# Kenyi not eating?



## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

First off, 3 years ago i got a "male" Kenyi from my pet store. I was researching all the time about the sexes because i didn't believe it was a male, but then i was like hey, i'll get just go with that.

He is in a tank by himself, has been for 3 years, and he's 4 years old now. Last year he didn't eat for a few days and wouldn't open his mouth, like he was carrying fry. So i just realized this now because i saw pictures, stupid me. But i was new to the fish stuff. (In the pet store and still now, he is a pale color with gray bars).

So now the Kenyi won't eat. Usually he/she is dying to eat and will eat 15 pellets a day. But for the past 2 days he/she hasn't been interested in eating and is hiding in the corner that has a big hole in the gravel and a rock surrounding. (There is nothing in his mouth)

I did a 30-40% water change because i haven't in 2 weeks, and i cleaned the algae off the tank, the gravel and changed the carbon filter. Now he/she is just staying in that corner banging it's head off the glass?!

Occasionally this will happen because of the reflection but it's getting beyond. He/she just tries to bite the glass. This behaviour (not trying to bite the glass) happens every few months where he wont eat for a few days, it's weird.

I have algae wafers i broke up and soaked, along with a few pellets, but i don't want them going in the tank to be uneaten. He always sees me bringing the little container up to the tank, so he knows he's getting fed, and he just doesn't care.

All of the water levels are completely normal. Is this just a faze?


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Hi, 
Fish not eating is usually a symptom of illness/reaction to less than optimal conditions--but not always. 
The urge to breed is very strong in these fish and just because there's no other fish in the tank with him/her doesn't mean he/she won't demonstrate some sort of breeding behavior. Females kept without males will lay eggs and if they are a mouthbrooder will take the unfertilized eggs into their mouths. 
Because you've seen this behavior somewhat monthly, not eating, 'aggressive' behavior with the glass, hanging in one spot, it could be normal, (normal for a fish living alone), breeding behavior. 
But it's hard to be sure of that and unfortunately not eating, hanging in one spot is also a symptom of illness. 
So what do you do?
I would first of all test the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate--just to rule that out and then I'd do another partial water change with a good quality dechlorinator. Watch to see if the Kenyi's behavior changes at all after the water change. Make it a 50% water change. Siphon the gravel. 
Check to make sure there's a good strong flow coming out of the filter return and the temp is up around 78-80'. 
Seachem makes a food additive, Garlic Guard that you might try. It's suppose to make food more interesting to fish. Use it as a test. If the fish is really sick then it likely won't eat anything but you could try adding this to his food just to see if he will in fact eat. 
Because Bloat is so common, and technically your fish has some of the symptoms of Bloat, you might want to pick up some Tetra Parasite Clear and treat him once. It's not going to hurt him to treat him if in fact he doesn't have Bloat, (as long as you don't make a habit of it). 
Before you treat though I would test the water, do the additional water change, temp/filter check and the Seachem food additive--all ASAP--(like today!) because if it is Bloat there's only a short period of time where meds are effective. 
How big of a tank is he in?
Robin


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

I think he has bloat now. I came home from school and he had clear stringy poop hanging from him.

I also checked ammonia and the test was faint yellow-ish, so i quickly took out the carbon filter and put in a tablet of Ammonia Clear (Jungle brand).

I'm going to check the water levels in a little while to make sure the ammonia went down, and i actually did a 75% water change yesterday, not 40%. I have no idea where this ammonia came from. The carbon filter was the color of his food and i just put it in yesterday.

He is now swimming around the tank but not for long until he goes back in his hiding place. I'm not too sure if my pet store carries "Clout" is what they call it, but is there anything else i could get if they don't have that in?!


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

I have API aquarium salt handy. Could i use that to medicate for the bloat immediately?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Aquarium salt does not help bloat...you might use it if he had ich.

I do not find that the LFS carry the meds I need. I prefer metronidazole (Tetra Parasite Clear a.k.a. Tetra Parasite Guard has metronidazole in it) for bloat (clout is harsh and stains the silicone of your tank).

Instead of adding ammonia clear, I would just change more water until ammonia is 0.25 or less. Even if you have to do it every day.


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

I have a box of Fungus Clear but it also helps bloating, dropsy, and swim bladder disease. Guess that wouldn't do?

I can't get into the pet store today to get anything so i guess that's going to make it a lot worse. He's not even bloated, but i've had this guy for 3 years and i just don't want to give up after so long.

Could it be that he ate a lot? He's usually really hungry and eats so many pellets but that's usually once a day.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Eating a lot would not cause clear, thready feces. That is a blockage...no feces are getting through and only mucous is coming out.

I thought you said he was not eating? If he is eating, it's not bloat.

Fungus Clear Active ingredients
Nitrofurazone, Furazolidone, and Potassium Dichromate.

Nope...no metronidazole.


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

No, he used to eat a ton so i thought that's why he could've gotten it, by overfeeding.

I just did a 75% water change for the ammonia and i noticed 2 little white dots down farther by his tail. What could this be? Ich? Would the fungus tablets work for that, if it is ich?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Are the dots ON the tail? Can you post a pic? Usually ich shows up on fins first. It looks like grains of salt. If you have ich, I'd use the salt and extra heat.


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

No they are by his tail, on his scales. I put fungus clear in overnight because i have nothing else and it seemed like it would do the trick, and the bumps are a little smaller.
I tried getting a picture of his left side but it was so hard.

























This one is a picture of the right side


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

This is another picture i just took. I really don't know what's wrong anymore because it looks like he doesn't have ich, but he's still not eating or going around the top of the tank like usually.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Hard to tell for sure, but the marks might be missing scales.

So it seems like we are back to a bloat diagnosis...not eating and thready clear feces. I'd remove the fungus clear (you don't want to mix medications) and medicate with something containing metronidazole.


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## ravynnnicole (Apr 9, 2013)

Fungus clear helped him and he's active and eating again


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