Elephant Nose feeding?

Question
I just recently bought an elephant nose which i have wanted since i got my tank. I ran across a question you answered of a guy who said his Elephant nose fish was shy.
I'm basically having the same problem.
he hides between these plastic plants alllll the time. I'm worried about him. But how do i get food down to him without all the other fish eating it? I've had him for about 3 days.
I was trying to keep my tank kind of empty as far as decorations but it sounds like im going to need to get some real plants and rocks for him.
I have blood worms and flakes...but he's a bottom feeder.

my main questions is : How do i get the food down to him? And do i feed him after the light is turned off? (about 10:30 i turn my light off)

thank you..my tank has been established for about a year.

Answer
Hi Chris;

Live plants would be great for him to hide in. There are a couple of ways to feed them. Get a turkey baster and mix his food with a little water. Suck up some of it in the baster and gently lower the tip down to your fish. Do it after the lights are out.

Another way that I used to get food to my picky nocturnal guys was with a long clear rigid tube. It needs to be long enough to reach him and but still stick out of the water too. Mine was about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Put it in the water with the tip of it close to the shy fish and drop food in the other end that is out of the water. Keep a cup with water handy and slowly dribble the water into the tube to create kind of a slow stream of food-laced water pointed right at him. The food has to be the kind that sinks.

Also be sure you are offering foods he would be most likely to eat. If he will not eat prepared foods, you will have to try live. Tubifex worms and brine shrimp are the ones mine liked. Once they get a healthy appetite again, you can slowly change to the food you would rather feed them. They will also eat baby guppies.

Elephant Nose Fish are one of my favorites. If you look closely at them, they don't have a "nose" at all. It is their chin that is long! They cruise around at night poking with their "chins" to find and suck up whatever it is they like. Cool little fellas.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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