I am starting up a colony of frontosas, and am in the process of acquiring them. I have about 4 little guys I just bought, between 1 and 2". I got them all for a really good deal, but in return they all seemed a little malnourished. All but one had a sunken belly, and the one who didn't have a cave belly had a flat belly. I stuck these four in a 29 for two weeks, and put them on a strict good food, clean water regimen. Three of the four have been eating like little pigs, and are already full bellied and getting color quickly (especially in the fins). They have also visibly grown, around a 1/4-1/2" each. One guy, however, has chosen to remain sunken bellied, and small. He does not exhibit odd behaviors, and constantly plays with the other fronts, digs in the sand, and keeps his finnage high and colorful. The only thing that bothers me is his sunken belly. If anything, he seems otherwise even healthier than my other Fronts. What do you think it might be? What do you suggest feeding him?
Frontosa Fish Feeding
- Thread starter Onion01
- Start date
I really don't know, but I don't have a ton of experience as of yet with Fronts. If he's active and does not exhibit odd behavior, maybe it's just the way he is. The only thing you really can do is keep the good food flowing. I feed shrimp and spirulina mostly. Supposedly super foods in this hobby. GL
he may have internal parasites. i hope you have a bigger tank. that 29 wont do. i keep 6 in a 150. with four, you may squeeze them into a 75g. i feed many different foods. feed twice a day, small meals. keep the water clean. if he doesnt improve after a few weeks, you may try some meds.
here's a list of what i feed my fronts.
frozen:
bloodworm
cichlid delight
krill
beef heart
dry:
krill
plankton
tubiflex worms
cichlid pellets
colormax granuals
tropical crisps
algae waffers
live guppies
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frozen:
bloodworm
cichlid delight
krill
beef heart
dry:
krill
plankton
tubiflex worms
cichlid pellets
colormax granuals
tropical crisps
algae waffers
live guppies
__________________
Don't worry, I put the 4 of them in the 29g for 2 weeks as quarantine. None of the fish seem sickly, or displayed any signs of disease, even this particular one. He just isn't so fond when it comes to feeding. He might approach food, but then shows disinterest. Mind posting some pics of your fronts? I love those guys.
Mine get mostly HBH super cichlid sinkers. The part of the pellet that the bigger ones crush up gets sifted out of the sand by the smaller ones. I have some that don't eat the pellets directly, but will sift sand and eat from there.
dont feel bad if he doesnt make it. you cant save them all no matter how hard you try. i like to raise the temp to like 88* to raise its metabalism and make him want to eat. you may add some aquarium salt. 1tbs=10g. before you buy parasite guard, try this and see if he'll eat. he may just be malnurished. i just recently had to treat for ich in the 29, other than that, ive never had to treat my fish. give him time and see if he'll eat. try different food. somefish will only eat what they've eaten at the LFS. try softening algae waffers in warm water and feed a few. turn the filter off so it doesnt suck the food up.
anyone with more experience with this problem, please jump in on this and help save this fish!!
anyone with more experience with this problem, please jump in on this and help save this fish!!
its better if you leave them together. he'll see them eating and maybe he'll eat too. dont seperate them if he has the oppertunity to eat in the group. if the other three are scarfing the food down before he can get it, then yes, seperate him.
Sounds like internal parasites to me. You may wanna seperate him to make sure he'll get all the food you're giving him and if improvement isn't shown start treating for internal parasites. The others can actually have it too and not be sunken bellied. If they don't have it as bad and are eating really good you may never notice.