Fish Stopped Eating Question

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This may seem silly but over the last couple of days 3 of my fish stopped eating regularly. A 3 year old pygmy hawkfish, a 4 year old margarita cardinal, and a 7 year old possum wrasse. Based on their ages I am a little concerned. I have been pretty much feeding Hikari Mysis/Brine and LRS daily. My LFS ran out of Hikari so I have started using PE Mysis instead. After a few days of feeding the PE mysis the three fish stopped eating. I have noticed the possum wrasse eating pods which I guess is still good. Can over feeding fish cause them to stop eating for a few days? The only thing I can think of is the PE mysis is more meatier and bigger than the Hikari and the fish are still full. I kept up with the same 3x per day feeding. I also moved some chaeto from the sump to my display to reseed some pods. Maybe the wrasse is more interested in the live food. Obviously when fish get to these ages it becomes a little worrisome. Nothing new has been added so that has nothing to do with it. My fairies, anthias, rabbitfish, and chromis are all sucking down food with no issue. Its just the smaller guys that seem a bit off.
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,278
Reaction score
25,181
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've found that PE Mysis are rather large, and a pretty rich/fatty food. I often use a razor blade to cut it up into more manageable pieces. Maybe you did feed them past satiation. Another idea is that since PE mysis are pretty rich, the fiber amount is less, and the fish's gut motility slowed down (Like when I eat a big 'ol steak). Still, I get nervous when a group of fish suddenly stop feeding like they had been. Perhaps give them a day and see if they go back at it?

Jay
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've found that PE Mysis are rather large, and a pretty rich/fatty food. I often use a razor blade to cut it up into more manageable pieces. Maybe you did feed them past satiation. Another idea is that since PE mysis are pretty rich, the fiber amount is less, and the fish's gut motility slowed down (Like when I eat a big 'ol steak). Still, I get nervous when a group of fish suddenly stop feeding like they had been. Perhaps give them a day and see if they go back at it?

Jay

The other thing I have been considering is that my larger fish have been a lot more aggressive with the PE than the Hikari so the little guys are getting a bit spooked and outcompeted. Seems a bit strange since my smaller reclusive fish are on this little strike. I am most worried about the possum though as I think he is well past its life expectancy. Not sure how long maragarita cardinals and perchlets live but can't imagine its a super long time.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,822
Reaction score
200,054
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
have you tried feeding smaller foods such as mysis shrimp, spirulina brine and adding garlic as an enticer?
Can you verify ammonia and nitrate level and salinity ?
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
have you tried feeding smaller foods such as mysis shrimp, spirulina brine and adding garlic as an enticer?
Can you verify ammonia and nitrate level and salinity ?

No ammonia and nitrates are under 1 but not 0. I think last ICP test was .75. Salinity is 35ppt. I always fed hikari mysis and spirulina brine but my store was out of stock so I had to get PE mysis instead. They were eating like crazy for a few days and now all of a sudden stopped eating. The possum wrasse is still cruising around picking at pods though but none will eat anything frozen now.
 

KenRexford

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 5, 2019
Messages
354
Reaction score
415
Location
Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a Blonde Naso Tang that is on its last breath. I expect it to die overnight, but I thought it was a goner last night. No signs of injury or illness, but I noticed that it stopped eating except a bare smudge for the past week, and it seems like it has starved to death quickly. All other fish and the tank generally seems fine. I was hoping someone knew something for your similar issue...
 

Zionas

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 6, 2020
Messages
5,602
Reaction score
3,472
Location
Winnieland (AKA “People’s” Republic of China)
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A 7-year old Possum Wrasse? That’s pretty impressive considering how small they are.

I’d expect the Hawkfish and the Cardinal to live at least 10 years so don’t think old age is the problem here.

Not sure about the wrasse, I’m sure it’s not a young fish anymore but then I would probably attribute it to something else other than old age.

How big were the fish when you got them? And yes I’d also check for overfeeding.
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A 7-year old Possum Wrasse? That’s pretty impressive considering how small they are.

