Pacu not eating...

Reel McKoi · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 385

"ivoryivy" wrote in message @uwe...
>I have a 3 year old Pacu in a 55 gal tank. (I am planning on getting a
>bigger
> tank as soon as I can afford to) He is approx. 15 in. and the only other
> fish
> in the tank is a pleco who is about 6 in.
>
> We moved about an hour away from our old place about 2 months ago. I know
> the
> trip was pretty traumatic for him, especially since he freaked out when I
> moved him from his tank into the bin I used for travel and he jumped out
> of
> the bin onto the floor for a few seconds until I was able to catch him and
> put him back in the bin. I was in tears thinking I had killed my fish.
================
(brevity snips)

How far did he fall? Could he be suffering from an internal injury? Is the
water a similar PH and hardness to what was at your old place?

Have you tried fruit like bits of apple, orange or peas and corn? Or seeds
like sunflower and safflower? Try anyting to get him started eating.

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>misc

ivoryivy · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I have a 3 year old Pacu in a 55 gal tank. (I am planning on getting a bigger
tank as soon as I can afford to) He is approx. 15 in. and the only other fish
in the tank is a pleco who is about 6 in.

We moved about an hour away from our old place about 2 months ago. I know the
trip was pretty traumatic for him, especially since he freaked out when I
moved him from his tank into the bin I used for travel and he jumped out of
the bin onto the floor for a few seconds until I was able to catch him and
put him back in the bin. I was in tears thinking I had killed my fish.

Anyhow, we got all moved. We waited until his tank had been set up and cycled
before we moved him in there and he had an air pump with him the entire time
he was in his bin. I had also transported a 7 in. Oscar and the pleco (the
Oscar in a separate bin) and they are both doing just fine.

My Pacu on the other hand, has not eaten more than a few almonds in the past
couple of months. He used to eat 5 or so algae chips a day before the move
but now he totally ignores them. I've tried to give him potato slices as well
as other nuts but he hasn't shown any interest.

His water quality is good, I'm just worried because I don't think he's eating
well at all. I didn't want to give him live fish, but I had bought some for
my Pirahna and Oscar so I put a few in there with him and still there is no
interest.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do? Before, at my old place his tank
was near the Oscar tank (they started off in the same tank before they
started fighting too much). Now he is in a separate room away from the other
tank. Is it possible he is depressed because he misses the other fish, or
could it all be from the trauma from the move? Are there any suggestions of
what I should try to feed him?

carlrs · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 17

On Nov 7, 8:58 pm, "Reel McKoi" wrote:
> "ivoryivy" wrote in message@uwe...
> >I have a 3 year old Pacu in a 55 gal tank. (I am planning on getting a
> >bigger
> > tank as soon as I can afford to) He is approx. 15 in. and the only other
> > fish
> > in the tank is a pleco who is about 6 in.
>
> > We moved about an hour away from our old place about 2 months ago. I know
> > the
> > trip was pretty traumatic for him, especially since he freaked out when I
> > moved him from his tank into the bin I used for travel and he jumped out
> > of
> > the bin onto the floor for a few seconds until I was able to catch him and
> > put him back in the bin. I was in tears thinking I had killed my fish.
>
> ================
> (brevity snips)
>
> How far did he fall? Could he be suffering from an internal injury? Is the
> water a similar PH and hardness to what was at your old place?
>
> Have you tried fruit like bits of apple, orange or peas and corn? Or seeds
> like sunflower and safflower? Try anyting to get him started eating.

I agree with Real McKoi

> How far did he fall? Could he be suffering from an internal injury? Is the
> water a similar PH and hardness to what was at your old place?

I would add to this, what was your ammonia level?
You mentioned that you waited for your tank to cycle, how long did you
wait?
I have move a lot of aquariums over the years for my clients
(including several Pacus for the Bahooka Restaurant), and in these
moves I immediately set up the main aquarium and added back gravel and
filter media that was only lightly rinsed in de-chlorinated water so
as to not have to recycle the aquarium.
I would also use Methylene Blue to the shipping container and Prime
and/or Stress Coat (or Novaqua) to the main tank.
See this article: http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/2007/08/aquarium-moving.html

I would check all water parameters from ammonia to KH and GH.

Also as already stated, try to feed anything you can, a lot of the
Pacus under my care also enjoyed carrot sticks.

Look carefully for signs of disease, especially opportunistic
infections such as Aeromonas or Columnaris bacterial infections.

You might consider a mild organic treatment such as Pimafix or Pimafix
combined with Melafix (so as to cover more gram negative and gram
positive bacteria).

There are some last ditch remedies you can try that are harsh on your
tank environment, so I will for now.

You might read some of the articles at this site for more information
about Aeromonas and other subjects that might be helpful:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Information.html

Carl

carlrs · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 18

On Nov 7, 8:58 pm, "Reel McKoi" wrote:
> "ivoryivy" wrote in message@uwe...
> >I have a 3 year old Pacu in a 55 gal tank. (I am planning on getting a
> >bigger
> > tank as soon as I can afford to) He is approx. 15 in. and the only other
> > fish
> > in the tank is a pleco who is about 6 in.
>
> > We moved about an hour away from our old place about 2 months ago. I know
> > the
> > trip was pretty traumatic for him, especially since he freaked out when I
> > moved him from his tank into the bin I used for travel and he jumped out
> > of
> > the bin onto the floor for a few seconds until I was able to catch him and
> > put him back in the bin. I was in tears thinking I had killed my fish.
>
> ================
> (brevity snips)
>
> How far did he fall? Could he be suffering from an internal injury? Is the
> water a similar PH and hardness to what was at your old place?
>
> Have you tried fruit like bits of apple, orange or peas and corn? Or seeds
> like sunflower and safflower? Try anyting to get him started eating.

I agree with Real McKoi

> How far did he fall? Could he be suffering from an internal injury? Is the
> water a similar PH and hardness to what was at your old place?

I would add to this, what was your ammonia level?
You mentioned that you waited for your tank to cycle, how long did you
wait?
I have move a lot of aquariums over the years for my clients
(including several Pacus for the Bahooka Restaurant), and in these
moves I immediately set up the main aquarium and added back gravel and
filter media that was only lightly rinsed in de-chlorinated water so
as to not have to recycle the aquarium.
I would also use Methylene Blue to the shipping container and Prime
and/or Stress Coat (or Novaqua) to the main tank.
See this article: http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/2007/08/aquarium-moving.html

I would check all water parameters from ammonia to KH and GH.

Also as already stated, try to feed anything you can, a lot of the
Pacus under my care also enjoyed carrot sticks.

Look carefully for signs of disease, especially opportunistic
infections such as Aeromonas or Columnaris bacterial infections.

You might consider a mild organic treatment such as Pimafix or Pimafix
combined with Melafix (so as to cover more gram negative and gram
positive bacteria).

There are some last ditch remedies you can try that are harsh on your
tank environment, so I will for now.

You might read some of the articles at this site for more information
about Aeromonas and other subjects that might be helpful:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Information.html

Carl