Baby Giant won't eat!!!

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Wet Whiskers

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2008
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Amongst the Catfish & Plecos
So, yeah. My addiction to catfish, and my bizarre idea of what is cute has gotten me committed to someday buying a house with a big pool. I ended up with a Wels catfish... Yes, I now know just how big they get.:wall:

But, I won't have the BIG problem if I can't first get him to eat. I've tried everything I can think of. Super clean water. I freak if there is any nitrate (I keep discus so I'm a bit neurotic). pH is mid 7's, and I've tried lower, too. I've tried keeping him a various temperatures from 55-75 (he had previously been kept at 75 although according to Planet catfish it should be lower). I have aquarium salt in the water to make it somewhat brackish. I have offered massivore, other sinking pellets, live gold fish, krill, red worms, blood worms... Nothing.

I have been very careful not to bounce things around too fast. He swims around like nothings wrong, but just won't eat.

He is currently being treated with Prazipro in case he has worms.

Any one ever keep one of these monsters?
 
i have not, but in my expirience, the best solution is time and patience. I would recomend turning all of the lights off in his tank, and even putting a blanket over it if natural light comes in. Leave him ALONE for at least a day, as difficult as it will be. If you need to use the room, do it quickly and subtly. after some time passes, quietly and carefully put in a portion of black worms, (still with lights off) hopefully he will go for them. This works for me with picky fish, because usually the problem is that they are slightly stressed and don't want to eat, but after some time for them to chill and relax they get there appitite back.
 
Thanks, but lights are off, he's in a tank by himself, and I have left him alone like every other day to sit in peace, quiet and the dark just like catfish are supposed to enjoy. He gets some ambient light from another fish tank in the garage, but no direct light and very little movement. I've had him for about 3 weeks now, and I've never had anything not eat like this except for very sick discus, and even manage to bring some of them around. So frustrated!
 
nope... didn't know that, and couldn't get an ID from the fish store when I did bring him home. I only realized what I had afterwards. I would never had bought him if I had any clue he was illegal. What am I supposed to do now? I'm not going to kill the little guy. Its not his fault. I suppose I could take it back to the fish store, but then all thats going to happen is that he will get sold to some totally clueless person that could potentially dump him when he gets too big.
 
I have really looked. Like a lot. I do believe it is one, but I would certainly be happy if I was proven wrong. It would definitely make things less complicated. I'll have to get a picture of him.
 
please do, im pretty sure wels are protected (not positive though) and the chances of one being for sale in an everyday lfs are very small
 
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