I’d expect the Hawkfish and the Cardinal to live at least 10 years so don’t think old age is the problem here.

Not sure about the wrasse, I’m sure it’s not a young fish anymore but then I would probably attribute it to something else other than old age.

How big were the fish when you got them? And yes I’d also check for overfeeding.

Yea i got the possum in the spring of 2013 right when we moved. I remember having to to drive to my old house to pick up the fish because I forgot to change my shipping my address. The Geometric Pygmy Hawk is about 1.5 inches. The cardinal is probablly an inch. Both are very small but that just about their max size. Honestly they may have always been that size. Too little to see a difference. I knew bangaii and Pajama's can live in that 5 to 10 year range. I thought the Apogan family had a lot shorter life spans. I used to keep red spots and they would last 1 to 2 years tops.
 

StlSalt

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
480
Reaction score
626
Location
St. Louis, MO
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What about going to another store for some frozen food? Even Petco carries some San Fran Bay Frozen cubes of mysis. Which would be smaller than the PC mysis.
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What about going to another store for some frozen food? Even Petco carries some San Fran Bay Frozen cubes of mysis. Which would be smaller than the PC mysis.

That's my plan. Stores were already closed last night. Will be going during lunch today.
 

Zionas

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 6, 2020
Messages
5,602
Reaction score
3,472
Location
Winnieland (AKA “People’s” Republic of China)
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Oh you’re talking about Glass Cardinals? Yeah these guys aren’t known for living very long. Pajamas to my knowledge easily live a decade and more. I’ve done a browse on this and other forums on people with the oldest fish and Pajama Cardinals showed up a number of times.

Not sure about the Pygmy Hawk (technically an Anthias) but I’d give it a lifespan just south of 10 years, maybe up to 10 but can’t say for sure.


You’re really lucky you can drive lol because as a non-driver that fish would have likely died if it were my fish. xD

Yeah maybe try a different kind of frozen food. Do your fish take pellets and flakes readily?
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Oh you’re talking about Glass Cardinals? Yeah these guys aren’t known for living very long. Pajamas to my knowledge easily live a decade and more. I’ve done a browse on this and other forums on people with the oldest fish and Pajama Cardinals showed up a number of times.

Not sure about the Pygmy Hawk (technically an Anthias) but I’d give it a lifespan just south of 10 years, maybe up to 10 but can’t say for sure.


You’re really lucky you can drive lol because as a non-driver that fish would have likely died if it were my fish. xD

Yeah maybe try a different kind of frozen food. Do your fish take pellets and flakes readily?

Don't really mess around with pellets or and no flakes. This is the cardinal I have except its wild caught and not captive bred.

 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So the cardinal ate brine today. Possum wrasse and perchlet still not eating. Is it possible that I got some spoiled pe mysis that got the fish sick?
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cardinal ate again today. Perchlet are LRS, and possum wrasse still not eating. Its still cruising around the rock working sucking down pods though.
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cardinal ate again today. Perchlet are LRS, and possum wrasse still not eating. Its still cruising around the rock working sucking down pods though.

My tanaka's only ate my offerings when he ran ran out of pods.
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cardinal ate again today. Perchlet are LRS, and possum wrasse still not eating. Its still cruising around the rock working sucking down pods though.

My tanaka's only ate my offerings when he ran ran out of pods.
 

Baronen

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
269
Reaction score
90
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Any update to this? My female possum wrasse stopped eating as well. Male is still eating well. I recently moved some rocks around and they are a lot more active and aggressive than normal. Maybe they are getting ready to spawn?
 
OP
OP
Huskymaniac

Huskymaniac

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
1,568
Reaction score
810
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Any update to this? My female possum wrasse stopped eating as well. Male is still eating well. I recently moved some rocks around and they are a lot more active and aggressive than normal. Maybe they are getting ready to spawn?
Fish finally died this summer. Was over 10 years old.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.2%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.5%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
Back
Top