big cat refusing to eat

[2songbirds]

I've noticed for the last week that my 28" achara catfish is refusing to eat anything. He will put it in his mouth, then spit it out. Same stuff I've been feeding him for over a year. Frozen shrimp (human consumption), frozen krill, sinking tablets, basically anything. I've tried some different variations over last couple days, but nothing. I'm gonna go outside in a bit and catch some earthworms as I know he loved those last year. I even went back and tried the bad food to see....lil piece of hotdog and bologna, which he readily took when I first brought him home and wouldn't eat. nothing. I've never done feeders, altho I've learned what fish he likes to "snack" on. There's a small schoal of tinfoil barbs in there for him (long story), but isn't interested. He keeps doing his begging for food thing in the tank.

now, over the last few weeks I did neglect the tank a bit. I haven't done a water change for about a month (don't crucify me). Dealing with 3 sick kids round the clock, work, myself sick, diabetic dog, life. you get the point. I've been adding water to the tank to keep up with the sump lines, and cleaning the sump as normal, just neglected the good ol' fresh water changes.

the tank isn't near capacity. 5 3-4" tinfoil barbs, 12" bala, 15" algae eater, 2 4" pictus catfish, and 28"achara in a 265g with 30g sump. No new fish for quite a long time in that tank, has a uv sterilizer too

the achara isn't showing any noticable signs of deteroration, but does have a bit of a cloud in the eyes. The pictus cats on the other hand, I noticed last night after work that their eyes are very clouded, and whiskers starting to receed.

My parameter meters I have in the tank say the ammonia is within safe range, barely any discolor at all. The PH on the other hand is 6.2. The tank is a bare bottom with one small piece of driftwood.

I did 1/4 water change last night, but no change on ph meter. Going to keep up with it until I see some improvement, but what to do about my achara not eating?

Could it be that he accepted commercial food up to this point, maturing, and now just somehow "instinctly" wants live? Or could be from bad water conditions?

Please don't crucify me for neglect. The achara's my favorite fish of all time, even got the 265g just for him. I'm at wits end on what to do. i do have 4 goldfish that are the kids. I've been thinking of sacraficing one, but don't think I can go thru with it

 

[lpenn31]

it very well could be sick with an internal problem. that happened to my friends pictus. NOT FUN. if it isnt a disease, you may want to try chicken liver and or beef heart. Catties love them and they are pretty soft. if that doesnt work i think it is some kind of disease

 

[jprp]

They do this from time to time-it might correspond with their natural spawning time but its just a thought.
Do some water changes and don't feed for a week - in future if you cant do your scheduled water change drastically cut feeding and add filter prime then compensate with extra water changes asap and resume normal feeding over the course of a week or so-if the fish is well fed to this point it wont suffer over this short term restriction.

 

[2songbirds]

I too thought about the spawning season affecting him. But, this never happened before, or maybe now because he's reached full maturity. DOn't know

 

[2songbirds]

ok, it's been almost 3 weeks now that he stopped eating. He will eat one worm/nightcrawlers either every day or every other day, whereas before he'd eat 5 big frozen shrimp (for humans) plus sinking tablets, then still beg. He doesn't seem interested. Noticed trouble eating the food whereas before he "vacuumed" up the food, now he's gumming it.

Have been thinking maybe a piece of shrimp or tail (if I missed taking one off) got lodged in his throat. Can't tell tho

I'm going to research, but how to tell males/females? I noticed on the bum area it's like a big indented circle, but can't tell anything else. was thinking if it is spawning season, "she" quit eating for awhile as that' swhat my female oscar does when she's getting ready to lay eggs.

 

[ctoychik]

While never had your type of cat ... pic please ^^ .........

An adult catfish can stay without food for a very long time. I had a marble pim on hunger strike for well over a month. RTCs sometime go on fasting periods as well. When they do start to eat they are back at it with vengeance.

The deterioration of whiskers sounds serious though. imo continue with the water changes. Clean water heals all i recon

good luck

 

[nishant_datta]

While never had your type of cat ... pic please ^^ .........

An adult catfish can stay without food for a very long time. I had a marble pim on hunger strike for well over a month. RTCs sometime go on fasting periods as well. When they do start to eat they are back at it with vengeance.

The deterioration of whiskers sounds serious though. imo continue with the water changes. Clean water heals all i recon

good luck

I agree. Cat that size will be ok without food even upto 5-6 weeks. It is eating something. You may have to look for other symptoms to know if its just fasting or not eating because of some other adverse condition.

It may not be the shrimp tail stuck inside as you haven't mentioned it trying to rub something off of itself. It may also have tried pucking if something was stuck deeper inside. Did it ?

You do have a lot on your plate at the moment but try and take some time out to post a vid or pics.

Good luck with your cat.

 

[nishant_datta]

what's the tank temperature ?

 

[2songbirds]

ok, well as for pics, he's the avatar in my profile....he hasn't tried rubbing anything or whatnot. But, does 'beg' for food, then when I drop food in, he's not interested. i even put in one of the kids goldfish (they haven't commented yet) in there hoping he'd eat him. I can't believe I'm bummed out I did this almost a week ago, and the freaking goldfish lives....

the water temp is room temp. I don't do heaters as I've had bad experiences with them. Too many actually. Room temp is kept 72 to 74 year round.

the whiskers receeding back was with my pictus catfish, who are doing much better now after many, and I mean many late night water changes. They all eat tho...just not my kitty fish.

What worries me is how when he does try to eat, alot of times he spits it out after 'gumming' it. That's what makes me think he hurt himself internally eating the shrimp, or maybe a snail shell as he tended to munch on the big snails in the past. He also would eat cucumber that was stuck on a spoon for my algae eater. So many factors involved, but it's been too long. I know from my past experience a fish can live for a month without eating. He's eating, just a little bit.

Also, the main thing I noticed, I also called him my vacuum....he'd just swoop over the bottom, vacuuming up anything and everything. Doesn't do that anymore. Food can land right on him, and no reaction.

He's still here, just really worried. I have other issues going on with another tank, but that's a whole other story. Kitty fish doesn't show any of those signs.

So frustrating. ppl have mentioned pics or vids. of him begging for food? not interested? or spitting it out? If I lose him, due to something I have no idea over, I may lose all interest, at least for awhile, and I take care of 3 other tanks as well....he is my favorite

 

[2songbirds]

While never had your type of cat ... pic please ^^ .........

An adult catfish can stay without food for a very long time. I had a marble pim on hunger strike for well over a month. RTCs sometime go on fasting periods as well. When they do start to eat they are back at it with vengeance.

The deterioration of whiskers sounds serious though. imo continue with the water changes. Clean water heals all i recon

good luck

achara/marble pim, I use the references intermediately. you have the same catfish as I'm talking about.....and, btw, I would LOVE to have an achara/rtc hybrid...already have an achara/tsn...but...