My coral catshark won't eat

[ayrton1]

Hi I've bought an adult coral catshark last week but she didn't eat from then. I've tried to feed with a stick silversides, squid and shrims but she doesn"t want to eat. Now she is in a quarantine tank and I tried to feed her in the night when she should be more active. I need your help because I don't know what I can do. Any input will be appreciate Thanks Lorenzo

 

[DSC reef]

How big is the shark? What size tank is the shark in? Typically it's the newly hatched sharks that take a bit to eat. Were the conditions of the shark poor when you bought it, was it eating then? @alprazo

 

[ayrton1]

How big is the shark? What size tank is the shark in? Typically it's the newly hatched sharks that take a bit to eat. Were the conditions of the shark poor when you bought it, was it eating then? @alprazo

The shark il 20" long and I bought it 4 days after its arrive and it wasn't eating then. I bought it with a male same size but it died the day after!

 

[DSC reef]

That's no where near an adult. I would have made sure it was eating before you took the shark home. Hopefully @alprazo will chime in soon.

 

[Dustin A.]

I've had the same problem in the past. I've seen them wait an entire week before touching anything. I've had good luck with squid and smelt. I'd also recommend treating the tank with prazipro, assuming you haven't done that already. Just to note, my female coral catshark is 3 years old and egg laying and she's only 21" .

 

[ayrton1]

Thanks Dustin for your reply. I hope your experience could be same as mine with the same happy end.
Anyway I keep trying to give her squid and, as you advise, smelt.
So I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

 

[DSC reef]

Our cat shark reached over 20 inches in a year and half, they get much bigger is what I was referring too as someone selling an "adult" could lead you to believe it's done growing. You mentioned you bought 2 but one died, that's why I asked what shape the shark was in before you bought it, what conditions it was kept in, what size tank you have the shark in as they are pretty important. A healthy shark that size should have no issues eating #reefsquad

 

[Why-Me]

I love cat sharks, I hope its ok. Good luck.

 

[Tonysi]

Coral catsharks, Atelomycterus marmoratus ,, get about 24 inches or so typically, so for an adult to not eat is kind of surprising when I had mine she loved to eat clams and mysis. I also fed her squid, krill occasionally, small shrimp and I'm pretty sure she picked off my hermit crabs as well

 

[Brian1f1]

Yikes! How much were they? Any guarantee?

 

[Gareth elliott]

No experience with sharks except research. But i have kept large predatory freshwater fish from pirhana to knife fish(mention since they use similar senses to sharks when hunting).
Have you tried any live foods? Mentioned shrimp any living ones?

Any stray voltage? Is there a suitable hiding spot(s) during the day?

 

[McPuff]

If you haven't tried raw shrimp yet, do it. I have had great success getting newly hatched sharks to eat raw shrimp. Once they eat that for a week or so they seem to eat anything.

 

[ayrton1]

Tonight I tried to give her raw squid's tentacles and with garlic juice, silversides and shrims but nothing...she doesn't eat anything. I put ground probe for stray voltage. I noticed that she scroll her heads sometime...is it possible that flukes could suppress her appetite? I waited to treat her with prazi after he was eating because I know that prazi could influence her appetite! What can you advise to do?

 

[ayrton1]

Any shark expert could help me please?

 

[James M]

Answering @DSC reef questions could help with your problem

 

[DSC reef]

It sounds like you bought sharks that were not eating to begin with. If they are not eating now with fresh food being offered I'm not sure how you can get them to eat. We had to hand feed our hatchling but that's not a 20" shark. Again, this could be a cause of how they were housed and health before purchased and the conditions the shark is in now.

 

[dantimdad]

If an adult is not eating it's more than likely in shock. In my experience, after the first six months, sharks do not like to be moved.

Do not just treat the fish as a precaution. Sharks don't do well with medications.

Wait a couple days and leave her alone. No lights, low water flow and make sure temp isn't too high.

Get selcon if you can and soak some fresh squid in it for an hour. On day three put a small piece in the tank and walk away for a while. Still no lights.

She needs peace and quiet.

IF she begins to eat, then start with low light a few hours a day. Feed and walk away.

 

[Brian1f1]

I remember years ago some sources talking of force feeding angelfish on hunger strikes. I don’t know if that ever works, or if it would make sense as a less ditch effort in this case.

 

[James M]

I remember years ago some sources talking of force feeding angelfish on hunger strikes. I don’t know if that ever works, or if it would make sense as a less ditch effort in this case.

Force feeding isn’t something you should do. It just adds more stress and causes more problems

 

[Gareth elliott]

Not really a nutritious meal but only takes a day or so to change guppies over to salt water. Could try live fish, if lived near id change some of mine over as i feed the excess to my pond fish anyway.

Cheap and dont really have strong swimming ability to run away from the shark. And can survive at salinities almost twice that of the ocean.