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Nibbles Won't Eat. T_T

836 views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  SnowySurface 
#1 ·
I'm not sure if I should put this under Illness, but he doesn't seem sick so I figured I would start here. :-?

I adopted 3 fish about two weeks ago. Smokey and Midnight (the double tail and I tihnk halfmoon based on the fins he has left) were healthy enough to go straight into the set ups I had for Luigi and Snowy. It's Nibbles who wants to be the problem child. :roll:

He's been in a 2 gallon hospital tank with an IAL to help with his fin rot. So far he's gotten about 1/2 inch of his fin back so the super clean water + tannins treatment worked for that problem. However, he never was a good eater and now he's stopped eating all together. Normally I would write it off as the betta being fussy, but he now looks like a spine with a head. :shock:

So far I've tried NSL Betta Formula, but he ignores it. I also tried NSL Small Fish Formula incase the Betta Formula pellets were too big, and still nothing. I even tried the Betta Formula again, but this time I soaked it in fresh garlic juice (since I happened to cook with fresh garlic alot) and still nothing. If thawed blood worms don't work tonight, then I'm out of food ideas. :cry:

I don't see anything dangling from his anus or out his mouth, so it doesn't look like he has worms. His scales aren't pineconing so it doesn't look like dropsy. He isn't scratching on anything nor does he have any type of gold flecks on his scales, so I wouldn't assume he has Ick or Velvet. There are no red lines on his fins, so there isn't anything wrong with his blood. The only thing I can think of that is making him this thin is no food even when I try to force feed him. I can literally push a pellet up against his mouth and he will just float there with his mouth closed while starting at me before he swims away from his breakfast and dinner. :frustrated:

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear it.
 
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#3 ·
Oh geez, I'm so sorry....I can imagine how frustrating and worrying that could be 8/
The only thing I could think to suggest would be other frozen foods like brine shrimp or Krill....though if he just outright refuses everything, I don't think you should completely rule out the possibility of internal parasites even if you don't see white-stringy poo. It probably wouldn't hurt to post a thread on the diseases and emergencies section and see what the experts have to say if you still can't get him to eat anything frozen.
Best of luck!
 
#5 ·
THanks for the replies. :D

@Kevin: I should have been more clear about my time line. I didn't try all those different foods on the same day. I always fast my fish on Sunday, and this Monday I noticed Nibbles wouldn't eat after a Sunday fast. So I tried again Tuesday and noticed he still wouldn't eat the NLS Betta Formula pellets. Then Wednesday I tried the NLS Small Fish Formula pellets to see if the Betta Formula pellets were too big. Then today I tried the Betta Formula pellets soaked in garlic juice to no effect. If a self impossed 5 day fast isn't getting him to eat, I don't think 2 more days will make him hungry. T_T

@DragonFish: I don't know if the LPS near me has krill, but they may have brine shimp in their freezer. I only asked about bloodworms, so I may be able to try yet another type of food if needed. I wouldn't be surprised if I do have to move this thread to emergencies and illness. He was sick since I got him so he may be getting worse internally even if his fins are growing back on the outside. : /

@Lelei: I used to use Hikari Gold until they changed their formula. But I think he doesn't recognize pellets in general as food. I can't buy anymore food/supplies until payday, so that's why I figured I would try the bloodworms tonight since I already own a sheet. XD
 
#7 ·
*face palm*

At some point and time between Monday and now, Nibbles heater went insane and brought his tank temp up to 87 degrees. Seems like he's been a bit to busy boiling alive to eat. For now, I'll leave my AC off so his tank temp doesn't go below 76 and I'll just sweat until tomorrow. At least I can get away with not using a heater since it's Summer. If he does continue to go down hill I'll make a new thread in Illness that is linked to this thread.

For now, there is a Tetra heater that I have to glare at with the intensity of 1000 suns. -_-
 
#10 ·
Oops. I forgot to connect this thread to my second thread. XD

I made a second thread about Nibbles under Emergency and Illness because he had a new symptom. You can read that here.

I've also posted a new thread about tank suggestions since his floating hasn't improved and he is now sinking on top of that. You can read that here.

I can get him to eat bloodworms, so I'm not worried about him starving anymore. Which is why I forgot about this thread. My bad. ^_^;
 
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