# Feeding Shell Dwellers



## Kenny (Aug 19, 2012)

I just started a shell dweller tank, and have a question about the feeding them. Since they are always at the bottom and don't like to come up for food, I'm wondering what the best way to feed these guys are.

I'm feeding them frozen brine shrimp, which is easy but I also want to feed them flake food. I guess the only way is to push the flakes down, which I find a bit of an inconvenience each time.

Thoughts?


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## Mamoru (Jun 24, 2020)

Which shell dwellers? As they get more comfortable, they should be more adventurous coming out! I feed my Multis flakes all the time!


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## Kenny (Aug 19, 2012)

Multis as well  They are coming out of their shells, but they don't come up to the water surface to grab the flaked food - perhaps they aren't comfortable yet?

Do your's go to surface for the flakes?

Thanks


Mamoru said:


> Which shell dwellers? As they get more comfortable, they should be more adventurous coming out! I feed my Multis flakes all the time!


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## Mamoru (Jun 24, 2020)

Kenny said:


> Multis as well
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Only the big males go straight to the top I find, the rest wait for it to sink at least just below the water surface!


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## Kenny (Aug 19, 2012)

I'm noticing that too...the large males are not as shy as the females and are more open to swimming up to mid stream or closer to the top.

I need to agitate the surface to get the flakes to sink...was thinking of picking up some top level swimmers such as Danios or Minnows to do that job for me.

I think they are still settling in as well and finding their spot....each morning when I check on them they've moved sand around and there's holes in the sand everywhere  One has settled in and declared one shell as his home while there's one that still searching.



Mamoru said:


> Only the big males go straight to the top I find, the rest wait for it to sink at least just below the water surface!


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

but won't danios or minnows outcompete for food?


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## Kenny (Aug 19, 2012)

They might, but my thought was to feed more flakes - in watching Danios especially they like to grab the flakes from the surface and enough for the flakes to sink as they 'miss'. Perhaps, it's not the most effective means...I think I'll just sink the flakes manually. I don't have enough water surface agitation that is turbulent enough to sink the food.

The flakes I'm using never sink - they seem to float all day. I'm using Omega Cichlid Flakes.



ksimdjembe said:


> but won't danios or minnows outcompete for food?


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