# Red shoulder peacock has not eaten for more than a week



## thatbb6 (May 3, 2012)

Four months ago I bought 5 adult haps and peacocks. Last month, 2 of them I bought with sunken stomach died. Now I'm down to 3 fish, Protomelas Tanzania, Rubescen and Red Shoulder. The Red Shoulder hasn't been eating for more than a week. His color became dull and he doesn't swim a whole lot. Externally, he looks fine. What could be the problem? What can I do to get him back healthy and active?
Water is good. Tanzania and Rubescen are very healthy. I don't think it's bloat because the stomach looks fine and I don't see any clear stringy feces.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

not sure what it is, but the stomach won't look weird with bloat necessarily, and if the blockage is bad enough you won't see stringy feces either. That being said, stress can lead to a compromised immune system which in turn can allow many different microbes to become opportunistically pathogenic.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

lilscoots said:


> if the blockage is bad enough you won't see stringy feces either.


True, but you can rule out intestinal blockage by seeing the thick, food-colored feces on the other hand.

What are the dimensions of the tank? There are just the 3 fish at this time? What are the test results for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Did the first two stop eating before death? Did they develop the sunken stomachs after you bought them?

Where does the sick fish hang out...top of the tank or bottom?

Maybe another internal parasite...let's see what the answers to the questions above are.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I agree that it sounds like an internal parasite. We will need the answers to the questions DJ has posted in order to help you.

Were those 5 fish the only tank occupants?


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## thatbb6 (May 3, 2012)

Tank is 75G. I got the Red Shoulder at 6" together with other fish that share the tank with him. Others are healthy and eat like pig. I moved the Red Shoulder to a 20G tank to separate him. All tanks are cycled and I did 50% WC yesterday so I'd say 7.6 pH, 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrite and 20 nitrate.
The first 2 that died were Lemon Jake and Midnight Peacock. They did have sunken stomach when I purchased them. The Jake never really ate, Midnight ate normally. 
The Red shoulder usually hangs around top of the tank towards the back, never nose up or anything.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I see you are in California. You don't have access to the same medications we have, unfortunately. You need to start out with a med with metronizadole in it, for internal parasites. Not sure how it works ordering into California, but I don't believe it is available there???


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## thatbb6 (May 3, 2012)

cichlidaholic said:


> I see you are in California. You don't have access to the same medications we have, unfortunately. You need to start out with a med with metronizadole in it, for internal parasites. Not sure how it works ordering into California, but I don't believe it is available there???


I have ordered Seachem Metro and used it before. So you suspect the cause is internal parasites then? Thanks for all the replies so far :thumb:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Since you have already lost other fish and their bellies were sunken when you got them, I would try metro first, without delay.

I would focus on the one in the hospital tank as long as the others are behaving normally. But, I would consider doing a large water change with a good substrate vacuum and adding some epsom salt to the hospital tank as a preventative measure.

Good luck!


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## thatbb6 (May 3, 2012)

cichlidaholic said:


> Since you have already lost other fish and their bellies were sunken when you got them, I would try metro first, without delay.
> 
> I would focus on the one in the hospital tank as long as the others are behaving normally. But, I would consider doing a large water change with a good substrate vacuum and adding some epsom salt to the hospital tank as a preventative measure.
> 
> Good luck!


Thanks. I just did WC, add epsom salt and metro today. I will update the condition of the fish later. :thumb: :thumb:


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## thatbb6 (May 3, 2012)

update: So I'm 4 days into treatment. Dosing metro (400mg for my 20G *higher than labeled*) and epsom salt daily. I have tried feeding the Red Shoulder food that is dosed with metro but he's not eating. He kinda eats it and spits it out real quick. His stomach is now sunken in. What should I do? 
Is ParaGuard recommended at this point?


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