malawi4me Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Gday folks I have recently picked up a 50cm saratoga, he is massive! He is in a nice big tank and looks perfectly happy and healthy. My problem is he wont eat! He hasn't eaten a thing for about 9 days. I contacted the previous owners and they said they only fed him small live goldfish once a month!!! i couldn't believe it!! Can a fish look so healthy on one feed a month? I have live goldfish in there and hes not interested, i have also tried worms and pellets and he doesn't pay any attention. He doesn't look skinny and seems fine but i've never known a fish not to eat for so long. I have a smaller saratoga in another big tank in another room and he is only about 20cm and he eats like a pig! Has anyone got any info or advice on this one? Or have you seen this before? Cheers Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 dont worry, tankbusters large as him/her can go without food for months and i mean months without food. its probably just a new environment and needs time to settle or just a plain hunger strike which is common for arowanas suggestions : turn the temp up abit to say 30 degrees (but increase air) and just keep the water perfect...dont leave food in there but i don't recommend you feeding it live goldfish, its not a really healthy diet and can have diseases. This is the time to start training it into other foods... might as well hey.... Tam Gday folks I have recently picked up a 50cm saratoga, he is massive! He is in a nice big tank and looks perfectly happy and healthy. My problem is he wont eat! He hasn't eaten a thing for about 9 days. I contacted the previous owners and they said they only fed him small live goldfish once a month!!! i couldn't believe it!! Can a fish look so healthy on one feed a month? I have live goldfish in there and hes not interested, i have also tried worms and pellets and he doesn't pay any attention. He doesn't look skinny and seems fine but i've never known a fish not to eat for so long. I have a smaller saratoga in another big tank in another room and he is only about 20cm and he eats like a pig! Has anyone got any info or advice on this one? Or have you seen this before? Cheers Rob. ← Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momo Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I would have to agree with Tam. It probably just needs more time to adjust to his new environment. As long as it looks and seems healthy i dont think you will have a problem. Yeah also live goldfish is not a sustainable staple diet, alot of fat as well diseases can be transmitted. So either quarentine the feeders well or get him onto alternate foods. Hikari foodsticks are great, also frozen prawns, and strips of fish meat are also good. I defineately dont think live goldfish is a long term solution. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi4me Posted September 7, 2005 Author Share Posted September 7, 2005 Thanks Guys! I agree with you both about the diet, my other toga ive had for a year is fed pellets, bloodworms, prawns, crickets etc etc and is a happy and healthy fish. But with the new big toga he hadnt eaten for a week and the previous owners only fed him goldfish so i thought maybe thats all he will eat so a i threw a few in there to eat but he wont them either. If i can get him onto a better diet i will but he has got to eat something 1st. A few more days have past and he still hasnt eaten the goldfish or pellets etc. I hate seeing a fish die so i hope he pulls through. He hasnt eaten for nearly 2 weeks now. If it is ok for them not to eat for months then i guess he may be ok. never had a fish do this before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Repz Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 on a another forum some owner of a red arowana had a fish that ddin't eat for 4 months and now he just got it eating again so it may occur in togas too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi4me Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 Just thought id post an update. He is now happily eating crickets He wont anything else but i guess its a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 good to hear that champ be aware crickets are very addictive, its like drugs for fish Tam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackGhost Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Togas are preditores. In the wild some preds dont get food for weeks on end. so if he is not eating dont worry. Live goldies is a shocking diet for a togas. a goldy is a treat that should be given about once a month. that might be why he isnt eating coz he is use to that live food. try and get him on some cichlid pellets, mealworms, beef heart, bait prawns, blue pillys, and getting him on the crikets is a good start but live food is not very good for them. We have a toga at work the same size that will eat sera san flakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lv426 Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 I agree with everyting that has been said....however IMHO....the move alone would have been enough to stress the fish big time....it prob wont eat its normal diet....what ever that was. My 15cm Jardini didnt eat for 2wks when i treated him in another tank. Once he settled back into the main tank he began eating again. I wouldnt be too worried...as long as the fish is exhibiting behaviour which can be interpreted as 'normal'. The fact that is eating some thing is indicative that it will come good. Why not offer prawns instead of goldfish...if he takes then stay on it. I think your main aim now is be to get him happy and eating again...then start altering his diet. If he hasnt eaten for 3-4wks then i would give live food (not goldfish though). Let us know how u go.......please put up a pic if you can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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