Channa Bleheri Group Stopped Eating?

[§tudz]

Hey all,

My group of snakeheads have been doing really well and grown amazingly over the last few months. They've gone from being little sticks with heads to chunky feisty fish.
There was a point until about two weeks ago that I couldn't out my hand in the tank, as they would go for it.

But they have now hardly eaten anything anything for nearly two weeks.
They don't appear to have lost weight, but they have coloured down. And I did lose the other fem a,e the other week, after I think a fight ith the alpha female.

I thought there was a pair, but I don't know which male is the paired one

I've posted on snakeheadsuk forum and got no response, so anything anyone can suggest would be great.

My next idea is live food?

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

Don't feed them for a while. No big deal. Appetite makes the best sauce!

Do also do the usual things. Check water quality and chemistry. Sudden pH changes (drops, usually) are common in predator tanks because of the amount of nitrate and organic material in the water. Some plants can affect pH as well once they start growing rapidly, so be open minded about water chemistry changes. Check the filter isn't clogged. Make sure the water isn't too warm (it's been hot recently in the UK at least, and C. bleheri is one of the subtropical species if I recall correctly, and gets stressed if the water is too warm for too long.

After a week, offer some earthworms. These are like crack for most predatory fish.

Cheers, Neale

 

[§tudz]

Hi Neale,

Thanks for the tips, I thought it might have been temp or the water, but I don't heat my tanks directly, they are heated by the room temp. As they are in my fish house, the water is normally about 24C and they have been fine. I've done water changes in case it was that too.
The tank is filtered by a large sponge filter, although have tried filtering with a large internal filter as well, with no changes.

I will leave them another week and then try the worms, I am wondering if they have become addicted to maggots, as I did feed them maggots a few weeks back, as I by them not and again for my large barbs, and polypterus senegalus. They loved em and chewed them to bits. Since them they haventeaten, so maybe there is an internal issue? As I know the skins can be hard for them to digest. Any tips on an alternative of the crushed peas for predators? Maybe they are just bungee up?

Thanks again,

 

[nmonks]

Earthworms contain lots of indigestible material -- mud! -- and that should act as a laxative if needs be. Live brine shrimp and live daphnia work well too, though I'm guessing your fish are too big for those.

Epsom salt at a dose of 1 teaspoon per 5 to 10 gallons is another good laxative, and has the benefit of being non-toxic, so even if it doesn't work it won't do any harm either. It relaxes the muscles inside the fish, making it easier for any "stuff" inside the intestines to be pushed along.

Social behaviour might be a thing, but usually when that happens you have lots of shy fish, but at least one dominant fish hogging the food.

Cheers, Neale

 

[§tudz]

Thanks again, I'll try some worms tomorrow, but if they doesn't help, I'll give them an Epsom bath

 

[england]

Agreed with nmonks.
Its hot in the uk, they tend to get sluggish and not eat when waters to warm for them, much like us in the heat,lol
Have they eaten anything at all? what are you feeding them?
you will be suprised, my ornatipinnis eat de-shelled pea's, they love em..

 

[§tudz]

Hey Nelly,

I have been feeding them prawns, lance fish, strips of white fish, cockles, the maggots as mentioned above.

I will see how they go, might turn the heating down over night, as I dont heat the room during the day. It tends to hold its temp well, then I put the heating on over night as its still cool at night.

They have picked at stuff, maybe a little nibble, but they havent totally consumed anything in a week or two

thanks for the advice,

 

[nmonks]

Yes, I agree peas are worth a shot. I'm always amazed at what eats them! I've had pufferfish go for them…

If all else fails, feed the peas (mashed) to some feeder shrimps, and then feed the shrimps to your snakeheads.

Cheers, Neale

 

[§tudz]

I have fed peas to the other halves goldfish, when they had constipation. It was amusing to watch, as it went through them like rockets, and you could see the surprise in the fishes faces when it exited lol

 

[nmonks]

Surprise or relief?

Cheers, Neale

went through them like rockets, and you could see the surprise in the fishes faces when it exited

 

[§tudz]

Maybe both, but I'm sure if they had eye lids it was a wild eyed look like gave me