24" silver aro will not eat

[cdc]

I have had my silver aro for about a week now and it has not yet eaten anything. Today I got some superworms and some crickets and he never went near them.

I am battling ich right now could that be why it does not want to eat anything? I don't know if he had ich before I got him or not.

Anything else I can try would adding garlic extract to the water give him a appetite?

 

[rhodes_96]

Clean filters, water change, increase temp to 86, add 0.1 % aquarium salt, monitor.

Is it the only fish in the tank ?
How big is the tank ?
Hopefully your tank is cycled.
Ammonia, nitrite levels ?

 

[jsodwi]

The ich could definately do it but aros go through fasting stages. It might not eat for a month but as long as it does not get sick looking I would not worry about it. I had one that did not eat for over 2 months then one day came back with a vengence. He did this quite a few times

 

[cdc]

Tank is being treated with salt and temp. It is in with a GT, Severum, bala shark, Geo, 2x Plecos, royal clown knife and a catfish.

Tank is a 300g and ammonia and nitrite levels are 0, tank has been running for almost 5 months.

EDIT: He is also not as shiny as some of the silvers on here.

 

[rhodes_96]

Just keep up with the salt and temp until the ich goes away. Your fish sounds stressed, new enviroment + ich. How was the fish kept before? A fish of that size can go weeks without eating.

 

[Bderick67]

Back when I adopted one of my two silvers at 21", it took about 3 weeks to get him eating. About 6-7 months ago when I transferred the two silvers, now 27-28", into their new tank it again took a couple weeks to get them eating regular. Don't get worried it just takes some time.

Work on getting the ich treated. If you do use the salt and heat treatment, make sure you add an air stone, warmer water has less disolvered oxygen in it.

 

[cdc]

I have an air stone on 24/7, the previous owner only fed them every four days and the tank temp was at 72 when I got them. I think they were in a 180g.

Should I just drop a super worm in every day to see if he is interested? Also do they go straight for the food as soon as its put into the tank or do they swim around it first?

Thanks for the help its my first aro.

 

[alvinchungcb]

just dump it into the pond and wait for recovery.. try that way if you have tried everything and still failed.. hope it works for your fish

 

[Bderick67]

I have an air stone on 24/7, the previous owner only fed them every four days and the tank temp was at 72 when I got them. I think they were in a 180g.

Should I just drop a super worm in every day to see if he is interested? Also do they go straight for the food as soon as its put into the tank or do they swim around it first?

Thanks for the help its my first aro.

Actually I've found it better to not offer much food when large aros are on a hunger strike. Seems that if there is food available they'll ignore it, but if the food is only offered every few days they will show a little more interest. With yours though it is still just getting used to it's new home, so maybe wait a few days and see what happens.

 

[Crazyfish88]

Just give it a couple of days. Aros that size can last without food for months. In my experience though I've never had an Aro not eat for more then 3-5 days even if introduce to a new home. As long as the previous owner raised it with care in the 180g then it shouldn't be super stressed.. Sounds like your new Aro was neglected from previous owners and that's probabely why it has major stress. Huge drastic changes from the new environment.