Since My Fish Won't Come To The Top To Eat

[Durbkat]

All 8 of my black tetras havem't eaten in 4 days because they won't come to the top to get the food so I was wondering if I could put a vacation feeder in the tank so since they are at the bottom and the feeder will sink to the bottom could I put this feeder in the tank so they can have something to eat?

 

[emma12321]

I'd avoid it as they pollute the water, have you tried feeding live foods as few fish will refuse food that moves.

Perhaps try some sinking pellets, the plec will also like these.

Emma

 

[Durbkat]

Well I have used these several times before and it has never polluted the water because it was usually eaten in a couple hours. I have graules will that work?

 

[WILDER]

Have you done a water change, that might make a difference, as something is wrong if they are off there food.

 

[debiasir]

where they new to the tank

 

[Durbkat]

Nope they all have been in there over 6 months.

Wilder do you mean a vacum cleaning or to just scoop some water out and replace it?

 

[WILDER]

Give the tank a vacum as i think it's water quality making them not wan't to eat and feel off it.

 

[Durbkat]

Ol thanks. Also the water in the bucket is really cold since my apartment is cold once I vacum clean should I add small amounts of water and let the tank heat back up? I think I'm going to wait till thursday or friday to do it since I just put a new filter cartridge in it since the other one hadn't been replaced in like 5 months and I think thats what caused fin rot to show up in the tank recently.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Did you replace the whole filter cartridge perchance? Did you seed it with the other for a few weeks?? If not you may well have your tank cycling on you and that is why your fish are unhappy. Do a test for ammonia and nitrItes. Can you not heat some water up? You know warm tap water with the dechlor. Or boil up the kettle and use some in with the cold water and dechlor. That way you can do a substantial change immediately. I really wouldn't leave it til another day. You may be risking the very lives of those fish.
Hugs,
P.

 

[WILDER]

That's why you need a test kit as we are fubbling about in the dark, how many sponges are in the filter, did you squeeze the old one onto the new one, are fish acting strange, as your tank might of gone into a mini cycle, are they laboured breathing, fill the bucket up with water when you have finished the gravel vac, match it to the temp of the tank, then i won't go cold.

 

[Durbkat]

No I didn't change the whole thing it had to kinds of filter cartridges in it a regular one and this completly black one. I just removed the regular one since it was solid black and it was like swollen with all the waste in it. Also if I did use warm or hot tap and treat it with dechlor it would get cold again before the water is ready. Because on the bottle it says "after treating water wait 24 hours before adding it to your aquarium" so by that time it would be cold again and I don't have a extra heater either. Also like I said in my first and second post I don't have a test kit and you all have said the liquid kind is best but you all also said it can get a bit pricey and since I'm only 14 and don't have a job I don't get a monthly check nor do I have a car to get to a lps. Also I just replaced the filter cartridge like 30 mins ago and this was long after I tried to feed them.

 

[WILDER]

Why do you have to wait 24hours before adding it to the tank, does it say why, never heard of that before.

 

[Durbkat]

Yes it does and I will quote from the bottle "wait 24 hours after treating water before you add to your aquarium"

 

[WILDER]

Buy another one as thats crap.

That's a great declorinator if you have to preform an emergency water change.

 

[big mick]

You dont need to leave water out for 24 hours, I dont know why its telling you to do that......a friend of mine used to do that until I told her not to, maybe its the same product she got the idea from, what product is you are using that tells you to do it?

.....also, how can your fish eat a vacation feeder in a couple of hours?....it wouldnt disolve that fast (not that I recommend using them because they do polute the water)