Looking for a little help

[easybreez]

Hi, I'm looking for anyone with experience in keeping large mouth bass in an aquarium setting and what might be causing my bass to stop eating. He refused a goldfish and a minnow today. Last time he ate was last night (2/24), 2 medium red worms, and not with his usual gusto.
Here is some information that might be needed to help with any suggestions.
20 gallon glass aquarium (Same set up he's been in for 6 months)
1 fish Freddy Fishhead-large mouth bass approx.9 inches long
1 blue Gobie crayfish (Sam has lived with Fred for 3 months)
Ehiem 3 basket external filter (bio-media in lower basket, carbon in middle and upper basket with fiber pads in between)
Native rocks , gravel, and sand from lake he came from. No live plants.
25% water change (well water with "AguaSafe" and "Stress Coat" added)night before last 2/23
Water Temperature-naturally occurring-whatever the air temp is- today 68 degrees
Water Tests results (Performed with a "Red Sea" lad test kit, 2/24)
PH 7.4
Amonia o
Nitrite 0.2
GH 15
KH 8
Permanent Hardness 7
Chlorine 0

I feed him a diet of goldfish (his favorite) minnows, earth worms,crickets and flies. As many as he wants.

I have become very attached to Freddy and would hate to see him die. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wiggles92]

It's not uncommon for fish to skip a feeding or two, so don't worry about it refusing to eat today. However, there is cause for alarm if it refuses food for days on end. If he refuses food for a few more days, please be sure to post something to let us know. Current pictures of the aquarium and the bass may help us to help you.

He may have parasites from the feeders if you do not quarantine them adequately/at all, so you may want to avoid feeding him live fish from an LFS.

Just a few additional side-notes about the fish:
I'd move him up to a much larger aquarium ASAP if I were you. A 20 gallon aquarium is definitely not a good home for a LMB of his size; he will greatly appreciate more swimming room. Also, he may eventually try to eat the crayfish because they are part of their natural diet; bass eat crayfish as if they were candy.

 

[philfreenode]

nitrate?