Help: My datnoid won't eat!

[nono]

Hello. I would like to ask for help again. Recently, my indonesian tigerfish doesn't eat as often and ferocious as it usually is. It already won't eat for six days and the last time it ate something, it only took five 6-7 cm/3 inch-so frozen shrimp. It usually able to eat 6-8 shrimp of that size in one go and will get hungry after 3-4 days. For now, its activity level is kinda normal. No sign of lethargy or any common sickness as far as I concern

Actually, similar problem have happened in the past 7 or 8 months ago I think. It didn't eat for one month straight or more. Not even crickets, hikari pellet, or shrimp work. I gave up and had to resort to livefeeder which were some platies and once a goldfish. I am fully aware that these things especially goldfish are bad for fish. That's why if able I don't want to give my fish a livefeeder again... Do you guys have some tips or suggestion for me to try?

Oh yeah, sorry I forget to mention a bit about my fish. My tigerfish currently is 35 cm/14 inch or so. I don't know the exact age or should we say biological age of my fish, but I already had it for like 9 years or more. I bought it when it was like 6,5 cm/2 inch-ish. Now it lives alone inside a 35/40 gal (which I know is to small but please hear my explanation...) because it destroyed my 150 gal tank by keep hitting the bottom for no apparent reason and I don't have enough resources right now for making a new big tank... For all these years, it only given frozen shrimp because it is very picky and I refuse to give it livefeeders. Do my fish already considered as kind of elderly and that explain its quite often loss if appetite? Are there something I could do about this problem? Really need some help and tips... Thank you very much! I am sorry for my messy english and time taking post...

 

[Rtc/tsn]

Hello. I would like to ask for help again. Recently, my indonesian tigerfish doesn't eat as often and ferocious as it usually is. It already won't eat for six days and the last time it ate something, it only took five 6-7 cm/3 inch-so frozen shrimp. It usually able to eat 6-8 shrimp of that size in one go and will get hungry after 3-4 days. For now, its activity level is kinda normal. No sign of lethargy or any common sickness as far as I concern

Actually, similar problem have happened in the past 7 or 8 months ago I think. It didn't eat for one month straight or more. Not even crickets, hikari pellet, or shrimp work. I gave up and had to resort to livefeeder which were some platies and once a goldfish. I am fully aware that these things especially goldfish are bad for fish. That's why if able I don't want to give my fish a livefeeder again... Do you guys have some tips or suggestion for me to try?

Oh yeah, sorry I forget to mention a bit about my fish. My tigerfish currently is 35 cm/14 inch or so. I don't know the exact age or should we say biological age of my fish, but I already had it for like 9 years or more. I bought it when it was like 6,5 cm/2 inch-ish. Now it lives alone inside a 35/40 gal (which I know is to small but please hear my explanation...) because it destroyed my 150 gal tank by keep hitting the bottom for no apparent reason and I don't have enough resources right now for making a new big tank... For all these years, it only given frozen shrimp because it is very picky and I refuse to give it livefeeders. Do my fish already considered as kind of elderly and that explain its quite often loss if appetite? Are there something I could do about this problem? Really need some help and tips... Thank you very much! I am sorry for my messy english and time taking post...

How big is the fish now ? Try upgrading to a larger tank with dim lights and see if it eats in a day or so. The fish doctor is kno4te so hopefully he can help a bit more. Good luck

 

[Kolton13]

Try fasting them for a bit. U can offer them foods and then if they don’t eat wait like 2-3 days then try again. Make sure to take out the food If they don’t eat it as it will mess up ur water. Try mixing up the food as well. Tilapia is a good option. Try stuffing them with pellets for a better diet. Some fish don’t need to eat everyday, my gulper catfish ate a shrimp a week. Granted he was like 5 inches he took a bit to digest it ofc. But feeding less often can help with better results.

 

[Kolton13]

How big is the fish now ? Try upgrading to a larger tank with dim lights and see if it eats in a day or so. The fish doctor is kno4te so hopefully he can help a bit more. Good luck

He is in a 40 gallon and is 14 inches. That could be why he is not eating as often or as well.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

He is in a 40 gallon and is 14 inches. That could be why he is not eating as often or as well.

Oh I didn’t see that when I read it. I would definitely upgrade tank. Probably not eating because of stress

 

[jjohnwm]

If I had a 14-inch datnoid, or a 14-inch anything, in a 40-gallon tank...I would not only expect it to be stressed and uninterested in food, but I'd be fasting it as much as possible in an effort to maintain water quality (such as it is...). I get that the fish is not being kept that way by choice, but that doesn't change the fact that you need to do something about a bigger tank sooner rather than later.

As Winston Churchill said, it's not enough to do your best; you simply must do what needs to be done.

 

[Matteus]

Hello. I would like to ask for help again. Recently, my indonesian tigerfish doesn't eat as often and ferocious as it usually is. It already won't eat for six days and the last time it ate something, it only took five 6-7 cm/3 inch-so frozen shrimp. It usually able to eat 6-8 shrimp of that size in one go and will get hungry after 3-4 days. For now, its activity level is kinda normal. No sign of lethargy or any common sickness as far as I concern

Actually, similar problem have happened in the past 7 or 8 months ago I think. It didn't eat for one month straight or more. Not even crickets, hikari pellet, or shrimp work. I gave up and had to resort to livefeeder which were some platies and once a goldfish. I am fully aware that these things especially goldfish are bad for fish. That's why if able I don't want to give my fish a livefeeder again... Do you guys have some tips or suggestion for me to try?

Oh yeah, sorry I forget to mention a bit about my fish. My tigerfish currently is 35 cm/14 inch or so. I don't know the exact age or should we say biological age of my fish, but I already had it for like 9 years or more. I bought it when it was like 6,5 cm/2 inch-ish. Now it lives alone inside a 35/40 gal (which I know is to small but please hear my explanation...) because it destroyed my 150 gal tank by keep hitting the bottom for no apparent reason and I don't have enough resources right now for making a new big tank... For all these years, it only given frozen shrimp because it is very picky and I refuse to give it livefeeders. Do my fish already considered as kind of elderly and that explain its quite often loss if appetite? Are there something I could do about this problem? Really need some help and tips... Thank you very much! I am sorry for my messy english and time taking post...

Truth be told, it was most likely unhappy in the 150g that’s not a very big tank for that size of fish. If you can’t afford to get a new tank, I might suggest sell the datnoid and put the money toward a bigger tank? Or Work weekends, do whatever you need to in order to get it what it needs…. Read the description of this site, we aren’t called broke fish keepers- we do what it takes to make it happen. Good luck

 

[tlindsey]

Also like to add a 14 inch Datnoid doesn't need to be fed everyday imo.

 

[nono]

How big is the fish now ? Try upgrading to a larger tank with dim lights and see if it eats in a day or so. The fish doctor is kno4te so hopefully he can help a bit more. Good luck

Yes, I always fed it at night with dim light. Yeah I think you guys are probably right. Stress is probably the main cause..

 

[nono]

Try fasting them for a bit. U can offer them foods and then if they don’t eat wait like 2-3 days then try again. Make sure to take out the food If they don’t eat it as it will mess up ur water. Try mixing up the food as well. Tilapia is a good option. Try stuffing them with pellets for a better diet. Some fish don’t need to eat everyday, my gulper catfish ate a shrimp a week. Granted he was like 5 inches he took a bit to digest it ofc. But feeding less often can help with better results.

I have already fast it and for years I usually fed it 2-3 times a week.
Ah I see. I will try tilapia then. Thank you...