Help Me! My flowerhorn’s not eating!

[Petrie_O]

Hi I know this kinda post was posted before countless times but please help as none of their descriptions matched mine Nor have their solutions given worked

My flowerhorn’s a rescue from someone keeping it in a 5 gallon for all its life (6 months according to previous owner)
It’s currently in a 20 gallon quarantine (cycled media added) with daily water changes of 50% for the first 3 days and subsequent water changes of 25% every other day.
Ammonia readings are 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ppm

It hasn’t been eating for the past 3 days since I started trying to feed it (total of 5 days since I got it)
I’ve tried pellets (previous owner fed that only) , freeze dried shrimp, fresh lettuce, frozen bloodworms but none of that worked.
I’m really at a loss abt what to do to get it to eat.
It doesn’t seem to show symptoms of HITH or internal parasites for the past few days which I had it.
I really need your help to diagnose what’s the issue. Please help me I’m worried sick for him!

 

[MrsE88]

Do you normally have that light on?

Fish can take a while to settle in. More so if they are still in an unsuitable environment. Not to sound harsh, I realize this is just a quarantine tank. But it’s bright, bare, and still small for him. 3 days isn’t too long. So don’t panic.
Have you tried garlic? I’ve seen that suggested for fish refusing to eat.

 

[Petrie_O]

Do you normally have that light on?

Fish can take a while to settle in. More so if they are still in an unsuitable environment. Not to sound harsh, I realize this is just a quarantine tank. But it’s bright, bare, and still small for him. 3 days isn’t too long. So don’t panic.
Have you tried garlic? I’ve seen that suggested for fish refusing to eat.

Hmmm he is a little skittish whenever I turn the light on but i turn it on daily so that he can get used to it. It’s on all my tanks and other fish seem to be doing fine. It’s a 3 watt LED thus I doubt it’s that bright (maybe the camera’s playing tricks ) .
I was thinking of trying live super worms as their commonly fed to flowerhorns where I’m from.
How Long should I wait before feeding again and are there any dieseases maybe you’ve spotted that I didn’t based on the picture I’ve sent ? I’m only worried because it’s the first fish I’ve had that exhibited such behaviour. My previous fish kept never once exhibited such behaviour

 

[kno4te]

Might be settling in still. Would suggest adding some plants/driftwood to help settle the fish. After that it should begin to take interest in food.

 

[duanes]

I agree, no light at all is needed, and the tank looks totally bare, and if it is, the fish has no where to feel secure. I'd add a couple clay flower pots big enough for it to hide in.

 

[MrsE88]

That picture won’t show anything help parasite wise. Just watch it’s poop and look it over to be sure there are no marks or unusual spots. Ich, lice, ect.

And like the others said add decor/hiding spots. It is not going to be happy being so exposed. And for now I wouldn’t use any light at all. You can get it adjusted to the light when it’s in the main tank.

 

[troublesum]

on my QTs tanks all i have is a flower pot and a HOB and no lights IMO lights are not needed on QT tanks lights are only for humans

 

[Backfromthedead]

He looks like a fairly healthy fish. Just might need to settle in. I would give him some cover and like the others said maybe cut down on the lighting. The sooner you can move him into a propee sized tank of his own the better.

 

[Petrie_O]

Might be settling in still. Would suggest adding some plants/driftwood to help settle the fish. After that it should begin to take interest in food.

Hmmm I rather not as the tank’s a little small for him and flowerhorns are known to injure easily when scared. He would dart around the tank whenever I approach. With driftwood/ plants he’ll surely injure himself. Thanks for the advice though !

 

[Petrie_O]

I agree, no light at all is needed, and the tank looks totally bare, and if it is, the fish has no where to feel secure. I'd add a couple clay flower pots big enough for it to hide in.

Alright I’ve removed the lighting on the tank
Gonna give it another week for him to settle down
If he still ain’t eating after that ill prob bring him to a pet store to check