Rainbow Not Eating

[BillS]

Recently finished a fishless cycle of my 72 gallon tank. All the readings are good and four days ago we introduced three pairs of Rainbows into the tank. Five of them are very feisty, eating normally, exploring and settling in. Number six is not eating and remaining in a secluded area of the tank. It looks fine and isn't showing any obvious signs of distress. The LFS says give it time. Any suggestions?

 

[davejcollins]

Recently finished a fishless cycle of my 72 gallon tank. All the readings are good and four days ago we introduced three pairs of Rainbows into the tank. Five of them are very feisty, eating normally, exploring and settling in. Number six is not eating and remaining in a secluded area of the tank. It looks fine and isn't showing any obvious signs of distress. The LFS says give it time. Any suggestions?

What kind of rainbowfish is it?

 

[BillS]

Recently finished a fishless cycle of my 72 gallon tank. All the readings are good and four days ago we introduced three pairs of Rainbows into the tank. Five of them are very feisty, eating normally, exploring and settling in. Number six is not eating and remaining in a secluded area of the tank. It looks fine and isn't showing any obvious signs of distress. The LFS says give it time. Any suggestions?

What kind of rainbowfish is it?

It's a Red. Not much has changed two days after my original post.

 

[Katch]

give it a bit more time and then maybe try feeding it in isolation with some food treated with garlic.

You can buy garlic oil capsules at health food shops and split it over a small bit of food.

Get a large ice cream tub or similar and make sure it's very clean. Fill it with tank water and then carefully net the fish into it. If your tank had a hood with lights it will probably be warm - you can leave the tub on the top and the water will stay warm.

Add the food and keep a close eye to see if it feeds. If it does let it eat as much as it can the put it back in the main tank. Do this every day or so until it starts feeding in the main tank.

If it doesn't start feeding something else is wrong.

oh don't fill the tub too high (3/4 is enough) or the fish could easily jump out!

 

[BillS]

give it a bit more time and then maybe try feeding it in isolation with some food treated with garlic.

You can buy garlic oil capsules at health food shops and split it over a small bit of food.

Get a large ice cream tub or similar and make sure it's very clean. Fill it with tank water and then carefully net the fish into it. If your tank had a hood with lights it will probably be warm - you can leave the tub on the top and the water will stay warm.

Add the food and keep a close eye to see if it feeds. If it does let it eat as much as it can the put it back in the main tank. Do this every day or so until it starts feeding in the main tank.

If it doesn't start feeding something else is wrong.

oh don't fill the tub too high (3/4 is enough) or the fish could easily jump out!

Thanks, Katch. I'll leave it until the weekend and then maybe take action>

What's the impact of the garlic?

 

[Katch]

tastes nice

but seriously - it has a range of health benefits for fish and has been used in the hobby for a long time.

 

[Jay-93]

If you use garlic, make sure you put a tic tac in the next morning.

 

[mikev]

It is not uncommon for a rainbow to refuse food after being moved; this most often happens to larger fish, especially males. One of my bows (alpha male) refused food for three weeks after being moved across the fishroom! (yes, a fish in good health can fast this long).

Try frozen bloodworms to induce it, but otherwise leave it alone. If the fish is small, under 1.5-2", try artemia.

And of course, keep in mind that a new fish may also be unhealthy.

 

[BillS]

It is not uncommon for a rainbow to refuse food after being moved; this most often happens to larger fish, especially males. One of my bows (alpha male) refused food for three weeks after being moved across the fishroom! (yes, a fish in good health can fast this long).

Try frozen bloodworms to induce it, but otherwise leave it alone. If the fish is small, under 1.5-2", try artemia.

And of course, keep in mind that a new fish may also be unhealthy.

Well, she still isn't eating, but seems more active in the tank. She's at day 8 of fasting so hopefully she'll relent and try something soon.