# 2 Malawi haps that will not eat for 3 weeks.



## spartacus (Jun 28, 2014)

Hey guys!





I have a few all male Malawi Haplochromines tanks. Around 3 weeks ago my 6-7" Nimbochromis polystigma started spitting out his food, followed shortly by reclusiveness. *** had 2 fish a few years back that died within 24 hours after these symptoms, it seems like the characteristics of bloat. Knowing what happened before and after reading a lot on bloat, I figured I caught it in time and was able to treat and potentially save the fish.

3 weeks ago..
My first move was to treat the entire 150 gallon tank with seachem metro soaked pellets. They all ate but I seen the poly spit out his pellets. I placed him in an established 30 gallon and started the metro treatment to the tank itself.

A few days later I noticed my Nimbochromis linni showing the same symptoms. Only he was not showing interest in the food (he did, i think, eat the medicated food in my first treatment) along with the reclusiveness. I took him to the hospital tank as well.

Lastly, a few days later, a strawberry peacock spit out food.. and was being reclusive. I took him to the hospital tank.

This is the treatment I followed.
http://cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat2_pt3.php

It has now been around 3 weeks since what ever this was began. I treated with metro and epsom for only the first week in the hospital tank.

The poly would not eat the NLS that i had originally fed him, maybe its because I got him with a medicated pellet so now he hates it lol? He did however eat some cichlid gold veggie pellets while in the hospital tank. He also made some droppings so I returned him to the 150 gallon. He still will not touch NLS but ate cichlids gold pellets for a few feedings...however I did just notice him spit out those again!!! in my main tank.ughhh

***The Linni will still only mouth the food, shows allot of interest but will not chew, he spits out NLS and cichlid gold. I may try some flakes. He remains healthy in appearance (as all 3 did) in the hospital tank, on his 3rd week. He must not have bloat or by my readings he would be toast by now.

*** The alunocara also turned down NLS. But will eat hikari, he is looking and eating well in my 90 gallon.

I dont know whats wrong with these Nimbos, did I inflict damage to their internals by medicating food, are they just picky now, or is it something else.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to get the nimbos to feed again please let me know! I love these guys and want to save them, BUT holy SH&T this gets frustrating sometimes. Between the odd health issues, tank mates etc, sometimes i want to sell everything lol. :?

My tanks have been running for a few years now.




I feed every other day, Not allot by any means 1/2 tsp or a little more of cichlid gold prior to after all these issues began, now I will be using 2mm NLS.
My water perimeters are all where they should be, if someone needs numbers to help I will get them.

All other fish are eating and preforming as fish should. Eating, crapping, digging and dodging a normal cichlid tank. Actually.. i did notice some excessive flashing on a few fish, well what seemed excessive to me, but its over now.

50% weekly water changes, consistent.

The stock list in my 150 is:
Nimbochromis Polystigma 
Nimbochromis Venustus
Nimbochromis Linni
Phacidochromis Phepochilus
Champsochromis Caeruleus
Protomelas Stevensi Taiwan Reef
Copadichromis Trewavasac Mloto Likoma
Buccochromis Nototaenia
Chilotialapia Rhodesi
Aulonocara strawberry red
Dimidiochromis compressiceps

The 90 is another male hap mix, its a grow out with some beauties in there! All healthy thriving fish!


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## spartacus (Jun 28, 2014)

Update..

I just snuck a pellet to my poly... he snatched it right up, chewed the food.. probably for about 20 seconds. . Seem to want to swallow it so bad ( i noticed hos stomach is now sunkin) , but spit it out. Its so weird, he wants to eat so bad, begs more then my ventusus, which is crazy! Even after spitting out the food he still darts back and forth staring at me for more. Poor guy is starving to death now.

Do i ever want to save this him and my linni! 
I also went in and tryed to feed the alunocara and got the same behavior.

I relocated both fish back to the hospital tank with the linni fearful of my others catching what ever this is.

So now i may try to treat them for a parasite... this is terrible. The worst part is i live in eastern canada, lol we cant get cichlids like this here. A few months ago i ordered these guys in( along with 12 others who are doing great) from quins fins in Florida! Beautiful fish. Sad times


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

you treated with metro already so bloat doesnt seem the issue.

haps sometimes just refuse to eat if they dont feel comfortable. it can take a while before they will accept food. you moving them arround wont really help. and yes they can starve themselves to death.

leave them in one place and try different kind of foods.


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## spartacus (Jun 28, 2014)

Thanks for replying.

