BTA keeps spitting out sliversides

My red BTA is fairly new - about 2-3 weeks in my tank. It is about 3-4 inches in diameter. Lately it has been looking hungry - I can see the mouth area. So I try to feed it pieces of silverside. It grabs the silverside and takes it toward the mouth....but a few hours later I see the piece floating around the tank.

Does this mean it isn't hungry, or should I try another food? The pieces I give it are fairly small - basically about 1/2" in length.

 

I don't think its hungry. Mine act like they are interested sometimes then they let it go when I turn my back. Try a little squirt of mysis or brine next week.

 

Try a smaller piece... Maybe?

 

I tried it as small as possible - it always lets go. I tried a chunk of frozen mysis and I hope it ate it, but it's impossible to know since if it spat out the mysis it would be lost in the tank.

 

Sometimes mine takes it, sometimes it does not. When it's hungry, it's taken pieces as long as 2" with no problems. Lately, I've just been feeding it frozen mysis. Once tawed I suck it up with a syringe, and just shoot the food at it. It grabs it all up and eats it with no problems. Anything left floating is quickly taken care of by the fish.

 

mine also spit out the last piece of sivlerside I tried to feed him, but he LOVES Krill

 

I fed mine about every 3-4 days... always had good luck..

 

yeah, reduce feedings might help. Im feeding mine daily with half a krill a day. Once he starts spitting them out, ill cut back to every other.

 

Feed a small piece of uncooked shrimp instead. Everybody loves shrimp.