OB peacock not eating

[Jacky82020]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I am experiencing a perplexing problem with a 5” peacock OB. He came to me about 6 weeks ago and was added to a tank of ~ 30 cichlids, all smaller. He made attempts to take over as the Boss, mostly by chasing the established boss. I was going to let them work it out, assuming the aggression remained minor.
After about a week, I noticed the new OB never participated in the daily feeding frenzies. I observed him more closely & never saw him eat up to and including now. He has rejected every food in the book, including peas. I put him in his own tank, a 40 G. He looks good and swims about. I can‘t imagine he has lasted over a month without eating.

The plan is to not rerurn him to the other tank and add some peacock females to his new tank & upgrade the size later on. But I am so conflicted. I do not want to create a stressful situation with the girls. I want to emergize the male so to speak. I have 4 female peacock OBs i got from a local guy. They are maybe 6 months old and 3+ inches. They are doing well in the big tank & this male left them alone during their brief time together. I am desperate for insight & advice.

 

[Red Cichlids]

The fish appears to have good body weight. Is he thin above his eye, or is his body still rounded? Cichlids can go for a long time without eating and he looks to me to not be suffering. I would add the females, as that is a much less stressful situation for him than being alone. I think the fish will eat sooner or later, but even if he is on a permanent hunger strike, he should be able to breed females for a while still.

Have you tried small guppies, or even better would be baby cichlids? I have noticed my peacocks go after 1/2" cichlids very aggressively. What about small live shrimp? Tubifex/black worms will tempt a lot of fish, or chopped earthworms can tempt them. The goal isn't to settle on a food to feed him forever, but to get his digestive system running again and sending hunger signals so any food becomes attractive again.

 

[Jacky82020]

Thanks for your terrific insights, much appreciated. He does not appear thin above the eye, but
perhaps I lack the expertise to notice subtle changes. I have no access to small cichlids, but could find a baby guppy or minnow at a pet shop. I find the entire notion offensive, but my higher duty is to the 0B. My fish have rejected chopped up worms, big live things easily found Walmar etc. i can try again. I will look for small shrimp as well. Perhaps I should add the girls when I do the weekly water change tomorrow. They will be easier to net then. I have 4. How many would you add? I can get more.

 

[Red Cichlids]

I’d add the four females. If they are mature and eating well, within a month they should start spawning and three weeks after that releasing fry into the tank, unless you strip the females and raise the fry separately. One peacock tank I saw had the bottom covered with pebbles and shells the babies could get in between to hide. There were all sizes of fish in that tank, though it would take more work getting the gunk out from gaps.

 

[Jacky82020]

I’d add the four females. If they are mature and eating well, within a month they should start spawning and three weeks after that releasing fry into the tank, unless you strip the females and raise the fry separately. One peacock tank I saw had the bottom covered with pebbles and shells the babies could get in between to hide. There were all sizes of fish in that tank, though it would take more work getting the gunk out from gaps.

I will and thanks again!

 

[Jacky82020]

I added four girls. He is swimming all over the tank, far more active than usual. He is intermittently chasing a few, but not in an aggressive manner. The girls are maybe 3” or so & slight compared to him. These are new ones from the guy who had the other group of 8 I purchased early 5/22. I kept those girls in the bigger tank with a larger population where they are doing well.

should I have concerns the smaller fish could choke on a small feeder fish? Or the larger OB for that matter? Thanks.

 

[deeda]

Don't feed feeder fish, they aren't naturally part of their diet and can harbor disease or parasites if not quarantined. A good quality pellet or flake food is the preferred diet for them.

 

[Jacky82020]

another guy here suggested guppies or cichlid fry. I was calling them feeder fish.