Getting food to small Cichlid

[MainelyFish]

I have 4 golden severums and 1 green severum and the smallest one of the groups is very shy and timid... I have never witnessed any other fish harassing him but its always a possibility as i am not there 24/7... He just keeps to himself usually in one of the caves... my fear is that he is not getting enough food because when I feed my fish they all come out to eat except for him... Anyone have any suggestions on how to make sure he gets some food?

[lohachata]

i had that problem with a discus...the smallest guy always hid and did not get enough to eat...so i pulled him and put him in his own tank for a month or so...kept the heat up and fed him 3 times a day...when i put him back with the others he never again took a back seat to anybody...

[MainelyFish]

I do have a 10 gallon tank that I was going to use to try and breed a couple fish... I could always use that tank... He is only 2-3" so he would be ok in a 10 gallon for a month or so?

[weedkiller]

my smaller acara used to hide, still is a little timid...
I think it got to the point where he thought ' u know what... im starving' then he was out fighting back wth the bigger, now the bigger don't bother the smaller when theres food about, guess he learned his lesson

[MainelyFish]

So I was shocked last night... I got him to feed in the big tank... The fish in my tank especially my cichlids will come to the glass when i put my hand on it... So I fed them in the opposite side of the tank as the little guy... I then put some food on the side of my little cichlid that wouldn't eat... I then put my hand on the glass and he slowly and timidly came to it... I then moved my hand near the surface where the food was and he followed it up and found the food and started eating... I then backed off the tank and he back off... I went back up to the glass and he went back up to the surface... it was really neat...

Later that night I gave them a little more food and with a little more help we went to the surface again this time when I back away he stayed and kept eating... Amazing little creatures...

[lohachata]

they learn pretty quick.....

[kcrunch]

My little guys are now about 1 1/2" but when I first got them they would hide and say away from the others during feedings. I started to feed the others in the usual spot but then started adding food on the side they were hiding on before getting the smaller plecocaine I was using crushed flake food and taking a pinch or 2 between my fingers and actually putting it directly in the water in the area where they hid. The food in no time wold drift their way and they began to eat and grow. They are now a nice size and dont backaway from feedings any more.