Red Sea Regal Stopped Eating

[Bronco765]

I have a Red Sea Regal that I received from Dr Reef on 9/10. Perfectly healthy and was eating day one. Not shy at all. No flashing, no scratching and no hiding. Breathing normal. Completely active. Tried to feed today and it swims up to the food but won’t consume it. The photo shows a white spot on the lower lip that wasn’t there before so maybe an injury? Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[W31Olds]

Can you post a couple more Pics an/or a Video and a broadside shot? What have you been Feeding and how often? Is he hiding and is there any aggression by Tank Mates? Regals can be intimidated and go off feed.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a Red Sea Regal that I received from Dr Reef on 9/10. Perfectly healthy and was eating day one. Not shy at all. No flashing, no scratching and no hiding. Breathing normal. Completely active. Tried to feed today and it swims up to the food but won’t consume it. The photo shows a white spot on the lower lip that wasn’t there before so maybe an injury? Thanks in advance for the help!

iS THE FISH BREATHING NORMAL OR LABORED? They are prone to flukes and may be part of issue. Also what foods are you feeding?

 

[Bronco765]

Breathing completely normal. Not hiding. Comes right up to me. I feed LRS Fish Frenzy.

 

[Bronco765]

Can you post a couple more Pics an/or a Video and a broadside shot? What have you been Feeding and how often? Is he hiding and is there any aggression by Tank Mates? Regals can be intimidated and go off feed.

Here’s a short video. No tank mate aggression and not hiding except when trying to video him. Feeding LRS fish frenzy at least 2 times a day. I received the fish on 9/10 and it hasn’t missed a feeding. Just stopped a day ago. The white spot on the lower lip wasn’t there last week.

 

[Bronco765]

Can you post a couple more Pics an/or a Video and a broadside shot? What have you been Feeding and how often? Is he hiding and is there any aggression by Tank Mates? Regals can be intimidated and go off feed.

The video won’t play. I’ll post another way.

 

[Bronco765]

The first picture was taken on 9/23 and there isn’t a white mark on the lower lip like the picture I took today.

 

[W31Olds]

A couple of things. This is obviously a Juvenile so Feeding 2X a Day is insufficient unless you have a very Mature Tank with Pods, Worms, etc. Is he picking at the Rockwork or has he been? Flukes is a possibility but most likely from another Fish. Have you added anything else recently? The mouth is most likely an impact injury maybe from being startled. If he is picking at Algae on your Rockwork it's not serious. I do see a Fish that is somewhat Thin which is not good for these little ones. I would try finely Chopped Clam and Brine/Mysis Shrimp. If he doesn't go for Clam that might be a concern. It's like Candy for Regals. You could also try something small like Frozen Cyclops.
@Jay Hemdal

 

[Bronco765]

A couple of things. This is obviously a Juvenile so Feeding 2X a Day is insufficient unless you have a very Mature Tank with Pods, Worms, etc. Is he picking at the Rockwork or has he been? Flukes is a possibility but most likely from another Fish. Have you added anything else recently? The mouth is most likely an impact injury maybe from being startled. If he is picking at Algae on your Rockwork it's not serious. I do see a Fish that is somewhat Thin which is not good for these little ones. I would try finely Chopped Clam and Brine/Mysis Shrimp. If he doesn't go for Clam that might be a concern. It's like Candy for Regals. You could also try something small like Frozen Cyclops.
@Jay Hemdal

Yeah he does pick at the algae on the rock. I’m thinking maybe he injured it picking at the rock? On Friday he was eating completely normal, eating anything I put in the tank. I’ll try the clam. He still rushes to the food like normal but won’t consume it.

 

[winxp_man]

Yeah he does pick at the algae on the rock. I’m thinking maybe he injured it picking at the rock? On Friday he was eating completely normal, eating anything I put in the tank. I’ll try the clam. He still rushes to the food like normal but won’t consume it.

Got two wild Sumatra Yellow Belly’s. They do love to graze on algae. If you can get live brine try that, but one of the magical foods I get 99% of non eating fish to eat is black worms. Brought back maroon clowns that decided to want to stave to death but is now thriving. Try arcti-pods. Clams make sure you cut them up small mine did not look at the clams at all.


Side note, of all the foods I have pellet wise, the easy reef has been my go to lately. And I’m picky about what I buy for dry food. Minimal fillers, and non of that starch crap that for example tdo has. My two favorites are new life spectrum and easy reef. The ER DKi 1.3 beta glucan is good for the immune and almost all my fish that don’t tend to eat pellets also eat these.

Any flashing or yawning of any sorts?

 

[Bronco765]

Yeah he does pick at the algae on the rock. I’m thinking maybe he injured it picking at the rock? On Friday he was eating completely normal, eating anything I put in the tank. I’ll try the clam. He still rushes to the food like normal but won’t consume it.

Got two wild Sumatra Yellow Belly’s. They do love to graze on algae. If you can get live brine try that, but one of the magical foods I get 99% of non eating fish to eat is black worms. Brought back maroon clowns that decided to want to stave to death but is now thriving. Try arcti-pods. Clams make sure you cut them up small mine did not look at the clams at all.


Side note, of all the foods I have pellet wise, the easy reef has been my go to lately. And I’m picky about what I buy for dry food. Minimal fillers, and non of that starch crap that for example tdo has. My two favorites are new life spectrum and easy reef. The ER DKi 1.3 beta glucan is good for the immune and almost all my fish that don’t tend to eat pellets also eat these.

Any flashing or yawning of any sorts?

No flashing or yawning

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

No flashing or yawning

If the appearance of the lower jaw lesion coincided with it suddenly not eating, then I would lean towards this being caused by an injury. I don’t see any sign of infection, perhaps the pain is just enough to put it off its feed.

Trouble with mouth injuries is they have to heal before the fish will be inclined to start feeding again, but the clock is ticking. Food attractants rarely help, but maybe offering smaller, soft food items?

How long has it been without food?

 

[Apayson]

I would call the store/seller you purchased it from and ask what food they were feeding.
Then try soaking it in Seachem garlic guard...feed small broadcast feeling a few times per day.
If it's intimated by other fish, maybe drop food in a few spots...or x2 nori clips to distract the others.

If it's an injury I'd also get some selcon vitamins.

 

[W31Olds]

Yeah he does pick at the algae on the rock. I’m thinking maybe he injured it picking at the rock? On Friday he was eating completely normal, eating anything I put in the tank. I’ll try the clam. He still rushes to the food like normal but won’t consume it.

If he is picking at Algae on the Rocks, it's not a mouth injury. Also, very unlikely a Fish would every injury its mouth by picking at Rocks as that's what they are designed to do. He may be contstipated.

 

[Bronco765]

No flashing or yawning

If the appearance of the lower jaw lesion coincided with it suddenly not eating, then I would lean towards this being caused by an injury. I don’t see any sign of infection, perhaps the pain is just enough to put it off its feed.

Trouble with mouth injuries is they have to heal before the fish will be inclined to start feeding again, but the clock is ticking. Food attractants rarely help, but maybe offering smaller, soft food items?

How long has it been without food?

It was eating fine on Friday. Just got home from Denver last night and noticed the lesion this morning. It still rushes to the food just doesn’t consume it. I’m thinking it’s the pain that is causing it not to eat. Kinda like when we get a fever blister on the lip. I feed LRS fish frenzy. Before the lesion it would eat anything I fed it.