Weight gaining food

[PeterUK]

I was lucky to pick up 2 x 6-7inch Liosomadoras oncinus yesterday but they are quite thin with a shrunken stomachs.

My fish shed is in total darkness after 10pm and will be feeding them a mixture of lancefish, mussels, cockles, krill, prawns and catfish pellets a few hours after lights out.

Is there any particular type of food that will put some weight on them more than others ?

[Birger]

The trick is to not overfeed a thin fish at the start, more smaller feeds as opposed to one big, if they eat too much at once that could hurt as well...with these just make sure they are not competing with anything at first and they will rebound quite nicely as long as they are not too far gone. The food you have planned sounds fine...they do eat veggies as well, mine suck back green beans like noodles.

Birger

[PeterUK]

just make sure they are not competing with anything at first

They are in a 4ft with 4 x Thorichthys Ellioti and a pair of Herotilapia multispinosa that breed every few weeks (lots of livefood there )
The light go out at 10pm and I usually get home from work around 1-2 am so I will feed them then so there will be no greedy cichlids eating their food.

[wrasse]

You might find they refuse to eat, even the foods you have in mind.

If that happens, try hand-feeding them with small (say, 2") earthworms. No more than one or two per fish.

[sidguppy]

a 4 foot tank with 6 central American cichlids with eshtablished territories and fry?

I can't think of a worse tank for those Auchenipterids, really; unless it went to a Mbuna tank.

chances are fairly large you will kill your fish

the Liosomadoras is one of those catfishes that cannot cope with being harassed during the day.
the cichlids all have territories by now otherwise they wouldn't breed.

personally I think a 4 foot tank with 6 central American cichlids is full. it's no good cramming South American catfishes in there, not torritory-wise, not because of harassment and not to mention all the wrong waterparameters.......

better take them out and put them in another tank asap or you'll end up with 2 dead Lio's.