Rainbow Shark Not Eating (Please Help)

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divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
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Pittsburgh, PA
Hello all, on Monday the 13th this week, I set up a 75 gallon standard aquarium (48" X 18" X 20"). I put in some gravel from my 30 gallon on thursday and yesterday I put in 32 ounces of fritz-zyme 7. It is now Saturday the 18th and I put the first few fish in to start the cycle (I know many people don't like to fish cycle but I change the water many many many times a week to keep the fish healthy as well as add ammonia de-toxifier). The fish I bought today were 6 Giant Danios and 1 Rainbow Shark. Now, while the Danios were like torpedoes eating flake from the surface I noticed the shark was not eating anything. He may have nibbled at a few tiny pieces of flake but has not found nor eating any of the half of an algae wafer I put in for him. He has been right over it multiple times but just ignores it. He is in perfect health with great color and comes up to the glass when I go up to the tank (my desk is right next to it so he is actually watching me now as I type :)). The tank's water parameters are as following Temperature: 75.5-76.5 F, pH: 7.5 and falling, water current: medium/high. My question is, is there something wrong with the shark and if so should I do something, or if not should I just not be concerned?
 
Well, I just figured out that sharks are cyprinids not loaches. Heheh, well I feel stupid. But anyway that still does not explain him not eating. Also if anyone can tell me how to move the topic of the thread from loaches to either sharks or cyprinids that would be helpful.
 
OK now it is day 2 of him not eating. But something different that I noticed tonight is, I put the algae wafer on top of the driftwood (which is his favorite spot to hang out) and he has almost definitely seen it. Whenever my danios come to investigate the algae, he chases them away from it relentlessly. He has laid right on top of it but has not touched it once. Is he just saving it for later? Is he a nocturnal feeder? Does he not like the algae but just guarding the food? Please help, worried he may starve. The food I have on me now is flake, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, and frozen brine shrimp (not feeding shrimp tonight, the danios have eaten enough).
 
Hey divemaster my rainbow shark is quite territorial so be ready for him to chase off your other fish, as for him eating from what I have seen from mine they are picky eaters, I throw in flakes algae wafers, shrimp pellets and even frozen bloodworms. I have seen him nibble a bit before but never eat like crazy like other fish. Just throw in some bloodworms for the little guy at night and maybe he will take interest, hope this helps!


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Thanks, I will does in one or two shrimp or algae pellets tonight. I was just worried about the food rotting since my tank is still cycling and the last thing I need is MORE ammonia. I have been taking out uneaten food but as I have learned, it is not easy to get all the pieces of a drenched and crumbly algae wafer in the dark.
 
Well when feeding them a few shrimp pellets today I noticed he was not eating the actual pellet but he was eating the small pieces kicked up from the danios eating it so I guess he was just getting used to the tank.
 
Thanks, and today he was actually eating the direct shrimp pellet. Guess I found his favorite food (until I give them brine shrimp).
 
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