Redtail/shovelnose hybrid won’t eat!

[Fishgirl98]

Or even live blackworms if you can get access to them! Quite a few better quality fish stores will carry live food like that.

thank you our fish store down the road has live bloodworms I will run down and get some when I get the chance today and try to feed him that!

 

[Fishgirl98]

Welcome to the forum! Nice to have you here, glad you're reaching out for advice.

The 30 is ok for the baby RTC, but the hybrid is too large for the 30 already. This size disparity is the type of thing that could put a larger cat off of their diet. Try to get the 150 up and running asap and get the hybrid moved over.

I agree with the others that any and all info you can provide would be quite useful, especially water parameters and your filtration setup.

As to feeding the hybrid, if all else fails, try fresh bloodworms. I've never seen a healthy young cat turn down fresh bloodworms.

I will get him into the 150 gallon when I get everything testing good in that tank! Thank you!

 

[Fishgirl98]

No reason to get so angry so fast. None of us know you or what setups you have.
Keeping a 6” fish in a tank 30-40g isn’t a great idea. The bigger the better. For most here it’s not understandable why you’d choose to keep to fast growing fish in such a confined space when a bigger tank is available.

But enough of that, not trying to lecture.
Have you observed it’s poop? Any rubbing or strange behavior?

Understandable and that is why I apologized just felt as though I was getting told I don’t know what I’m doing as oppose to getting help in what to do. He is acting normal and his poop is brown. We did (after him not eating for a while) treat him for an parasites or anything (not that we saw anything going on just did it to be safe) and he has been fine just will not eat.

 

[Chicxulub]

Let us know if he takes the worms!

I forgot to ask about the lighting situation, but go ahead and turn your lights off now if they're on. I've found that when a catfish is stressed, it'll be more inclined to eat when the lights are out. Idk if this applies to you, just a thought.

 

[Fishgirl98]

Hi fishgirl, please don't take offense but the more information you can provide, the better we can help you.

I agree that we also need to see the ammonia level and because you are not seeing any nitrate, we have to assume the tank doesn't have enough good bacteria to support the 2 fish you have.

What type and brand of filter are you using?

Does the fish that is not eating appear healthy otherwise?

Any chance you can post a clear pic of the fish?

Edit: oops we posted at the same time.

fluval 50 gallon filter
He is heathy other wise no weird breathing or gill fluctuations. I will see if I have a picture but I am not home at this time!

 

[Fishgirl98]

Let us know if he takes the worms!

I forgot to ask about the lighting situation, but go ahead and turn your lights off now if they're on. I've found that when a catfish is stressed, it'll be more inclined to eat when the lights are out. Idk if this applies to you, just a thought.

he was always fed when the lights went out and they get turned off at 5 pm(when my fiancé leaves for work and turned on at 5 am (when he gets home). I will definitely post after I try and feed him later.

 

[MrsE88]

Understandable and that is why I apologized just felt as though I was getting told I don’t know what I’m doing as oppose to getting help in what to do. He is acting normal and his poop is brown. We did (after him not eating for a while) treat him for an parasites or anything (not that we saw anything going on just did it to be safe) and he has been fine just will not eat.

Good to hear behavior and poop are normal.
Hopefully after following the advice given he’ll be inclined to eat on his own.
And of course getting into that nice roomy 150 so he can really stretch out

Just saw your post after I posted. I’d have the lights off a lot more then that. Maybe only 5hrs. I honestly don’t even turn my lights on unless the tank is planted or I’m viewing the fish.

 

[Fishgirl98]

 

[piranhaman00]

Understandable and that is why I apologized just felt as though I was getting told I don’t know what I’m doing as oppose to getting help in what to do. He is acting normal and his poop is brown. We did (after him not eating for a while) treat him for an parasites or anything (not that we saw anything going on just did it to be safe) and he has been fine just will not eat.

I wasnt trying to tell you what to do, its simply irresponsible to put these fish in that size box, especially because you are aware of there growth rate.

The 150 being 48x24 is great! That will give you additional time before moving on again, but not much

He looks healthy, he most likely wont eat until he has more room.

 

[Fishgirl98]

I wasnt trying to tell you what to do, its simply irresponsible to put these fish in that size box, especially because you are aware of there growth rate.

The 150 being 48x24 is great! That will give you additional time before moving on again, but not much

He looks healthy, he just wont eat until he has more room.

thank you I appreciate the advice and help and again sorry to come off as a *****. He will be moved into the 150 gallon ASAP! We had a redtail about a year ago that we bought in bad condition in a pet store and when he got this size (in 150 gallon) he wouldn’t eat for us and he had passed aftera long time of not eating. He was eating live bloodworms the whole time we had him other then occasionally carnivore pellets.