# New fish not eating on his first day



## bluenautilus2 (Sep 29, 2010)

Hi I'm a programmer but am new to forums so please direct me to existing topics, if this topic is not new. Last night I came home with a juvenille Green Terror about 2.5 inches long. The tank is well cycled but doesn't have any hiding places (yet). He is all by himself in a 30-gallon.

I bought a rather expensive brand of cichlid pellets for small fish and tried to feed him this morning. I plan on introducing live and frozen food, but not right away- I don't want a picky eater. Unfortunately he snapped up the pellet- and then spat it out! After a few minutes of not eating, I went in and scooped pellets back out.

Is this just a scared fish? Or should I find some more palatable food? And most importantly, how long should I try the pellets before I give up and find feeder fish? (I don't want a hungry stressed fish). I know I'm being a little silly but this is my new baby...


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## Snowman33 (Apr 8, 2005)

Were the pellets hard and dry? I keep a little rubbermaid cup that I scoop a spoonful of tank water into. Right before feeding time I'll float any pellets in that for a couple of minutes so they get soft before I feed them. I've noticed a lot of cichlids over the years that will immediately spit out the hard pellets. Some will keep reattacking, some will not. It's also not all together uncommon for new fish to be a little finnicky when you bring them home.


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## bluenautilus2 (Sep 29, 2010)

They were hard and dry. I gave him some flakes and he ate a tiny amount of them. At the risk of overfeeding him I'll try again in the morning. Thanks! I'll post what happens.


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## bluenautilus2 (Sep 29, 2010)

He won't eat them, soaked or not. There are now several laying on the floor of the tank from yesterday and today. He won't starve to death ... will he?


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

You just bought him, give him time to adjust. If he's still not eating after two weeks, then you can be concerned. Just don't feed him for a few days and then try again with a small amount to see if he's eating.


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## Snowman33 (Apr 8, 2005)

Sometimes it just takes a little time. After several days if he still shows no interest in the pellets you might try flake or something else. One thing I would add is that if you have pellets laying in the tank that he hasn't touched you might want to syphon them out. Anytime I have food laying around uneaten for an extended time I'll go ahead and suck it out. No sense leaving it to spoil. lol


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Biggest way to set him straight is to get him some hiding places -- IMO. Think of yourself having been through what he has the last few days. Is eating going to be your first priority? Not if you think somebody may net you and you can't find a place to hide. :roll:


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## bluenautilus2 (Sep 29, 2010)

Thanks everyone, your advice is very reassuring. I got him some spiffy wood to hide in the night I bought him, but it has been soaking in water to get the tannins out. Hopefully tomorrow the wood can go into the tank.


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## bluenautilus2 (Sep 29, 2010)

I gave him a flower pot to hide in and put the big wood into the tank. Still not eating, but it will probably be ok


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## Similis (Feb 14, 2007)

I know it might not matter now but that tank is way too small for a Green Terror.

Back to the feeding..
I would go with the advice that has been given. The fish has been stressed a lot and then to go 
into an empty tank has had an effect. I would not stress too much over the feeding yet.
Give him a day without feeding or going near the tank and then try a little food again.
Some Brine Shrimp or Bloodworm might get him feeding although I am not a fan of Bloodworm
myself but it might get him eating.

Is the fish captive bred or wild caught.
I imported 70 wild Corydoras species on Tuesday and it took them three days to start feeding.
The Narcissus only started eating today..

If he is still not eating after a few days then it might be a good idea to add some dither fish to
the tank to help him relax.


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## bluenautilus2 (Sep 29, 2010)

Between the last post and now, Koru learned to eat his pellets. He doesn't hide anymore when I come by, and he goes after the pellets and attacks them over and over again when they're too dry to eat right away. I also bought an 80 gallon tank on Craigslist and he is happily installed in it.


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## AnThRaXx (Apr 21, 2008)

probably had a high ph that may have been stressing him. that and no hidey holes. a word of caution on your choice of woods. i HIGHLY suggest algae eatters as that mopani african hard wood has a serious chance of becoming slowly covered in this weird white algae sponge junk. happens to me everytime over time if u leave the log. it will only be the white portion as well. given this recurring problem i personally take out the ole wood chissle and take as much of the white off as i can. just keep an eye on it as its not good to have in a tank. a stiff brush used only for tank stuff should suffice. well GL to ya. also tank mates arent a bad idea. if u like the green terrors, get a couple more give him a gf or bf. w/e the case may be


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## cichlid_kid96 (Nov 22, 2010)

my cichlids are the same way my green terror wont eat pellets but he loves sticks just like all my cichlids idk why


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## loopslike (Nov 10, 2010)

It is natural. When anything goes to a new place leaving old place it needs sometime to match with the new environment. The aquarium fish is not beyond of this culture. Before entering in the aquarium, they have a free world. But in the aquarium the place is very small. So the fish becoming heisted and they do not take their food. Aquarium is a great thing in our eyes but it is like a prison for the fish who are inside.


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