Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

i have recently acquired about fifty murray fingerlings and some of them are eating but I have a few that look like they are not eating. they are very skinny in the body and a few have died looking very thin,

anyway wondering what the forum can provide me in terms of ideas to get them eating, have started a series of water containers to get msquitoe larvae and have had the idea that i could get black worms? or other expensive feeds from the pet shop but want something cheap first.
currently feeding ground up 4mm native fish pellets.

Thanks in advance,
Nick

Don't know if it will work but I have used frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp in the past (pet shop) and all of the fish i have owned have taken to them, may be worth a try in the short term to get them going?

Nick - I assume you have already followed the weaning instructions on the Ausyfish website (ie the bloodworm, then bloodworm with pellet, then pellet process)??

Nick - I'm sure the supplier would have a good knowledge of how to wean them. They would probably have a fact sheet on their website.

If they weren't your supplier then perhaps a call to your supplier might be in order....

Any reputable supplier of Murray Cod should be able to provide you with in depth knowledge of the fish, feeding habits and weaning methods.

It's generally known throughout the industry that Murray Cod can be difficult to wean on to pallets and it's reported that even if they're continually feed with pallets some will still go off them.

Ring your supplier Nick... and let us know what he says

Great minds think alike VB

I imagine it would be hard to wean anything onto pallets. Are they the hardwood ones or the pine ones? 1 square metre?

Termites?

ROFL .... ah you're a wag VB

thanks guys was considering the bloodworm and will grab some this arvo and give it a go,

Nick, Bloodworm is the go. Mine are doing really well on that and are now on small pellets and eating like little pigs. I have lost 5 out of my batch and that was in the first week.

Give them more air
I have had problems with fish deaths with apparently healthy fish
on silvers & barra, it seems to me that with experimentation that fish that lack the correct amount of air will seem Ok but will stop feeding & eventually die from starvation, not lack of air. After adding 4 airstones to my pond the deaths stopped overnight even though I previously had water dropping into the pond from 2 small pumps. Dont take my word for it I am a complete amateur but it worked for me

Great advice Slade - at least when there is heaps of air added, 02 deficiency can be ruled out mostly.

Nick I have found with my cod some are getting constantly chased and not given the opportunity to feed, I then chase them all around with a net to try and break the dominance/ territorialism up a bit. I also had a major problem with caterpillars on my caulies, I would dump the pellets in and then feed the cats to the ones missing out on the pellets while the others were busy. Trouble was they now totally disregarded the pellets but since the colder temps have controlled the cats they seem to be eating OK again ie no starving cod and the only dead one lately choked on a hairy grub that got into the tank
cod fish

A cheaper option to bloodworm might be to buy a lamb or beef heart, freeze it, then run it over a fine grater to make your own little worms. You can shread just a little at a time and return the rest to the freezer. My fish love it, but they tend to turn their nose up at the pellets after this.