I've been culturing microworms for my pygmy gouramis for a bit now, and I've noticed they just aren't interested. I thought they'd be a great small live food, but my fish don't seem to care. They'll eat frozen daphnia occasionally, but it's not their go-to either. Appetite isn't the issue - they devour their Bug Bites, Omega One pellets, and Repashy gel just fine. Live baby brine shrimp, on the other hand, are a huge hit. But those microworms? Not so much.
It's weird to me that they're so picky about live foods. Has anyone else had this experience with their fish?
are my fish being picky with live food?
Re: are my fish being picky with live food?
I've had similar experiences with microworms, they're just too small for most adult fish, if you ask me. I'd only bother with them for tiny fry, not worth the effort for anything else. They often get ignored, and to be honest, they're a lot of work for not a lot of payoff.
Re: are my fish being picky with live food?
I figured pygmy corys being relatively small themselves, might make them a decent fit for microworms.graye wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 5:35 pm I've had similar experiences with microworms, they're just too small for most adult fish, if you ask me. I'd only bother with them for tiny fry, not worth the effort for anything else. They often get ignored, and to be honest, they're a lot of work for not a lot of payoff.
Re: are my fish being picky with live food?
I think part of the issue is that dry foods like Bug Bites and pellets have a strong smell that draws the fish in, whereas live foods like microworms can be more subtle. Fish can get hooked on specific foods, which is why it's good to mix it up. With microworms, they tend to disperse throughout the water, making it tough for the fish to track them down. If your pygmy gouramis knew the microworms were there, they'd probably go for them, but it's possible they just aren't aware of their presence. Grindal worms might be a better bet since they're larger and easier to spot.