WC Faranah lap eats like a pig, stays skinny

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the lion who ate the sun

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Mar 11, 2014
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georgia
Hey guys, quick question. My WC Faranah lap eats 6-8+ massivore pellets a day, ghost shrimp, and freeze dried krill. It eats a LOT of food compared to the others. For some reason it is staying skinny. I wouldn't say emaciated necessarily, but skinny for sure. Could it be some kind of parasite? I don't want to put it through all the stress of being quarantined and medicated for no reason. Any input? CAM03218-1.jpgCAM03225.jpg

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The pics don't really do her justice. She's just shy of 1' and little bigger than a nickel width wise.
 
WC polys for me have always been skinny the first few weeks to about a couple months. I have gotten from 7-8" WC laps to a 20"er from what I've noticed the larger they are the longer it takes for them to get "chunked up" (as I call it). She doesn't look bad in the pics, but you said the pics don't show her condition that well. It doesn't look like she has parasites, but that's from my opinion from the pics. The ones I've had with parasites wouldn't eat so if she's eating then I would say she doesn't have them(even though there could still be some). What size tank is she in right now? I would just bump up the temp a little bit and add some salt just as a precaution, but it wouldn't seem as if she has any.
 
Right on. She's in a 180 gallon: 72x24x25. She is so beautiful! I don't want to lose her. She used to keep to herself in her cave, but has been doing laps around the tank since I added two Florida gar this week. That was when I really noticed she was looking skinny. What kind of talapia should I buy? I don't personally eat meat, and would feel awkward about buying it. If its in her best interest I could mull it over a bit more. I have heard that frozen foods stunt growth. Does this hold true for frozen talapia? What is it about frozen foods that causes this?
 
wouldnt worry about loosing her. bichirs can go for a very long time without eating. as long its eating. it will be fine
 
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