CK hunger strike?

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MonsterMinis

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 28, 2009
6,048
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Wisconsin
I recently picked up a CK from one of the LFS a good jump and a skip away. he was hiding at the store but came zipping out when the employee moved the hide spot and other then looking abit under weight seemed healthy. It's been about 1 week and I still have not seen him eat anything. the LFS said he was on flakes and pellets.. which he won't even eye. So I've tried small guppies, frozen brine and bloodworms. I'm at a loss here as to how to stimulate a feeding response. he's about 6" and at this point very emmaciated and what I can only describe as depressive. He gets spurts where he meanders about and then goes back to floating like the dead next to the heater. he's an albino/gold however you wanna color classify him. and seeing signs of red and treated for a bacterial infection w/ melafix. it's helping. But he still refuses to eat. I'm about ready to toss some prazipro in and hope it helps.

atm he's in a 20Long w/ the guppies, no light on the tank, the tanks been cycled for monthes now and I've been doing 20% WC's every day for the past 3 days. I drip acclimated him when I brought him home for approx 4 hours. my PH/KH can be very different from the local waters. nitrates are 20 nitrites are nill and ammonia nill. Ph is sitting about 7.8 and I've been trying to slowly lower it the last few days w/ the WC's by useing sodium bicarbonite. The tank is also barebottom, and one large plastic deco thingy to give him a place to hide.

Any suggestions? tips? tricks? to dealing with these guys?.. and yes it's only a QT tank/grow-out for a few until I'm sure he's a'right/ready to play w/ the bigger boys.
 
Try Canadian NightCrawlers from Wal Mart at the Bait Section for $2.49...cut em up in 3-4 pieces as they are huge. You can leave em in your fridge, they will live there for quite a while.

My CK loves em...in fact, he was being extremely pissy when I decided to switch to cut up tilapia. I used to hand feed him nightcrawlers, but now he wont eat shrimp/tilapia from my hand.

When you cut em up, use a scissor, much quicker than using a knife.

Also, give it some time, they always come out late night when all lights are out so, he might be eating and you might not even notice it.
 
I'll swing by and snag some tomorrow. I keep crawlers at home for my fire eels but all I have are jumbos atm. I'll see about getting some smaller ones. everyone tells me how easy CKs are to keep.. and i finally break down and get one.. and it's a stubborn bugger >.< don't think he can handle the cut up ones unless I really butcher 'em. I'll try a peice tonight though when lights go out.
 
was omw to pick up said worms today.. and saw a bulge in the tummy.. and.. sat and watched.. well the lil bugger figured out the guppies in the tank wheren't just to watch.. watched him woof down 3 more.. never fails... finally decide "time to do something" and the fish perks up and does what I want it to do! >.<
 
Awesome! I had the same problem with my golden CK. He is still a super picky eater... but it too FOREVER to get him to eat anything. My Royal however, he's a PIG. lol.. good luck!
 
I've had a 17" CKF for a a couple of months now and it has gone through cycles of pigging out and fasting. There was this one month where all it did was just hide under my huge DW. I then decided to try to sell it, but after I did, it seemed to have made a 180 degree personality change, nowadays it swims right up to me and inspects the end of my thong every time I dip it underwater. Eats like a pig now. Unbelievably eats more than the same sized RTC, which just stays put in its territory, I just feed it enough to let it live because I want it to swim to ME to get food.
 
Good to hear. Just make sure that when it looks strong enough, try to ween it off of live feeders...cheaper and safer;)
 
Glad to hear he is eating!
 
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