10 silver perch (5 -6cm) to my system. I was advised that they prefer food pellets that sink.

I currently have 2mm pondmax brand fry pellets, but they float ... for days.

My q's are:

- Is there an easy way to get them to sink, like soaking them or something?
- Can the perch get used to eating them off the surface?
- If I need a sinking pellet what would you recommend?

I've only ever used floating pellets for SP, I think most do.

Yep, they will get used to them, much better to have them float so you know what they are eating rather than have lots of pellets sink to the bottom.

A certain amount will sink but that just helps to bring up looking for more. Do not leave old food floating in the tank, if not eaten in 20/30 minutes pull out. Some members say less time but that is to ensure they do not sink and lay on the bottom of your tank.

My SP are very skittish, only the brave few going for the floating pellets straight of, the others wait till nobodies looking at them?

I use the sinking pellets for the yabbies but the gold fish and SP wolf these down as well.

These SP are very shy too. I have a 200mm pipe in the bottom of the FT and that's where they stay.




Wow pull the food out that quick, OK I didn't know that.

So what's a good feeding regime then? Each time I add food there are no takers so I leave it.

Are SP sight feeders or scent? Mine are hiding all the time so would not see the food hit the water.

my silvers weren't feeding when I fed them in the morning so I went to afternoon feeding when the water is warmer and they feed no problem

When I first got my Silver fingerlings, I crushed the pellets and they would wolf them down.

Now they go for them even if we stand around, but they will be three years in my tank in a month.

mine feed light and dark, so probably a mixture of sight and scent. Give them a good starve, it'll help them transition to floating. I've just about to do mine as they have been on sinking for the last 4 months - Think sinking helps for very small skittish fish, though a PITA to monitor feed response. All my other SP are on 3mm floating.

I've seen silvers "learn" to feed on floating pellets by putting a goldfish in the tank. The goldfish gulps the food from the surface and pretty soon the little silvers get the idea of what to do.

Yea I found tandanus to have a similar effect. They gulped at the surface constantly and the silvers seem to relax and follow suit.

Thanks Matt, I guess by default they are starving. How long until I worry?

I have removed the pipe hide so they have no excuse not to see food hit now.



That might be my next move as I have goldfish in the next tank.

Thanks everyone, some excellent ideas and guidance, I'll keep posting the updates on my system thread.