GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
RTR, I'm sure you're right about overfeeding causing tons of problems. I was feeding Spot twice a day, and he (in hindsight) was FAT. He's looking slimmer now, and I definitely plan to cut back on his feedings. I'm just so excited that he's eating at all; I could have easily started overfeeding again. I'm glad you posted about overfeeding. It's a really good reminder! Thanks
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RTR
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
Stress and over-feeding (or incorrect feeding) seem to be major factors in the short lives of most captive fish.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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Tim
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
On reef fora you often see peope mentioning they feed their fish 3-4 times a day 
. From what I can make out these are full portions each feeding. Never sure what to make of that. If it's one portion spread out over the course of the day then I guess its not to much an issue. Ofcourse there are also people that will overfeed a fish to make is "compatible" with corals or other fish so it won't eat the aforementioned. Not sure what to make of that either.
On liveaquaria.com I have seen a few fish where they claim the fish needs multiple feedings a day.
. From what I can make out these are full portions each feeding. Never sure what to make of that. If it's one portion spread out over the course of the day then I guess its not to much an issue. Ofcourse there are also people that will overfeed a fish to make is "compatible" with corals or other fish so it won't eat the aforementioned. Not sure what to make of that either.On liveaquaria.com I have seen a few fish where they claim the fish needs multiple feedings a day.
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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bertie 83
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
Feeding little and often could be beneficial to a lot of fish as this is how they would likely feed in the wild. A regime like that would massively overfeed the dominant fish though. Feeding lots and often is just a bit rediculous IMO. Fish food packets often say to feed multiple times daily but this is just to line their pockets
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
Especially for a reef, where water quality is extremely important.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Tim
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
Pufferpunk wrote:Especially for a reef, where water quality is extremely important.
The poor-man's (though I suppose the rich man's) solution is to then run all sorts of media reactors to keep the water in check.
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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Tim
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
I suppose a solution would be multiple autofeeders on different sides of the aquarium and of course proper stocking.bertie 83 wrote:Feeding little and often could be beneficial to a lot of fish as this is how they would likely feed in the wild. A regime like that would massively overfeed the dominant fish though.
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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RTR
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Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
All the reactors available will reduce the levels of pollution, but are unlikely to come anywhere near restoring the water's full profile to what it was originally, even if the support system is several times the volume of the display. That in effect is likely to mean that water changes would long-term be more cost-effective and healthier to boot. Biological systems are too complex for simple solutions. Which is why we have at best semi-closed systems, not real closed systems.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
Hey, everyone--
Just wanted to give you an update on Spot. He's doing great!! He's never been healthier. I feed him more live foods than I used to, and I feed him less often. I really think overfeeding was a big part of whatever caused him to "hunger strike." He's growing and looking great.
Now that I'm feeding him less, it's easy to keep the nitrates under 20. They were always creeping up in the past...even with weekly water changes. Now I realize how important really good water quality is. It matters!!! I'll never know exactly why he stopped eating for so long, but now I don't buy it when he acts like he's starving if I don't feed him every day. He went for weeks without food. I know he can skip a few feedings and be fine!
In hindsight, I think I was feeding him way too much too often and not enough live food. This all contributed to fluctuating/not great water quality. I was relying too much on frozen food. He's really thriving on live food, and it doesn't seem to pollute the water as much. I usually defrosted his frozen blood worms, etc...but I really think you have to be careful putting those frozen cube foods in a tank. There's so much small stuff that just floats around and fouls the water. If I put an earthworm (he loves them) or cricket in the tank, there's nothing left when he's done! I am also still feeding him snails to help wear down his beak.
I hope others can learn from my mistakes. I've learned so much from reading this forum.
Thanks again for all the advice! I'm so happy that my fish is still with me
Just wanted to give you an update on Spot. He's doing great!! He's never been healthier. I feed him more live foods than I used to, and I feed him less often. I really think overfeeding was a big part of whatever caused him to "hunger strike." He's growing and looking great.
Now that I'm feeding him less, it's easy to keep the nitrates under 20. They were always creeping up in the past...even with weekly water changes. Now I realize how important really good water quality is. It matters!!! I'll never know exactly why he stopped eating for so long, but now I don't buy it when he acts like he's starving if I don't feed him every day. He went for weeks without food. I know he can skip a few feedings and be fine!
In hindsight, I think I was feeding him way too much too often and not enough live food. This all contributed to fluctuating/not great water quality. I was relying too much on frozen food. He's really thriving on live food, and it doesn't seem to pollute the water as much. I usually defrosted his frozen blood worms, etc...but I really think you have to be careful putting those frozen cube foods in a tank. There's so much small stuff that just floats around and fouls the water. If I put an earthworm (he loves them) or cricket in the tank, there's nothing left when he's done! I am also still feeding him snails to help wear down his beak.
I hope others can learn from my mistakes. I've learned so much from reading this forum.
Thanks again for all the advice! I'm so happy that my fish is still with me
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bertie 83
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Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: GSP stopped eating two weeks ago
That's great to hear. Good job
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly