Zebra shovel nose won't eat

[Stingingrays]

I got it on Wednesday and I saw the guy at the store feed it, but not it won't eat........ I fed wednesday night and he ate a few black worms, but now it just sits on the bottom of the tank and doesn't eat anything. I got it with a tiger shovel nose who I am not worried about because he has a tummy on it still so I know while the lights are out that the tiger is feeding. The tiger is about 5" and the zebra is about 4" They are in a 90 gallon and it is just the two of them. Water is perfect.

Any suggestions?

I tried earth worms because that is what they were feeding at the store, with no luck.

 

[AquataHolic420]

how did you try to feed the eartworms??? If the LFS had them feeding on them i bet you can too. Maybe the fish isnt hungry right now, and it still needs to get comfortable.

If u threw in full worms, dice em up.
If u diced em up, throw in full ones.

Maybe try silversides or sumthing??

Worm on a string a wiggle it in front of its face??

Feeding stik with worms?...Sorry i am basically no help.

 

[AwolAngler]

How long have you had them in the tank? Fish go through a lot of stress getting used to a new environment and a lot of times just aren't interested in eating until they feel comfortable. Every fishes personality varies and some fish might eat after being dropped into a new tank after 5 minutes some take up to 5 days... As long as he looks healthy I wouldn't worry about it unless he goes more then a full week or so... Just keep trying and keep us posted.

 

[Stingingrays]

I saw it eat 2 little black worms last night. I am keeping the lights off the tank for now. The tank get sun light where it is and I think that is enought for now, so tank lights will stay off. He has been in the tank since Wednesday night. I sit and watch for about 15 minutes after putting in the worms and he did eat a few maybe two, but blackworms are tiny. so my daughter has been looking for earthworms outside the last few days to try and feed him. I will update in a few more days.

 

[Waldo]

I've noticed that garlic extract helps with triggering fish. I've also noticed with a lot of SA cats that if you tap the tails with the worm the cat whips around to gobble them up. when they hit the face the cat doesn't do anything. try that. don't forget to take the worms out if they aren't eaten.

 

[Waldo]

Oh on another note... Many of the flat headed cats from SA do eat a high protien diet which they digest over an extended period time. Feeding them too much they might get backed up... if you see them regurgitating the worm it's probably ok for them to go without a while.

 

[Jeko]

mine took a couple of days to eat too, but always check water params and make sure everything is ok... mine didnt take to eating till i tried frozen silversides... but IMO be careful with these as they can take a while to digest. but once it starts eating... watch out!!!!

 

[bukster]

by zebra do u all mean lima? if so i haven't fed mine in about 4 or 5 months. it's off live food but i have no idea what it eats...lol. i just let it chill in there with the rest of the larger fish in my collection. he continues to live, he's healthy, and i have no idea how.

 

[Stingingrays]

I do not think it is a lima it doesn't look like the other ones that poeple have posted pictures of.

It is black and white stripes, they are a little hard to see cause he is so dark to begin with but when he is layin so I can see his side I can see the white stripes comming through. Also the top half of its tail is white with a long stingy piece

 

[Stingingrays]

Some better pictures so you can see the white stripes