Need help getting my hoplarchus to eat

[6 bar]

I picked up a 10"+ true parrot a week ago. It has some major HITH scars which I've already treated with metrozinidale and water changes.

Previous owner said it would eat frozen blood worms once every 2-3 days, but nothing else.

I've tried to put garlic guard on NLS pellets, and algae wafers and no result. I've tried live trout worms, fd shrimp, and frozen blood worms and still I haven't seen it eat.

I know that these fish are notorious for being good eaters. Any suggestions to get it to eat?

My observation is that it looks at the food, but doesn't eat it. I'm pretty sure it's hungry 'cause it has picked on some debris in the water that I guess appeared to be food and it also advanced towards some carnivore pellets I dropped in the tank, but those too it did not swallow.

I'm thinking of getting some ghost shrimp and and a few rosies to feed to it so I can see if some other live foods will get it eating again.

 

[Bderick67]

When I had mine it would go crazy for market shrimp.

 

[6 bar]

Thanks Brian, I'm going to try that.

 

[golcondorus]

i just got one the other day, so far it loves the krill i have, so i would say shrimp would be the best bet

 

[6 bar]

i just got one the other day, so far it loves the krill i have, so i would say shrimp would be the best bet

Thank you. BTW, if that is your parrot on your avatar, it looks amazing

 

[peathenster]

It's somewhat strange that a 10" fish (especially with big mouth like the psittacus) would live off bloodworms. Mine don't even bother coz it takes too much effort...

Mine love sinking pellets, fd krills, nightcrawlers and market shrimp.

Does it have tankmates? Sometimes they are the best coaches.

 

[MonsterMinis]

Does it have hiding spots ect? may sound odd but I've seen alot of fish that refused to eat once given a place to "be invisible" they will almost immediatly start eating. When he's picking about the tank are you near it? or busy elsewhere and catch it out of the corner of your eye? try putting the food in and walking out of the room. He may just be shy.

 

[6 bar]

It's somewhat strange that a 10" fish (especially with big mouth like the psittacus) would live off bloodworms. Mine don't even bother coz it takes too much effort...

Mine love sinking pellets, fd krills, nightcrawlers and market shrimp.

Does it have tankmates? Sometimes they are the best coaches.

It kicked the tar out of a 4" red texas female. So I separated them. It is currently in a tank with some 3.5" gouramis.

 

[6 bar]

Does it have hiding spots ect? may sound odd but I've seen alot of fish that refused to eat once given a place to "be invisible" they will almost immediatly start eating. When he's picking about the tank are you near it? or busy elsewhere and catch it out of the corner of your eye? try putting the food in and walking out of the room. He may just be shy.

I had some driftwood in there and it spent most of it's time hiding behind it when I was around, but would come out periodically.
This led me to think that it was just frightened. But, I've dropped food in there and left the room and I've also tried peeking around the corner to see if it eats and still nothing.

I did a 30% wc yesterday and took out the wood and it swims around pretty confidently (colors are coming out) it just hasn't eaten anything yet.

 

[6 bar]

I tried market prawn and he just laughed at me. Back to the drawing board.