Marm not feeling well

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ShadowStryder

ShadowStryder

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Apr 4, 2007
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Nunya
I have had this new 6-7 inch marm in quarantine for the last 13 days.
It was doing very well till 2 days ago. Hasn't eaten since then, belly
is sunken. No visible signs of external physical problems.
Should I give a day or two to see if it improves or should I try to treat with something in case it is internal.:(

 
treat for internal parasites, try raising the temp...and just keep it calm..try feeding him garlic that helps disease..
 
I read in another thread bout someone recommending garlic, might have even been you. One of the problems is I have not been able to ween him
off of live food for now. He won't even take any type of krill. I have
been using rosy red feeders dipping them in a salt solution before feeding. ( one tablespoon of sea salt to one liter of water )
I was hoping to get him integrated in the other tank so he would see
other cichlids feeding on krill and pellets.
If he is not taking krill or prawns yet I don't really think he will
take the garlic.

 
Actually, the garlic is a feeding inducer if you could call it that. It stimulates feeding, there that sounds better. Some reason its a big 'turn' on for fish. Try soaking some mysis shrimp or cocktail shrimp in a container with a couple pieces of chopped up fresh garlic (fresh, minced garlic is always the best BTW...;) ). Then feed that. If you have a power head or a filter, put the food in where the outflow is. This will make the food move and be a little more tempting for the pike. My sveni LOVED to nail mysis shrimp i dropped in front of the filter, would just sit in front of it and wait for it.

As for the live foods, the salt dip is a good idea, but its still best to get them onto prepared foods as soon as possible, its healthier and much more nutrious. Fasting a pike for a couple of days in order to get it to eat certain foods is sometime neccessary. I've fasted my pikes for over 6 days before they finally started to eat some prepared foods. It was hard for me though, and a couple of times i would give them some live blackworms in order to make sure they didn't waste away. Pikes are SERIOUS gluttons though, and eventually their stomachs will win them over...haha. You just gotta be patient. With enough patience and determination, you can get your pike onto practically anything, including flake food...;)
 
Peanut, So you don't think I need to treat with some kind of medication yet, for something internal. He is swimming around and that, just not eating anything.
 
Oh no!!!!
I saw your post of pics and was really happy for you (and jealous ;) ), they are beautiful pikes. Man I hope you don't loose her!

Yeah, suddenly going off food would have me worried too. I'm sure you do this but, just in case double check ALL water parameters just to make sure something didn't go haywire for some reason. (I know, its a desparation move)

I don't know what to tell you about the meds, I hate to medicate unless I know for sure what the problem is.

Maybe the way to go is: As long as she's acting normal otherwise, just give her a few days and then see if she will accept something small like blackworms, frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp. But don't feed her too much, its just to see if she starts to have some interest in food again. I guess just take it slow and hope for the best.

Good luck, we are all hoping for the best.
 
I wouldn't stress about it too much, but if you can get it some sort of internal parasite treatment go for it. If you can get it to take some of the garlic, like gut loading guppies or mollies with it...then that will cure internal parasites for sure. It will take about two to three weeks, but it will cure it...less stressful on your tank as well. Internal parasite meds are iffy though, especially the add to the water ones. Internal parasite treatment you'd think should be internally administered...;). Its your call though!
 
Thanks for advice. I never new that garlic could be used for a fish med.
I always gut load my feeders with a prepared food before feedings, but did not know about the effects of garlic.
I always buy feeders and isolate them in a 10 gallon for at least a couple weeks, I then move them to another 10 that houses the healthier and well fed ones.
I just assume not using meds unless it is a last resort.
I threw a fat head minnow in there last night and came home from work
today and it was gone and marm had a little round belly.
Good sign. I agree about internal meds, I would also think that if it is internal that it should be given internally
 
Glad to hear that your baybe is going betta!! Haha. Do you feed them the garlic when you gut load? When I said gutload them, i meant literally gutload them. Like take some fresh garlic, puree it, take a needle/suringe and manually insert garlic into the belly of the fish. Then feed it. Guaranteed way of gettin the garlic into the pike...haha. Silversides are better for this method....they don't wiggle....oy!
 
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