Id agree that moving them around isnt good for stress, however initially they were not moved. One by one they just stopped eating. So moving them for treatment was definitely the right move. The linni has remained in the hospital tank since the beginning. The other two, well they may have been returned back to the main tank prematurely, what ever the reason, its easier to watch them in the hospital tank. So yes one unessary move but i don't think its the reason. 30 fish are doing great while 3 are on a sudden hunger strike..
*** been trying different food, both newly purchased nls and original hikari the haps ate for months and the alunocara for years. Still no luck. 
I might try flakes today or maybe dipping some pellets in some sort of garlicky entice.


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## spartacus (Jun 28, 2014)

update:

I tried feeding again this evening. I purchased some kent garlic and some hbh flakes to try in place of the numerous pellet foods I have, still no luck.

The poor polystigma is starving and so active, he darts for pellets/flakes, vigorously chews the food up and then spits it all out. He then grabs the pieces he spit out in his mouth only to spit them out again, without chewing. This is the routine, with 1mm nls, 2mm nls, 3mm cichlid gold and various flakes *** tried. These are food he ate prior to 3 or so weeks ago when all this started.

The linni, does the same then, minus the chewing, he grabs the food and spits it out right away.

Going on 3 week now, its looking like these fish are going to starve to death.

Should i medicate for an internal parasite? Maybe not even attempt to feed for another few days? Right now i try to feed them once daily, They are in a 30 gallon hospital with a separator so I can closely observe these feeding attempts.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

I dont know what you should do at this point. It ppints to bloat but thats been treated already. An bacterial infection could also be possible but this would probably cause death allot quicker.

*** had a few problems with getting haps to eat. But they all ate eventually after a couple of weeks.

Did you try some frozen food?


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## spartacus (Jun 28, 2014)

wortel87 said:


> I dont know what you should do at this point. It ppints to bloat but thats been treated already. An bacterial infection could also be possible but this would probably cause death allot quicker.
> 
> I've had a few problems with getting haps to eat. But they all ate eventually after a couple of weeks.
> 
> Did you try some frozen food?


Hey thanks for the interest in my issue lol. *** been checking the forum daily hoping for some magical cure.
Still no luck, well the peacock is fine, he has been back to the tank eating and doing his thing but the polystigma and linnii are still not eating. 
The linni does darts for the food and spits it right out , no chewing and no second attempts for a taste.

The poly "may" have eaten a pellet but 90% of the time pretty sure he just chews the food up and spits it out. Mighty aggressive towards food but isnt putting anything down. Chews it up, pits it out. Does that a few times then gives up.

I tried leaving food in over night, the linni definitely did not touch any.

So far frozen food is the only thing I haven't tried! Honestly until this I have never fed my guys anything other then hikari cichlid gold veggie and meat. I think I might stop by the pet store today and grab some.Not sure what type but ill do some research.

Today I spoke on the phone with a Cichlids specialist here in Canada, Spencer Jack, he has a website cichlaholic.com and a store
The aFISHionados. He was pretty helpful, told me about a condition called swollen tongue in haps etc. and how to check for it, if its not that he suggested I keep treating for bloat, even though its been a while now.
I checked for swollen tongue in both the linni and the poly,it looked fine in there, lol actually its insane how large, deep and ribbed with teeth the polystigma is !
So i guess ill try frozen food today, and if no luck Ill try metro and Epsom again. :?


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## spartacus (Jun 28, 2014)

Well tonight i got some frozen food called Emerald Entree... I defrosted it in some tank water and gave a pinch to the Linni and lo and behold, he ATE. Shocking; its been 3 weeks, I gave him another little pinch. Thats enough on an empty stomach , ill ease him in and try again tomorrow  . +1

The Polystigma, whom has munched a pellet or two over the past few weeks did not. He sat in the corner, I believe/hope he is just a little shocked and stressed from me peering down his throat earlier today, time will tell...fingers crossed the little guy is still swimming tomorrow. -1


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

Stop stressing your fish!!! Your only making it worse!

If their eating frozen food its probably not a disease. Like i said. Stressed haps sometimes starve themselves.

At this point i would keep giving frozen food mixed with some flakes and leave them be. No medications not looking inside their mouth. No hands in the water. Etc etc

*** got a female fryeri that refused nls and hikari in the beginning. Chewing and spitting and sometimes didnt even look at it at all. I had to hand feed her with a certain type of pellet that she would take. took abput a year before she showed interest in nls. Had this hapen a couple of times.

If mbuna dont eat their probably sick. If haps dont eat their sick or they dont feel comfortable or just dont like your food. And they can be verry stubborn.

I would just see what hapens from here. Dont try to force anything.


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