Feeding Apisto Trifasciatas

[AnythingShiny]

Hi guys, I'm brand new here, but you can find me on AquariaCentral under the same username. I just got a reverse trio of apisto trifasciatas 3 days ago. They are residing in a 20 long with about 6 guppies as dithers. I have seen both males eat frozen bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp, but I haven't seen the female eat at all. She acts like she is eating, but just bites the gravel even if the food is right in front of her. She swims just fine, but rests on her belly on the gravel instead of on her ventrals like the males. Should I be worried? What should I do to make her eat? Water parameters are perfect: 7.0 pH, less than 25 ppm of kH and gH, temperature at 78 degrees. What's wrong? Is she still acclimating?

 

[Mike Wise]

The female might be under more stress than the males. Males can be quite dominant toward females and she has two with which to contend. Hopefully there are many hiding places and territorial boundaries. I would give her a few more days. If she doesn't appear to eat, I would then move her to a dim tank and feed with live baby brine shrimp. Only if she then doesn't eat would I worry about her health.

 

[AnythingShiny]

I saw her picking at food yesterday, so I would assume she is settling in. Thanks!