Ok. I'll ask a dumb question too. What about a shelf that is half way down in the tank where feed will sit on? Would the fish still see this as bottom and not take from it?
Possibly, but keep in mind that in small semi-closed systems, even a few minutes that feed remains uneaten will start to shift your ammonia levels. Especially if the water is warmer.
We have to differentiate between what fish WILL do, and what we WANT them to do. If a fish can poke around in the tank anytime he wants for a meal, he may be less inclined to agressively take the feed when dropped in the tank. This makes it harder for you to ascertain how much feed is necessary to keep fish growing by observing how much they eat and how agressively they eat it right at the time of introduction.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
