Flowerhorn acting weird

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

CarpCharacin

Probation Member
Probation Member
Sep 20, 2014
1,521
582
150
Salt Lake City
My flowerhorn has kind of been acting weird for the past few days. He stopped eating pellets, and it looked like there was an indentation where his stomach is, but I fed him frozen bloodworms, and he ate all of those. He also hasn't been as active, he's just been hiding by the heater. He was scraping his head trying to go under the sponge filters a while ago, but I pushed the sponge filters up against the corners of the tank so he couldn't go under them, and I think it's mostly healed up. Also, his fins have turned darker in colour after I added black diamond blasting sand to the tank. Do you think he's sick, or has he just gotten tired of the pellets? If I throw in a few pellets now, he grabs them, but then he spits them out, but he's still eating frozen bloodworms.
 
Maybe give it a break (1-2 days) in between feedings to make sure everything digests and reduce chances of bloat. Add some epsom salt at a 1 tbs per 5 g as a one time deal. Watch it’s poop. See if it changes things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CarpCharacin
I haven't seen his poop in the past few days, but before it was short and wide, which I think is normal. It wasn't white and stringy.
 
He ate a few days ago, but since then, he has stopped eating both pellets and bloodworms. Also, one side of his head is lighter than the other, it was the same one he kept scraping. Do you think it's scarred? If he does't start eating soon, should I consider euthanizing him? He stays with his head against the heater most of the time, and he isn't that active.
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com