Cloud Mountain Minnows Starving Themselves

[Villy Valley]

I lost a minnow last month as watching it for about 5 days not feeding but otherwise looking healthy it suddenly died. I now have two that have started starving themselves. Why are they doing it. They look healthy - the other fish in the tank are healthy and feeding well. I think they will be dead in a few days if I don't do something - what should I do?

Villy Valley

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Have you tested your tank for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? What is the temp in the tank and what have you tried feeding them?

 

[Villy Valley]

they have flakes that are soaked first so that they sink and occasional live daphnia. I upgraded the tank last week to 72 litres. They look interested in the food when it goes in - they even swim at it - but then they don't eat it. I haven't checked the water levels - the other fish look great

Villy

Shall I do a partial water change? Would that help?


Just checked the nitrite level - it is fine between 0.0 and 0.1
Temperature is fine.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

they have flakes that are soaked first so that they sink and occasional live daphnia. I upgraded the tank last week to 72 litres. They look interested in the food when it goes in - they even swim at it - but then they don't eat it. I haven't checked the water levels - the other fish look great

Villy

The tank is most likely cycling then which could be why the minnows aren't eating if they are not coping well with the cycle, i would go out and buy a test kit for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates ASAP (forget the paper strip test ones as these in general are not very accurate) from your local fish store, in the mean time i would do a 30-40% water change with dechlorinator. Is there any uneaten food lying around in the tank currently?

 

[Villy Valley]

No they have eaten all the food - well the other fish ate all the food. I did a simple nitrite test with the test tube and coloured strip. The test tube water has a very slight tinge of pink but not as indicated on the strips. I will do a water change.

Villy