How long can a fish go without eating?

ddevlin · 06/14/2006, 02:47 PM

I added an adult Coral Beauty to my tank on Saturday and it has not been eating (today is Wednesday). I am getting a little concerned because its belly is starting to look concave. I have tried flake, frozen brine plus, flake, nori... not taking any of it. Soked the frozen brine in garlic and still nothing.

The fish did show some signs of stress the next day after it was added (spots, swollen eyes) but they have since cleared up.

How long will he last not eating?

crumbletop · 06/14/2006, 02:51 PM

Was it eating at the LFS? If healthy it can go a while without food (a week or so). I'd continue to be patient. Not really much you can do but hope it gets so hungry it overcomes its fear, etc and starts to eat. You could try some cyclopeeze. Sometimes they really like that. You could also try dimming the lights for a few days. Sometimes that makes new fish feel more comfortable.

Jack

ddevlin · 06/14/2006, 03:23 PM

Healty and eating at LFS. He does hang out in the back of the tank a lot so I guess he is still adjusting.

Sk8r · 06/14/2006, 03:35 PM

try the Cyclopeeze. If he won't take to that, there's a problem.

chocolates mom · 06/14/2006, 03:57 PM

When I got my Coral Beauty he pecked at the bottom and didn't go near the food at feeding time. I added the Nori with garlic and after about 5-6 days he would peck at that. Sometimes I would get up in the morning and a hunk would be missing and I just assumed it was the Coraly Beauty but didn't know for sure. By about the 8th day he started eating everything in sight. I was lucky though he was plump when I got him.

ddevlin · 06/14/2006, 04:14 PM

all my fish are pigs so food wont hang around for the CB to decide to eat it. I will pick up some Cyclopeeze and try that.

bmrigs · 06/14/2006, 04:18 PM

my coral beauty doesnt really eat the frozen foods either but rathers just grazes on the rocks. He looks healthy so its all good.

kevin2000 · 06/15/2006, 08:05 AM

When fish stop eating that's often a bad sign and you need to jump start the eating. I have found that live brine shrimp is the best method to entice fish to eat .. when a fish won't eat live brine shrimp you definitely have a problem.

hanas · 06/15/2006, 08:15 AM

I would also try live brine shrimp, he could be still acclimating to the new environment.

Do you see him grazing at all off the LR?

IPowderBlueTang · 06/15/2006, 09:54 AM

Give it a couple days for him to adjust to the new tank mates and he might start eating, after a week and if still not eating you might have a problem. Keep an eye on the tank make sure no other fish is bullying him too much. After feeding all your fish give the coral beauty a feeding with a turkey baster aim at him. I found that a fish that don't eat food in garlic is mostly in trouble. Sorry to say that!

I have a leaf scorpion that would not eat for a week, because it ate live food at the LFS. I soak krill in garlic and he went for it after a week of starving and now only eats krill!

06/14/2006, 02:47 PM	#1
ddevlin Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Florida Posts: 472	How long can a fish go without eating? I added an adult Coral Beauty to my tank on Saturday and it has not been eating (today is Wednesday). I am getting a little concerned because its belly is starting to look concave. I have tried flake, frozen brine plus, flake, nori... not taking any of it. Soked the frozen brine in garlic and still nothing. The fish did show some signs of stress the next day after it was added (spots, swollen eyes) but they have since cleared up. How long will he last not eating?

06/14/2006, 02:51 PM	#2
crumbletop Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 4,718	Was it eating at the LFS? If healthy it can go a while without food (a week or so). I'd continue to be patient. Not really much you can do but hope it gets so hungry it overcomes its fear, etc and starts to eat. You could try some cyclopeeze. Sometimes they really like that. You could also try dimming the lights for a few days. Sometimes that makes new fish feel more comfortable. Jack __________________ "Misers get up early in the morning; and burglars, I am informed, get up the night before." - GK Chesterton Current Tank Info: 90 gallon AGA RR. 20 gal sump. 6x54W T5. AquaController Jr.

06/14/2006, 03:35 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	try the Cyclopeeze. If he won't take to that, there's a problem. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/14/2006, 03:23 PM	#3
ddevlin Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Florida Posts: 472	Healty and eating at LFS. He does hang out in the back of the tank a lot so I guess he is still adjusting.

06/14/2006, 03:57 PM	#5
chocolates mom Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Abbotsford British Columbia Posts: 302	When I got my Coral Beauty he pecked at the bottom and didn't go near the food at feeding time. I added the Nori with garlic and after about 5-6 days he would peck at that. Sometimes I would get up in the morning and a hunk would be missing and I just assumed it was the Coraly Beauty but didn't know for sure. By about the 8th day he started eating everything in sight. I was lucky though he was plump when I got him.

06/14/2006, 04:14 PM	#6
ddevlin Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Florida Posts: 472	all my fish are pigs so food wont hang around for the CB to decide to eat it. I will pick up some Cyclopeeze and try that.

06/14/2006, 04:18 PM	#7
bmrigs Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 198	my coral beauty doesnt really eat the frozen foods either but rathers just grazes on the rocks. He looks healthy so its all good.

06/15/2006, 08:05 AM	#8
kevin2000 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,805	When fish stop eating that's often a bad sign and you need to jump start the eating. I have found that live brine shrimp is the best method to entice fish to eat .. when a fish won't eat live brine shrimp you definitely have a problem.

06/15/2006, 08:15 AM	#9
hanas Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 795	I would also try live brine shrimp, he could be still acclimating to the new environment. Do you see him grazing at all off the LR?

06/15/2006, 09:54 AM	#10
IPowderBlueTang Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, Canada Posts: 769	Give it a couple days for him to adjust to the new tank mates and he might start eating, after a week and if still not eating you might have a problem. Keep an eye on the tank make sure no other fish is bullying him too much. After feeding all your fish give the coral beauty a feeding with a turkey baster aim at him. I found that a fish that don't eat food in garlic is mostly in trouble. Sorry to say that! I have a leaf scorpion that would not eat for a week, because it ate live food at the LFS. I soak krill in garlic and he went for it after a week of starving and now only eats krill!