Tigrinus not eating, help please

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

Archer33389

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 23, 2011
121
0
0
Connecticut
Hi everyone,
This is my first brush with tigrinus catfish. A friend of mine gave me a 12inch one not including the streamers. I have had him just over a week now and he is not eating. The pH of the tank is 7, the ammonia is between 0.25 and 0 and the nitrates are 5. I have been doing 2 60% water changes a week. The tank is a 125 and his tankmates are a bulleseye cat which is about 9 inches, a marble sailfin cat at about 9 inches, a redtail cat which is about 7 inches (and has extremely stunted growth due to heavy gill curl, a 7 inch pterulosa granulosa catfish, and an 8 inch gar. I am running 300 gallons worth of filtration on the tank and 2 very heavy power heads and a lighter powerhead. There are caves in the tank for them to hide in and the water is kept at 82 degrees farenheit. It has been a day over a week now and he still isn't eating. I've tried beefheart, live fish, bloodworms (frozen), silversides, and scallops all to no avail. I am using garlicto spark his appetite. Not really working though. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I really need help please. I don't want him to die.
 
He is likely adjusting but then again fish often do not go for a diet change easily. You have to know what he was fed before. I'd stay away from live feeders.

You should strive for the ammonia test to show zero. Maybe a little, 0.25 ppm or less after a very heavy feeding as an exception but usually it should be zero (using even the best of droplet tests; of course it is never zero on a finer scale).

You didn't mention nitrites.

If other fish are healthy happy and thriving, then it is unlikely that toxins in the water are affecting your tig. Tigs, jurs, and other Brachyplatystomas are more sensitive than say TSNs and RTCs but not all that sensitive. Still, they all enjoy from pristine water. And when people say pristine, it means ammonia test shows zero, and of course so does the nitrite test, while nitrates are below 10 ppm.
 
You will need a bigger tank as that is too many bottom fish for that size of a tank. Try shrimp and keep up the water changes. I am growing out a 5" tig in a 90 gallon by himself and that will be too small in 6 months so I would say a 125 is too small.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom