Concave tummy

[traco]

I have been feeding my 10 juveniles 5 to 6 times daily; flakes, tetrabits (soaked), frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp. I have had these guys for a month and they are 4 to 5 months old. Everyone eats the bloodworms and most eat the flakes, the tetrabits I notice everyone does a lot of eating then spitting out.

I have a little turq who isn't growing as fast as everyone else. This one does a lot of mouthing and spitting out. A little blue diamond I have just noticed has a concave tummy. :(

Everyone's pooh is dark and I have noticed no health problems. I do water changes every 2 days of anywhere to 30-50 %. Temp is 86, ammonia, nitrite are zero, nitrate is around 10-20. Bare bottom, plants in pots.

It's hard to see this little blue diamond with his tummy like this.

Any comments would be appreciated. I know they can go a while with no food but when they are small like this, I feel bad about withholding food or just sticking to one type to get them to eat it.

Barb

[Barb Newell]

Hi Barb. As far as spitting the soaked tetrabits, all young fish will do this in order to break them up into smaller pieces.

A couple of questions; are any being chased, stressed by the others?
Are they all eating? You said no white poop?


I have a little turq who isn't growing as fast as everyone else. This one does a lot of mouthing and spitting out. A little blue diamond I have just noticed has a concave tummy

Are the turq and bd off of their food? If yes, they may have hex.

Barb

[traco]

No, there is not a lot of chasing, being stressed by others. It is pretty much even if there is anything like that. All eat the bloodworms, no white pooh.

Remember I was noticing the rose red wasn't eating flakes and so I tried to just feeding flakes for the whole tank? I wonder if there is something going on in the tank? It's funny that all are fine with bloodworms but some are picky with flakes. The turq I don't see eating flakes, same with the rose red, blue diamond will eat some. My son said "why aren't these fish growing?" So even he noticed that some are smaller. The concave tummy on the blue diamond I just noticed within the last couple of days but, then again, I wasn't watching the tank too closely the last couple of weeks. As in, not sitting down and watching to see if everyone was eating what I put in the tank. I do know everyone eats the bloodworms but you don't want to feed that daily, do you?

Other than that, they love the bigger tank, swim all around, no one is cowering in the corner, no dark colors on anyone.

I'd hate to medicate if not needed. But if needed, I will.

Thanks.

Barb

[Barb Newell]

Hi Barb, if they're all eating and all have dark poop, I don't think they have hex.

You should feed bloodworms or beefheart every day, then a feeding or two of flake and one or two of tetrabits. If they are eating the bloodworms, but refusing flake or tetrabits, maybe a day or two of 'fasting' will encourage them to eat the flake again.... then begin by feeding only flake until they're all accepting it.

Some strains are slower growing than others and they have 'growth spurts', for example, the blues are slower growers than the rr x ss crosses. The blues catch up at around 7 or 8 months.

Barb

[traco]

Would daily water changes help?

[Barb Newell]

Hi Barb,
nitrate is around 10-20

keeping the nitrates below 10, better below 5 is good.

I'm not sure if daily water changes would help with the problem of eating bloodworms only.

Barb

[Carol_Roberts]

Extra water changes can't hurt - give it a try . . .

[traco]

I just gave them a good feeding of bloodworms. Everyone attacked it and all ate. I watched closely at the turq and blue; they are slower to eat but do eat. So, this may be the problem; they are just nibblers and eat slow. At least after this feeding, everyone's bellies look round and full. The blue's isn't as big but is definately fuller looking than before. Have also been watching everyone all this morning and all looks good and dark for their pooh.

I will start doing daily water changes today. I removed the fluval filter and have 2 sponge filters and the Penguin 300 with pre-filter. I'm hoping that will enough filtration for the new 90? :confused:

One thing I have noticed just before switching from my 65 to 90, the water was kind of murky looking. It also went murky looking about the second day on the bigger tank too. I add Prime when doing my water changes. I think the fluval might have had a role in the murkiness plus not doing daily water changes. Tested ammonia and nitrite and both keep showing zero so that is good. Upping water changes should bring down the nitrates. I clean my pre-filters daily and alternate sponge filter cleaning weekly.

I'm off to do a water change. :D Thanks for your info/help. I'll let you know how it's going.

Barb

[Alight]

Given my experience with tape worms, I'd treat the tank with prazi or prazi pro for 24 hours and see if they have tape worms. Worms can cause reduced appetite and feeding "binges" when they are plentiful. All will appear normal except for feeding problems and slower growth rates.

[ppv1951]

hi barb...

sounds like you have most of your problem solved if all are eating. if your little ones are slow to eat and picking, maybe the big ones are getting the bulk of the food and little is left for them. i would sit and watch at feeding time and see what's happening. if that's what's happening, try bigger feedings.

pat.