# how long can a fish live without eating?



## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

I am sorry to keep bringing this up. But it has been over a month. I have been changing water every 2 to 5 days for that long. Fish's cloudy, bulging eye has cleared up. His color is perfect. Since I started using Binox, nitrofurazole, he has been having very thin, very long, silky-looking poop. And every once in a while, he will shake his head or body. No banging into the sides of the tank or anything, but just jerky. Mostly he just sits. He will look at me, like he used to. I wish I knew what to do for him. Does he have a chance? How long can this go on, before he starves? When I put tiny crushed flake food in the water, does he inadvertantly digest some? Just from it being in the water and him taking it in through the gills? Probably a very stupid question.

Only fish in 29 g. tank. Very established tank. Temp usually at 78 but I just turned it up to 82.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I've seen them go as long as 2 months without eating before they starve to death. (I've seen mouthbrooding females hold as long as 6 weeks, and be just fine once they recovered...)

In cases like this, you have to wonder if they have some sort of internal issue that is causing them to be unable to eat...Tumours, blockage, etc...


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

Should I 'euthanize' him?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I would probably do so, ophelia...I couldn't stand to watch him not eat, but I'd want to be 100% certain that he wasn't eating _something_.

Have you tried tempting him with any foods he wouldn't normally get?

There is a frozen food (used mostly for saltwater) called Emerald Entree. I have seen many, many fish eat this when they wouldn't eat anything else.

Have you tried feeding him fresh minced garlic? This boosts the immune system, and finicky eaters will sometimes take this when they won't eat anything else.

Are you noticing any emaciation?


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

I will try the garlic. And no, he looks very healthy. (still having very long, fine poop)


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

If he is pooping, isn't he eating?


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

It is all white, very thin...like parasitic. I wonder if there is a blockage between his mouth and stomanch? Do these fish have stomachs even????

I gave him fresh garlic. Didn't eat it. Just acted like it aggravated him. Started working his mouth like he was spitting, although none went in his mouth. I don't know what to do.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

If he's producing any feces at all, I would think he's ingesting something.

White feces also occurs when medicating, and from what you're said, he's been well medicated.

I can't remember who it was, but years ago someone on here had a fish that had a large obstruction in their throat - they could literally see it when they looked inside the fish's mouth. Of course, there was nothing they could do about it, but at least they knew what was going on and could stop with medications.

Fish also suffer from thyroid problems on occasion.

What all meds have you tried? Do you remember how long you dosed each med?


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

I used the JPC for a week. Then again for 10 days. Then started the Binox for 4 days. Did a 30% w/c and did another 4 day treatment with Binox. I have also used epson salt. And 4 days ago, I began turning the heat up. It is now 84 degrees. He shows no signs of disease and no distress. Just not eating and not moving. He mostly just sits at the bottom, at the back of the tank.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

What are the active ingredients in the Binox? Any true antibiotics?

If not, I'd go with a triple sulfa treatment for 5 days...


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

nitrofurazone


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I would go ahead and try the triple sulfa if you can find it.

Nitrofurazone is normally used topically to treat skin infections. It isn't going to do alot of good for an internal bacterial infection. (I'm not even sure why it's being sold as a fish med???)

It's actually a very old drug (as is sulfa) but it's very mild and the amount you would find inside these fish meds that you can buy over the counter would be practically negligible. I sometimes wonder if they list meds as an ingredient just because they threw one capsule into the batch they were making!

Sulfa is an older drug, too, but it's a good broad spectrum treatment when in doubt. Again, you aren't going to find proper dosages in the meds we can find over the counter, but it's worth a try. The fulu might respond to it...

That's really the only other thing I can think of to suggest.

Keep in mind that if they do go without eating for an extended period of time, it's even harder to save them.


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

Thanks, I will try that.


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

After over 5 weeks of not eating, my beautiful Christmas Fulu started struggling just to breathe. I couldn't take it anymore. It was very hard to do; I have had him for over 3 years. It made me sick to do it. But he was having such a hard time. I wish I would have done it sooner.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I was afraid it was going to come to that.

You have to know that you did everything you could have done for him. I really wish our options were better.

It's never easy to euthanize a fish, especially one that you've had that long.


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## ophelia (May 29, 2006)

He didn't start 'bloating' until the last 3 days. Five weeks. He was trying so hard. I think he was the most beautiful fish ever.


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