Scomb is ignoring food

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I

Industrial

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 22, 2010
1,297
1
0
Buffalo, NY
So on Friday I bought a scomb from a friend who couldn't house him anymore due to a leak in the tank. The scomb is about 6" and I have him in a 20g (very temporary) with a 6" raph.

The person who owned the scomb said that he fed him comets mostly. I bought some comets and they have been in the tank since Saturday. The raph is still too small for the comets but the scomb is much wider so he can eat them. I also threw in two rosys for whoever wanted them and they have been there since yesterday. Normally the raph is extremely quick when I add in a feeder.

The scomb seems healthy, he is swimming around and occasionally harassing the raph.

Could he just not be eating because of the stress of the move? The raph ate the day after I got him. Is there anyway I could encourage the scomb to eat?
 
If the scomb is healthy,and you probably have no reason to suspect that it is not then it should come around in a few days time and start eating.As for your Raph eating sooner,these fish react to being moved according to the individual.My first tat took out an Apollo shark almost as soon as it was let out of the bag and the tat was shipped to me so it seemed to have handled any stress from transit pretty well but every tat that I purchased after the first one would take a few days before eating and if I had to relocate any of them after they settled in,the fish would go on a fast again.These fish can be delicate and they really don't like to be moved.
 
A little update, I took out one rosy, and the other one is gone now. So I am thinking the raph ate him.

The owner told me the scomb only eats goldfish and it's difficult to get him to eat rosys. Both goldfish are still in the tank. But now the scomb is starting to adopt the traditional scomb angle which I am guessing is a good sign.
 
sashimimaster;4129357; said:
A 6" Scomb can eat a very big fish. My 6" ate a 4" Bala shark with no problem. I think if he's hungry enough he'll eat. Maybe the small tank is stressing him being so confined with another Payara.
Click to expand...

I do believe that they can eat large fish. I took out my 4" belonesox a minute after releasing the scomb into the tank. I just found it a bit bizarre that he ate the small rosys, but is completely ignoring the goldfish.

I am hauling ass to finish the 40br stand so I can set it up and start the cycle. Hopefully he will be more calm in there for a short while.
 
2x 6" Payara in 20 gal even 40 gal is a lil' cramped for my taste especially in the long run. I know my Payara likes to swim around alot. I've noticed that as my Payara loses teeth his taste in larger feeders drops - he'll go after the smallest ones. Sometimes he won't eat for a week or so til' the new teeth start to grow back. At least yours is eating now - enjoy.
 
Otherone;4129960; said:
2x 6" Payara in 20 gal even 40 gal is a lil' cramped for my taste especially in the long run. I know my Payara likes to swim around alot. I've noticed that as my Payara loses teeth his taste in larger feeders drops - he'll go after the smallest ones. Sometimes he won't eat for a week or so til' the new teeth start to grow back. At least yours is eating now - enjoy.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I didn't see the reply until now.

A 6" raph doesn't look cramped in a 20, but I am sure it is a little and the scomb is definitely looking cramped.

The 40 is a little less than ideal, but it will be a good temporary tank (at least 6MO) until I convince the girlfriend that we should make a large whitewater tank instead of a community.

The scomb was definitely much more active in his original 180 and if I cannot find him a larger tank for the future, he will probably end up for sale and possibly the raph too.

Both of the vampire tetras are getting along great now BTW. They like to hang out right next to eachother. The raph is developing quite the taste for zebra danios and I am still not having luck catching the scomb eating.
 
Try keeping your tank lights turned off if you can still view the fish with the surrounding light.The scomb may become more at ease and eat more freely without the light.
 
krichardson;4162552; said:
Try keeping your tank lights turned off if you can still view the fish with the surrounding light.The scomb may become more at ease and eat more freely without the light.
Click to expand...

That's what I am thinking. The raph will eat whenever, but when I turn the lights on in the morning there will be five less feeders than I added that night. The raph normally only really eats two or three a day at most.

The next tank, only has a 30" bulb in the fixture so hopefully dimmer lights will make both oh them more comfortable!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom