Payara not eating

[Curly68]

Hi people.
I've had my Tats for about 2 months now and since I have had them they have been eating very well. I feed them whitebait (sprats), tilapia, prawns (shrimp) etc. Not been that fussy to be honest.
For the past week though, they haven't touched anything and one hides in a corner behind the plants. Not even a glimmer at watching the food sink to the bottom.
They are about 6-7" each now and all the water parameters are fine temp is 27deg as always. Tank mates are two 5" orbignyi rays and a 5" silver arowana. These eat like anything, especially the aro!
Hope you can help.

 

[vamptrev]

payara can be very sensitive to meds, salt, chlorine and alot of other things that other fish can tolerate alot more.

have u been doing anything different lately? do u use prime when u do waterchanges?

i have had payara for a long time and they are always the first to tell u if something is wrong with the water.

 

[Curly68]

I use Amquel+ each time I do a water change, which is 20% a week. All the water parameters haven't changed, ammonia and nitrite are both 0, PH is 7.5.
Can't think of anything else? The tank is a 300 litre filtered by a Fluval FX5 and an Eheim 2126 and a 2500 lph powerhead is in there mid way as well.

 

[JD7.62]

20% once a week with that bioload is not enough. Check your nitrates.

Also the ray and aro could be stressing your tats. Remember that the aro will grow TONS faster the tats and can easily make a meal out of them before you know it.

 

[DB junkie]

Rays that are the same size as Tats are not good. I had a Motoro behead a Tat.... Moto was 6 in across and Tat was the same.

My Nitrates allways read off the charts. I don't fuss if they're under 100.

 

[pwmin]

20% once a week with that bioload is not enough. Check your nitrates.

Also the ray and aro could be stressing your tats. Remember that the aro will grow TONS faster the tats and can easily make a meal out of them before you know it.

I agree

 

[vamptrev]

i didnt notice u have rays.... ur nitrate is booming!!!!!

i have i small ray in a 140 and i have to do a 25% waterchange every day.

 

[Curly68]

My tap water is crap!
pHpH 7.17 on averageAmmonium0.008 mg/l on averageNitrite0.003 mg/l on averageNitrate36.66 mg/l on averageCalcium155 mg/lDisinfectantChloramineFree chlorine0.18 mg/lTotal chlorine0.278 mg/lChloramine0.1 mg/lLead1.69 µg/lFluoride0.299 mg/l on average


I try to keep on top by using Nitrate remover, regular water changes and real plants but if I have to change water every day I will.

 

[vamptrev]

did u do a nitrate check?