Male Leo not eating and acting not like usual

davenmandy

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Feb 1, 2012
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So my male leo I have owned for a few months now used to be crazy active, up and down on the glass, making craters in the gravel looking for food, playing with my other rays, and not spooked in the least bit. Within the last 2 months I added a female leo in hopes of future breeding. I don't know if that has anything to do with it considering the female is a bit dominant/aggressive but overall shes playful and not really a danger to anyone. For the last 2?? or more weeks I have noticed the male leo developping and indentation between his eyes, usually a sign of a ray being malnourished. He was always a phenomenal eater, I feed them very well especially since they are still young, and he has always been a great eater from the first half hour I put him into the tank, and has always always been searching for food. Well for the last two weeks he has been sulking in the back corner, not being active at all, and only coming out for about half the feedings. Sometimes he tries to eat, finds a piece of smelt thats too big for him, fights with it for 2-3 minutes and then gives up cuz its too big, whereas there are a ton of pieces small enough for him left. Also, he never had a problem with shrimp and worms, but for teh last week I havent seen him go for any, only smelt the odd time. I'm obviously quite concerned, I have changed the water more frequently since I noticed, I really hope he's not put off by the newish female owning the tank when he did before. Any ideas? Water params are fine.
 

DIDYSIS

Mantilla Stingray
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2012
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West Jordan Utah
Anything other signs other than dent in forehead? And not moving much? Pics? ?
First off cut up all the food so he never find a piece that is too small for him and so he eats all the time when available. Didnt really understand if you changed food or if he is only taking one type of food?? Also does he ever get a big back on him during eating? Does he ever eat till he stops eating because that much food was placed in the tank and he is really full. Do you leave extra food in the tank so that he can eat when he wants at random? Ever try night feeding?

As long as she is not possessed send her to me my 2 males need a friend. :D ok sorry had to.

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davenmandy

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Feb 1, 2012
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no other signs yet to my limited knowledge, dont see ribs or anything, just the dent. pics will come when im done work. didnt change food, he used to eat nightcrawlers but now he only eats them the odd time, i think out of massivore smelt shrimp and nightcrawlers he likes smelt the most. he used to get a faaaat back when he ate, not so much anymore. he used to stop eating when he was full and then the catfish clean it up, so no never any leftover food. have yet to try night feeding. if i said that yesterday all my fish werent eating as much as they always do mean anything to anyone? yesterday teh cats barely came out to eat when they usually pig out more than anyone, and the bass didnt eat that much either and for once there was actually leftover food. for a bit. i personally think thats a fluke from me feeding them late the night before and early that morning before i went fishing.
 

Silent Bob

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 25, 2011
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Plainfield, IL
Happened to the last marbled female I added to my group several months back. Also purchased a little 4-5" female motoro from a lfs that had the dent between the eyes. What it came down to with these two was stress related.
The little female lost the dent about a week after getting her home. She had no place to hide in the fish stores gravel filled tank. The marble stopped eating shortly after getting stressed. She sat in a corner and basically did nothing. After talking with some of the more experienced ray keepers on here about possible treatments Prazi was suggested by two. I did half dose treatments and within a few days she snapped out of whatever funk she was in. The reason they suggested it was to help kick her appetite up a few notches.
My vote is on him being stressed out do to the new addition. Look for a thread from a few months back. DBJunkie (Alan) here on MFK had a ray that formed a dent. I cannot remember why. I believe it is cured now but you may get more answers in that thread.
Best of luck.
 

DIDYSIS

Mantilla Stingray
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2012
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That was my question looking at it, with a catfish and bass and who knows what else is he getting a little stage fright when it comes to eating, I have one smaller ray that if other people are around and what not going on he would rather just stay away in the corner, but with my long tank I am able to throw food to the sides and middle and it spreads everything out and he eats allot better that way, vs before just putting it in the middle and one side, with 8 rays though and about 30 fish it is a little crazy in my tank. But that is what I have seen, how aggresive is your cat, other rays, and bass at feeding time? does he go in then just kinda give up (because of the pile up trafiic jam) and go to the back for a retreat??
 

davenmandy

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Feb 1, 2012
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He's never been in any direct competition for feeding. My bass rarely eat off the bottom, the rays and the catfish eat what the bass miss on the way down. Apart from the female Leo, the male Leo always got first dibs over my two small teacup rays. The catfish are very very shy and timid, they will come eat as quickly as they can, as much as they can, and then hurry back to their caves, and repeating once or twice. Once again I want to stress that the female Leo really doesn't do anything to the male, she will swim over him and bug him a couple times a day but most time they are nowhere near each other, and there are no bite marks. That sent isn't looking very nice and looking at him now sometimes I'm starting to see ribs. I also wanna add that the male was still his usual fun active self for a good month after introducing the female. The one thing is looking at his stomach there is a point, and I mean that almost literally, that is not like the females. Has anyone ever heard of rays swallowing gravel or not digesting a big piece of food quick enough? Just fed them, he ignored shrimp entirely, same with massivore, but he did chow down on a bunch of worms, 2-3. At least it's something, anyone have experience with picky Leo's? I know my teacups will not ever eat worms but that's common for them from what I hear.

P.s. my other fish didn't eat as well as usual again, especially the catfish, but I have been feeding more to try to get my Leo to eat so that could be why, still should be noted. It also looks as though the male may be struggling keeping the worms down, I see a bunch of half eaten chewed ones and I'm watching him fight one for 5 minutes that keeps trying to escape his mouth. And he just abandoned the last one he was going for and I'm not even sure he got one into him at all. I would chop em into smaller pieces right now but there 8 worms on the ground and he's stopped trying.


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cheon

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 15, 2011
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canada
If ur other fish have lack of interest then usual for food then i would treat the tank.
U know ur fish if u notice behaviour change then their is something bothering them. Prazi pro is 100%save for all fish. If u can not source any pets and ponds.com can get u some quick their based out ofonatrio. In the mean time i would clean ur filters and do water changes everyday 20% and add 1cup of salt per 10 gallons. Per mixed before u put in the tank add slowly.


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DIDYSIS

Mantilla Stingray
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2012
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West Jordan Utah
My Leos are the least picky things ever, They are first and last to leave the dinner spot, Sounds like something with the whole tank as other fish are being effected.
 

Energy

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2005
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Tropical Minnesota
3 stage approach- #1. Parasite clear -tank buddies from tetra. Contains Prazi and other acive ingredients. Safe and more of a cure all than prazi alone. Then #2 Add salt- 1 rounded tablespoon per 5 gallons. #3 Raise the temp to 82F.
 
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