I just ordered that API master test kit. Okay I'll get right on it when the test gets here, I have lots of live plants in my tanks as well an this really is the 1st problem I've had with a fish not eating, if I can get my pike to eat frozen salmon it make me happy but guess we will find out
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- Thread starter ian1287
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If the pickerel was wild caught (by you) one of the best things to do, (after you get a test kit), would be to test its natural water to find out its nitrate content and other water parameters are.
I test the rivers where I catch my fish I keep for pH, nitrate, and a few other parameters, to help judge my water change routine (how often, and how much water is changed) should be, according to those water natural water parameters are, and what routine it takes to maintain that water quality.
As you can see by my test results, of most rivers I test, pH hovers around 8, and nitrates are non-detectable, water is hard.
So my water change schedule is 30-40% of my 300 gal system changed every other day to maintain the quality these fish have evolved to live in, in nature.
I discovered this routine would work, by experimenting with different schedules to see what held water quality at those natural levels.
One other thing I would also caution about is the use of cyprinids like minnows and goldfish as live food.
Cyprinids are notorious carriers of parasites that can cause disease, so weaning to safer food source would go along way to keeping a fish healthy.
All it takes is 1 parasite, like this Lernaea parasite on the dorsal of the tetra below.
That parasite wiped out an entire QT tank of about a dozen tetras, before anti parasitic treatments wiped the Lernaea out.
I test the rivers where I catch my fish I keep for pH, nitrate, and a few other parameters, to help judge my water change routine (how often, and how much water is changed) should be, according to those water natural water parameters are, and what routine it takes to maintain that water quality.
As you can see by my test results, of most rivers I test, pH hovers around 8, and nitrates are non-detectable, water is hard.
So my water change schedule is 30-40% of my 300 gal system changed every other day to maintain the quality these fish have evolved to live in, in nature.
I discovered this routine would work, by experimenting with different schedules to see what held water quality at those natural levels.
One other thing I would also caution about is the use of cyprinids like minnows and goldfish as live food.
Cyprinids are notorious carriers of parasites that can cause disease, so weaning to safer food source would go along way to keeping a fish healthy.
All it takes is 1 parasite, like this Lernaea parasite on the dorsal of the tetra below.
That parasite wiped out an entire QT tank of about a dozen tetras, before anti parasitic treatments wiped the Lernaea out.
I got mine from jonahs aquarium in Minnesota had it ordered an shipped here. If I were to ever get lucky enough to catch 1 small enough I would absolutely take your idea, my biggest tank right now is my 125, I have scheduled water change of about 55%.
