EBJD emergency!

[ameliaaahx]

So I have an EBJD which I purchased 5 days ago and I have been unable to get him to eat. He swims around the tank quite happy (or so it appears) and seems settled in, but just does not seem interested in food. I am feeding him the same as he was getting in the shop but he still just ignored it. I've also tried bloodworms and beefheart but to no avail.

It wouldn't be so much of an issue except I'm going away for 4 days tomorrow and I'm concerned that not eating for 4 days when he's already had nothing for another 5 will be enough to do him in. I have a friend who will take him off my hands, and that way he'll at least have the opportunity to be fed. But at the same time the reason he's not eating (I assume) is sulking from being moved and I'm not sure if moving him again would just make it worse.

Help?

[mizzoutank]

Safe assumption is that your parameters are all perfect (like your other tanks)

so i would say it is stress too. could you leave some food in overnight and see if he'll get brave when the lights go dark to nibble?

When I first bought my krib, she did that for the first few days, shy'd away from everything, but now she's active an attacks the food quickly!

[Aeonflame]

What size is the fish?

[ameliaaahx]

Yes params are good, water is crystal. I even tried a large water change yesterday to see if that was the boost he needed. I considered leaving food but I didn't want to rot the water. He's starting to look skinny now. I'd love to deworm him to see if that helps but I can't find wormer for fish ANYWHERE here.

Aeon, he's about 3inches or just under (I'm terrible at estimating fish size). I watched him at the LFS for at least a week before I bought him. My friend brought an EBJD the same day as me from a different store and his just died after refusing to eat since he got it. His was a lot smaller than mine though.

[Honey Badger 1]

Unfortunately this can be a big problem with this fish due to how they are bred. The line breeding needed to get the "electric blue" coloration also causes internal defects in most of the offspring. He might be moody or it might be an internal problem causing him to go off his food. There is nothing much you can do but wait it out and see which problem you are dealing with. I would get someone to come in and feed him while you are gone and hopefully he will start eating soon. Good luck with him.

[ameliaaahx]

Hi Mommy -- thanks for the info. I hope my guy pulls through. Are you aware of any type of food which may improve his appetite or digestion, or something which may be easier on his stomach? Or is it all about the same.

[Honey Badger 1]

They are a typical cichlid in that they aren't usually a picky eater, but can be moody. I would try some typical carnivore favorites like blood worms, earthworms, or mosquito larvae at first to see if you can stimulate his appetite. Once he starts eating well move on to pellets as the regular food and the others I mentioned as treats. At this point I think it's more important to get him eating just to see if he is being moody or if a genetic defect is starting to cause him trouble.

[fishmommie]

Amelia - I had the same problem with my EBJD when I brought him home in Sept - but he was even smaller than yours. around 2 inches. He was simply not interested in food. As a last resort, I dropped some sinking algae wafers in the corner of the tank where he hung out. Low and behold, he started eating them. so, if you haven't tried that already, give it a go. Leave the wafers over night and if you think you have other fish in the tank that might eat them, put some extra in. You can always vac out the waste.

Mine has grown almost an inch since then - but Mommy1 is correct about their intestinal issues. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for both of us that they make it.

Another thing - I don't know what tank mates you have him with. Mine was in my 90 Gal with blood parrots and angel and a sev when I first brought him home. the EBJD just wasn't aggressive enough to compete with them for food. I decided that his non aggressive nature might be part of his eating issue so I moved him to my 30 gallon with my tetras and cories hoping to be able to spot feed him and grow him out a bit. So far, it's worked. He's not one bit aggressive with the other fish and grows more confident each month - and as I said above, added almost an inch. His favorite food is frozen blood worms, followed by frozen brine shrimp and he still likes to guard an algae wafer and pick away at it. He also eats super soft spirulina sinking pellets and occasionally spirulina flakes. But it took a long time to get him to eat anything but the algae wafer.

And finally - you could try a garlic soak. It's supposed to get finicky eaters to eat. Might also be worth a try.

I hope this helps and if you have a smaller tank you could move him into until he grows out, it might be of benefit as it has been for mine. Oh - and he also likes a crock or something to hang out in - I'd guess he feels more secure in it.
Let us know how things work out and good luck!!

[ameliaaahx]

Thanks for all your help, Mommies! Finally got the wee guy to eat.

I decided to give the blood worms another go. Instead of soaking and draining them first though I just chucked them straight in, which made the water all cloudy (I'm sure you know what I mean if you've ever fed bloodworms). He must have smelt it in the water because he came reluctantly out. Last time I defrosted them and drained them first so they were "clean" and he didn't even seem to notice them. I also chucked in a broken up algae tab, turned the filters off so he could eat at his leisure without the filter getting all the food and turned the light off. The hardest part for me was staying away because he'd hide whenever I approached, but from the distance I could see him hunting round for worms. He spat lots back out back I'm sure he must have got some.

I'll have to do a water change a bit later because the water is foul now but at least he's had something, even if it wasn't much.

Interesting note that he only feeds from the very bottom where as the rest of my cichlids don't let anything get below half-way down before they hoover it up. I'll have to adapt my feeding strategy to make sure he gets enough.

[Honey Badger 1]

Glad to hear he is showing interest in the food.