Feeding problems

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

I have had my electric blue in a 28 gallon bowfront for about 5 months. He has been eating fine up until a couple of days ago. Now he is reluctant to come to the surface to feed on his pellets. He will streak to the top and get maybe one or two, then go back down and wont come back up, even though he loves his food. His colors are also starting to become dull. I have two hypotheses. The first is that the tank is too high and I should switch him to my 20 long. That way he won't be so reluctant because there will be less open water to cross to get the pellets. My second hypothesis involves new stimuli. His tank is currently in a spare bedroom that doubles as my office and up until a few days ago. I was the only one that used it. Now there is a new person that sleeps in there, along with a dog. The guests are only there at night for about 8 hours, but the fish is still reluctant to eat even when I am the only one in the room. I am thinking these new guests may be stressing the fish. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[freddyk]

I really can't see the tank height being an issue. The loss of colour is a sign of stress, but that doesn't say much - I imagine it is possible he's stressed by his new roommates, but this shouldn't last. If he keeps eating, even in shy spurts, then this is a good sign and you may want to wait it out. If he stops eating then there is a cause for immediate concern.

Can you see any signs of what could be bloat (loss of appetite with which he may not eat or he may take food and spit it back out, listlessness, white stringy poop, no poop at all, ceaseless hiding)?

What kind of pellets are you giving him? These guys are quite herbivorous, which is why I'm placing concern on this aspect - too much of an improper diet will lead to bloat, and the first sign of this is usually the loss of appetite.

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

The pellets are Wardley premium cichlid floating pellets. It has lots of wheat, soy and alfalfa stuffs in it. No other abnormal signs besides the dullness of color.

 

[Krazy K]

Hey , did you try to switch up his diet. Sometimes I try not to feed my cichlids the same food over and over again they tend to get bored when i do that. So switch it up bewtween flakes and pellets sometimes. Try giving them Omega One flakes so they can gain their color back too. The flakes are orange in color and my Cichlids love them. Good Luck .

 

[freddyk]

Good point Krazy. Consider getting a Spirulina flake - it's excellent for their health and will also mix things up.

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

Thanks for the info. I'll be picking up some new food today. But the basis of the problem is that he is scared to come to the surface. Sometimes he doesn't even get the pellets in his mouth because he shoots up so fast and then back down that hes just hoping his mouth is on target and he gets the pellet.

 

[freddyk]

Just stop feeding him until your guests leave then - it won't cause a problem unless they're staying more then several weeks.