WAL Not eating

arowanaman85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 8, 2016
200
32
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Vandergrift, PA
purchased a WAL about a month ago, now when i first got him, tried feeding a piece of shrimp, after 2-3 days and 10 or so attempts he finally took it and that was that.

now that is last time i know he ate, i have tried that same method and also tried leaving it in the tank
have added a guppy i had from a community tank, and they are alive and well, added ghost shrimp, which is also thriving. tried removing his pipe that he hides in, no difference. Have tried pellets, tried dog food (don't ask), tried blood worms, tried massivoire pellets, tried garlic extract on shrimp, different sizes of shrimp, tried tillapia, tried snails, tried mussels, only thing I am thinking about but haven't bothered with yet is crickets and earth worms...

WAL is about 12" long, and thick, no signs of losing weight

now he is in a 25 or 30 gallon, doing 50-60% water changes daily with water from another tank system, just have it plumbed in with overflow going into sink.

Keep the water level at around 6-8"

bare bottom tank

15" of 1-1/2" pvc pipe in tank for a hiding spot, running a sponge filter....he has popped 2x that i have seen, they were large so can't imagine i will miss it when it happen, once after he ate the first time, once again recently, might of eaten the blood worms, i didn't remove them, the guppies and ghost shrimp were eating them.

any suggestions?

Parameters
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0-10ppm
pH 7-7.2
Temp 79f
25 Gallon with maybe 12-20 gallon volume at different points in the day, water is changed 1-4 times a day with established tank water.
 

arowanaman85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 8, 2016
200
32
31
38
Vandergrift, PA
one other thing i have tried is placing small piece of shrimp in his pipe, he moves it to other side of the tank, and doesn't appear to eat it, does look like it has been mouthed, but is probably just the guppies and the shrimp idk, is it normal for them to just chew on something and not finish it?
 

arowanaman85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 8, 2016
200
32
31
38
Vandergrift, PA
Talked to lfs the person that was feeding him is off today but they think it was blood worms and mysis. So gonna try that other suggestions welcome :)
 

rodger

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 29, 2008
3,343
283
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Kansas City
I'm guessing internal parasites. Try PraziPro.
 
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rodger

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 29, 2008
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Kansas City
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arowanaman85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 8, 2016
200
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Vandergrift, PA
I think I wanna treat myself after reading the part about people's heads splitting open from tape worm larval cysts

The active ingredient in that med u recommend is same one used for people just a different delivery system....
 

arowanaman85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 8, 2016
200
32
31
38
Vandergrift, PA
That drug also treats flukes but not as effectively as worms
 

rodger

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 29, 2008
3,343
283
92
Kansas City
I think I wanna treat myself after reading the part about people's heads splitting open from tape worm larval cysts

The active ingredient in that med u recommend is same one used for people just a different delivery system....
Haha. I had tapeworms as a kid and I have had pets get them. No big deal, but kind of gross.
 
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