# Fryeri won't eat.



## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

I just noticed my Fryeri hasn't been eating the last several days. He just stays on the bottom and kinda mills around while all of the others go up to eat. I have had him about a month and he was doing great! No visible signs of disease. Not being picked on by other fish. Water parameters are pristine. Any thoughts?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

If he is a he since a female could hold eggs... if he doesn't eat he is sick, malawi cichlids are not picky, they eat anything. Bloat disease starts when they lose their appetite and it is not unusual for an adult fish to get sick from all the stress from going from tank to tank. I would be worried.


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

I am worried. He is definitely male. Over 4 inches and bright blue. He looks ok, but I know something is wrong. Is there anything I can do?


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Have you noticed any white stringy feces, a sign of bloat. Maybe start with Epsome salt 1cup per 100g. of water, dissolved in a little dechlorinated warm water. If it is the start of bloat, this might be enough to take care of it. If it doesn't help stronger meds might be needed. The epsome salt won't hurt to try.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

I would add the salt solution slowly :thumb:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You could be dealing with bloat.

What size tank is this?

How long has it been set up?

What is the stock list for the tank?

What are the water parameters?

Have you lost any other fish recently?

Added any new fish without quarantine?


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

Tank is a 150 Gallon.
Up and running about 7 months.
Stock list is:
2 Venustus
2 OB Peacocks
4 Sunshine Peacocks
1 Red Empress
1 Fryeri
6 Yellow Labes
6. Acei
4 Silver Dollars
2 Cats
2 Tinfoil Barbs

I havent lost any other fish or added any recently.
My parameters are:
Nitrites 0
Natrates are under 20
Ammonia 0
PH 8

I do about a 40% water change weekly.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

That's a big tank to treat for illness if it's not absolutely necessary.

I would go with the epsom salt for now, and watch the fish closely. The fryeri could just be stressed, but should you see any white stringy feces or abnormal behaviour from the rest of them, you may need to treat the main tank for bloat. I think I would seriously consider going ahead and feeding them medicated antiparasitic food, just in case.

If you see any other signs of bloat, or any of the other fish should stop eating, you may want to remove the ones that aren't eating and treat in a hospital tank. There are two bloat treatments listed in the link below.

Water changes and substrate vacuumings will also aid in controlling it since it's believed to be spread by healthy fish mouthing the feces of infected fish.


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

Update:
I haven't noticed any stringy feces. 
It is so strange. Its like he wants to eat.
I dropped some shrimp pellets because he was hanging out at the bottom and not going to the top to eat. Well when he saw it floating down he hammered it and sucked it down then spit it out!!

He is doing this weird thing were he moves his mouth real quick then keeps fanning his gills. It seriously looks like he is coughing (weird i know, but its the best way i can describe it). It seems like he has something lodged or something!! This is the second time he has spit out food!

Man, I hate it! Thoughts?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Those the exact first signs of bloat disease, some sort of intestinal disease

1) they are tired acting, lethargic, stay away from the group
2) they may try to eat some food but spit the food back out, then after a few days give up trying to eat at all
3) they often seem like they are chewing or trying to spit up a phlem ball (or whatever the fish equivelent is to a phlem ball). Also look like laboured breathing too.

you may see very thin white strings of feces, especially after they are sick for a few days

when the fish has been sick for more than a week their belly may fill up with fluid (pus, phlem, whatver a fish has) and look bloated... but not always


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

So How does one treat bloat?


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

Ok, so I have been reading about treating the bloat with Metronidazole.

I live in a small apartment and I currently do not have a quarantine tank due to lack of space.

Can I treat in my main tank with Metronidazole? Will it hurt bio filtration or anything?

I have a 150 gallon. Will it cost me out the butt to treat that much?

Thanks for all the help thus far!!!


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

I've treated with Metronidazole and is seems to help without hurting the filter. You can get it for less than $10. The only question is dosage, and different people will tell you different things. Personally I never use as much as the label says to, I used half. This is very crude "doctoring" with fish, so opinions will vary widely. You are dumping chemicals in the water which effect all the fish so be careful. Do water changes a few days after dosing. Usually you do one dose, wait a few days, water change, then do another dose. It will take awhile for the fish to feel better and feel like eating, so don't expect much of a change in the first 24-48 hours.


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

Is this the best choice of treatment?


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

Man, he died this morning. Fryeri are my cursed fish.


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## underdogg101 (Mar 20, 2008)

Also, when I called the local fishtore to inquire about medicine and the guy told me "you can stick a needle in his air bladder"???? That seems like a BAD idea!


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