Jaguar Cichlid (4M) - doesn't seem to want to eat

[PumpKineTick]

Should I do water changes or should I use salt? Should I wait? I honestly have no direction right now.
I just don't get what's the problem.

 

[PumpKineTick]

I'll try and see if cooling it down to the usual 79 degrees Fahrenheit will do anything.
He didn't even touch the frozen food.

 

[speakerman3]

If you haven't changed the water lately, try a partial change, adding some salt with the new water. Watch his reaction closely with each thing you try. Epsom salt can also be used to treat constipation if you think he might be "jammed up."

 

[PumpKineTick]

I added the salt dosage to the tank. Now I'm waiting...

 

[PumpKineTick]

He ate a healthy amount of food today!
Hand feeding's still off limits, but he seems more confident recently.

 

[Ichthys]

Should I do water changes or should I use salt? Should I wait? I honestly have no direction right now.
I just don't get what's the problem.

View attachment 322909
View attachment 322910

Has it been holding its mouth open like this? Looks like there’s something stuck in its throat (or was).

 

[PumpKineTick]

Has it been holding its mouth open like this? Looks like there’s something stuck in its throat (or was).

He does normally have his mouth partially open. I don't know, that could be the case.

 

[Ichthys]

I’ve just looked at the thread properly (apologies). In all the pictures his mouth is open far wider than it should be, which made me think it might have had something stuck in there.

Also, are you sure the nitrate readings are accurate? Are you banging the bottles on a hard surface aswell as shaking them? Loss of appetite is a classic sign of very high nitrates, and 40-50% monthly changes isn’t much. I would be changing 50% weekly.

If you haven’t been banging the bottles, can you please do so and do another nitrate test?

 

[PumpKineTick]

I’ve just looked at the thread properly (apologies). In all the pictures his mouth is open far wider than it should be, which made me think it might have had something stuck in there.

Also, are you sure the nitrate readings are accurate? Are you banging the bottles on a hard surface aswell as shaking them? Loss of appetite is a classic sign of very high nitrates, and 40-50% monthly changes isn’t much. I would be changing 50% weekly.

If you haven’t been banging the bottles, can you please do so and do another nitrate test?

I used test strips and I'm confident my nitrates are below 40 at the moment. I'm sorry but I don't know what this about banging the bottles is...

 

[Ichthys]

Ok, I assumed you were using a liquid test kit. Btw, I wouldn’t trust test strips one little bit. They’re notoriously inaccurate, so I’m not convinced at all that your nitrates are what the strips say.

 

[FranciscoB]

I am glad that the fish has eaten and that problems may be partly resolved. Stray voltage may have something to do but other factors almost certainly do as well.
You have been given good advice.
For the long term (as in these fish can live many years!), you should consider some important changes in maintenance:
As mentioned here

It could be the high nitrates, not sure if they are super sensitive fish but nitrates can slowly harm the fish over time so a 50% water change and test again. See what it is at and if it still a bit high you could do another 25% water change the next day.

Your nitrate level is high. 40ppm is high no matter what, and if chronically so, it is damaging to most fish. The damage is not acute (effects seen mostly eventually, not immediately). 40-50% water change monthly is woefully low (although there are different schools of thought on this), particularly with a fish of that size in a 100g tank. Perhaps less water changes were sufficient when the fish was smaller, but not now. Nitrate level attest to that.
One should always strive for the lowest nitrate level possible, even though for some of us, the tap water already contains detectable amounts of nitrate. 20ppm is better (but not ideal long-term) and if one can lower it via water changes, one should.
I do ~70% water changes weekly in each of my aquariums, all of which are also fairly heavily planted (so plants take some nitrate as well). I wish I could do even more. I suggest you need at least that, and nitrate level should stay lower.
Your fish is beautiful! Good luck!

 

[PumpKineTick]

Ok, I assumed you were using a liquid test kit. Btw, I wouldn’t trust test strips one little bit. They’re notoriously inaccurate, so I’m not convinced at all that your nitrates are what the strips say.

In my experience, the strips are inaccurate, not because they show false values, but the resolution of the test and the precisiness is lacking.
When I've had a problem with high nitrates, the strips showed a 100 ppm+ reading. Last week, it showed me 40 ppm, and after I changed 50%, it showed 20 ppm, which is expected.
The reading isn't precise, yes. But it would be bright pink if I had high nitrates.

I do get it though, and I'll make sure to take that into account.

 

[PumpKineTick]

I suggest you need at least that, and nitrate level should stay lower.

I agree that my water changing schedule's lazy and needs work. The crazy thing is, this is actually the first fish I've ever kept. Little teenager me thought I'd be cool to have a monster fish in a 100 gallon. Just a heads up, for the first year or two, I didn't even do water changes! Then I had high nitrates and learned why changing water is important. Then I had high nitrites, oh boy. I really though I'd lose him there. But I persevered.
I never had a fish get sick and die before. That's why I panic sometimes.

I wouldn't be here without all the helpful forum members and online fishkeeping personalities.

 

[Ichthys]

Just a heads up, for the first year or two, I didn't even do water changes! Then I had high nitrates and learned why changing water is important.

This is probably the issue. Nitrates, even when high, are more of a chronic problem than an acute one. The effects can be delayed, but once the damage is done, even lowering the nitrates can be too little too late.

 

[PumpKineTick]

We accomplished hand feeding today!
I owe all of you a thank you for contributing.

One should always strive for the lowest nitrate level possible

I'll try my best to foster a more proactive attitude towards the health of my aquarium.
I learned a lot again (especially about stray voltage, like what?), and I strive to improve.

Thank you once again, and I hope I won't be posting on the emergency board soon.

(Also, I'll make sure to gradually remove the salt from the tank)