# EBJD Feeding Problem



## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

Hello, I have had an EBJD for over 6 months now and he is still really small. He was in a 75 gallon tank and I noticed his fins were getting nipped and he would not eat. I currently have him in a cycled 10 gallon tank. Temp 78, pH 7.6, and well circulated. I have been using melafix on him for about a week and his tail has grown back a little bit. But, I am still having problems with him not eating. I try feeding him the small NLS pellets once a day, and he never eats. I take out what I can after awhile. I tried putting in a spirulina tablet also, and he ignores that but, what he DOES like is raw salmon. One night my GF and I were making salmon chowder, and I took off a small piece and fed it to him, and he went for it right away. The next day I fed him another little piece and again he liked it.

So I'm wondering, since he hasn't eaten the NLS for over a week, can I safely continue to feed him little bits of salmon and will he be okay/grow some more? Or, should I continue to try the NLS until he eats it? (If ever.)

Thanks :thumb:


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

I moved this to the Health and Nutrition section in hopes you would get more responses. I left it shadowed so those from the CA section can still respond. :fish:


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## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

Thats the second time now! Sorry I keep forgetting about posting in the right section :lol:

But anyway, he is still not eating the NLS food. Still unsure about the salmon, but I'll research it online a bit more.


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

Doyoulikefishsticks said:


> Thats the second time now! Sorry I keep forgetting about posting in the right section :lol:
> 
> But anyway, he is still not eating the NLS food. Still unsure about the salmon, but I'll research it online a bit more.


No need to be sorry! Was just hoping you would get more responses because I don't know about the salmon either.


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## bluenapG (Mar 30, 2011)

I have a super adult JD. There are some pellets that they will just not eat. They don't like the Hikari pellets. My guy loves the Hikari freeze dried cubed foods like Tubefix worms and Brine Shrimp.

Since your guy is young, I suggest you try frozen food with lots of protein like beef heart. My JD LOVES frozen beef heart. Feeding him frozen food in a 10 gal tank may be too much bio-load, but it would work in the 75 gallon tank.

Good luck.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Years ago I had an oscar that refused to eat the red colored hikari pellets. He loved the green though, and pretty much anything else I put in with him.

I think salmon should be fine for him. I know omega one flakes contain whole salmon as the first ingredient and my mbuna love that stuff.

I think the key here is to just try different foods until you find something he likes, just buy small portions until you are sure. Feeding him what he will take now may stimulate his appetite so that he will accept other things when he gains his strength back.


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## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

b3w4r3 said:


> Feeding him what he will take now may stimulate his appetite so that he will accept other things when he gains his strength back.


Yeah, this is what I was hoping for. I'll try again with a small piece of salmon, then keep trying to feed him the pellets after that. I can't remember when I fed him the salmon, but he probably has not eaten anything I fed him for about 5-6 days. Of course, maybe he nibbles on some of the pellets that were left over. But then again, maybe they wont eat pellets that are a few days old.


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## bluenapG (Mar 30, 2011)

Good news is they can go for long periods - longer than a week - without food and be fine.


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## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

Yeah, he hasn't come around yet, but his fins are regrown, and he is swimming around and being more active. So thats a good sign!


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## verbal (Aug 16, 2011)

I would fast for a couple days and try a different pellet. If you feed everything else NLS, then if you get him on some other pellet you can gradually change your mix from 1/4 NLS eventually to all NLS.

If you have to keep feeding fish, I would try other types(I think Tilpia would be good) because Salmon is oily.

Also Gel foods may be another option, they can be left in the tank longer than pellets.


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## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I have another brand of pellets sitting around. I did try feeding him flakes, and he kind of went for it. Meaning, he would look at it, swim to it, but not eat it lol...Now, he is not even eating the salmon I fed him earlier. Picky little bugger I guess.


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## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

Just thought I would update this, I tried feeding him freeze dried bloodworms, he went for those, and ate a little of them. Feeding him the frozen foods is a good suggestion. My LFS has some frozen bloodworms, if he's eating the freeze dried version, he'll probably like the frozen even more. Thing about the freeze dried, it wont sink. And he doesn't swim to the top to get it, only when a little piece does actually get mixed up in the current, will he go for it. So, frozen would work better, I'll probably give that a try.


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## Leviathan64 (Sep 23, 2007)

Just a few more suggestions if your still having trouble. You could soak your pellets in Garlic Guard to entice feeding. I ordered my bottle online. Also, try peas, just boil them and remove the skin. They sink and my blue really liked them.


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## Doyoulikefishsticks (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks for the peas tip. That reminds me I tried crushing up some of the spirulina pellets that sing and he also did not go for that. But I did see him nipping at some small plants I put in the tank so it seems he is wanting some veggies of some sort. So, I'll give the pea idea a try, maybe zucchini as well.


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