Parrot Cichlid Without Food For 6 Weeks

[berry1]

So i gone on holiday for 4 weeks last month and left a friend in charge of feeding and cleaning my tanks. He cleaned all the ones in my fish room but forgot i had a parrot cichlid in my spare room The parrot cichlid is about 11" long and is used to weekly 50% water changes because she is a messy fish and this kept the water in good condition. So i got back home and found my parrot cichlid upside down floating but still alive so for the last week ive done 20% water changes every other day and now the ammonia and nitrates are back in order still a little high but nothing to dangerous for the fish.

The fish is swimming around but just will not eat anything pellets, prawns nothing been trying to feed her for the last 2 weeks and just no luck.

Just wondering if anyone knows how long a 10 year old parrot cichlid can go without food? i would have thought about 4 weeks but shes not eaten for 6 weeks so far. And does anyone have any ideas on how i can get her to eat? dont think parrots accept feeders.

 

[xraycer]

Fish can go months and years without food. I remember reading about such a research. Some eel they researched live for 4 years sans food. Its the nitrogenous toxins thats still slowly killing it. Not sure how to solve your issue. Wait and hope I suppose. If you're really desparate, perhaps force feeding? Good luck

 

[berry1]

Thanks for the reply that is very interesting xraycer think i may have to look into the force feeding route though because she has lost a lot of her colour and seems to be getting more lethargic even with the water getting much better.

Can you sedate a fish for force feeding? thinking maby give it another week and see if i can get the fish to eat but if it comes to it and i have to force feed would not fancy holding a 11" cichlid that tries to jump out the tank with just a gravel vacuum going in the water lol.

 

[LukeOscar]

Thanks for the reply that is very interesting xraycer think i may have to look into the force feeding route though because she has lost a lot of her colour and seems to be getting more lethargic even with the water getting much better.

Can you sedate a fish for force feeding? thinking maby give it another week and see if i can get the fish to eat but if it comes to it and i have to force feed would not fancy holding a 11" cichlid that tries to jump out the tank with just a gravel vacuum going in the water lol.

Clove oil puts a fish to sleep. To much can cause death. However i would be nervous to even attempt that in the fish's weakened state.




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[xraycer]

Clove oil puts a fish to sleep. To much can cause death. However i would be nervous to even attempt that in the fish's weakened state.




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Force feeding is a last resort. Never done this, but this is how I would approach it: Get an assitant to hold down the fish wrapped(multiple times) in a very wet towel; attach a rigid air hose to a syringe with food puree; and force air hose into gullet.

Note: use flame to take sharpness from air hose's insertion end (to minimize gullet injury) and lightly lubricate this end also with vaseline(?)

 

[berry1]

Guess i will leave her for a little longer and continue with the water changes before going into force feeding but will do it how you advised xraycer very helpful advice. Just hope i dont have to do this as she freaks out just from me entering the aquarium to do water changes nevermind grabbing her out of the tank

Will get a video of her up after this water change tonight.

 

[popss]

you might try putting some Boyds vita-chem in the water as prescribed on the bottle.

 

[supergourami]

try small guppys or guppy fry

 

[berry1]

I will pick some up thanks if i cant find it over here will get the best alternative. You think a parrot cichlid would eat live feeders supergourami? she usually only has a problem with larger fish and thats a territorial thing lol but will give it a try

 

[Etan]

What's the fishes current behavior like right now? Is it swimming around, is it at least upright? Almost all fish eat fish and at this point it's at least worth trying.