# HELP, I NEED HELP WITH A RED BELLY!



## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

Update, well Mr. Bones (my P) ate 3 frozen shrimp cubes, and one frozen community mix cube last night. So it looks like he was simply sick of his regular fare.









On another note, I awoke this morning to find my 12 inch Albino Oscar on the floor!







He's a little banged up but he's alive. I don't know what happened but I will be making some serious hood alterations this evening to prevent this from happening again.







Also, this little escape forces me to rethink all my aquarium covers, especially my P's. It needs a little adjusting as well. Ditto for my 12 inch rock bass tank!









DAY 7 of the fast! I NEED SOME SYMPATHY!!! HELP!

Here's the deal for any experts out there. I have a three year old Red belly, living in a 50 gallon by himself. He has been as happy as you please for each of the above mentioned three years. He ate one 3 inch thawed frozen smelt a day (sometimes a thawed frozen popcorn shrimp as well for good measure). But for the last week he has turned up his nose at his regular food, not touching it! He hasn't eaten a thing







He seems somewhat hungry, but nbot like he used to be. I keep the water at 80, and the tank is well filtered and I change 15% of the water every 4-5 days. HELP! I have absolutely no idea why he has stopped eating. He used to swallow the three inch smelts whole!!!

Thanks for your time! Any response would be appreciated!


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## n0bie (Feb 15, 2004)

give him some days rest ,might be stress or hes just not that hungry


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

Stress? But he's been fine for 3 years!!

Any other ideas, this is freakin' me out.


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

No one?>


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## n0bie (Feb 15, 2004)

just because hes not eating that much right now dont mean hes dying.. how long has he been like this ?


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## camotekid (Sep 21, 2003)

i noticed that kind of dietary habit to my p's just recently. But the thing is, i give them pellets. for the last two weeks, they've been aloft with the pellets (which they like very much since the beggining, 2inches). I bought a live feeder earlier, they grabbed it quickly. Sometimes, we forget about the wide variety of diet that our p's must have.

try giving them a different kind of food.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

I agree with Camote - diversify your red's diet a bit more (shrimp/krill, fish fillet, smelt, pellets, occasionally clean feeders or a piece of beef heart or poultry, etc.)

My reds have been fed up with certain food items as well: changing the diet a little usually works well, and after a while, you can try it again.

*_Moved to Feeding and Nutrition_*


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

I have tried Beef Heart, Smelts and Shrimp, with no success. He hasn't eaten for 3 days, and he used to eat whole 3-4 inch smelt per day. I REALLY don't want to go to feeders after 3 years! Can they really get fed up with a certain type of food if they have known no other??? Will my RB Starve to death, or give in and eat what is offered once more?


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

Is he sick??


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## mason999 (Feb 16, 2004)

i dont think there is nothing to worry about they can go without food for days try putting a couple of feeder in with him that might just irritate him enought to eat


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

I may try that. Does anyone know why my fish may be fasting?


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

some beef heart, this is how i first got mine to eat.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

red_billy said:


> I may try that. Does anyone know why my fish may be fasting?


 Almost all piranha owners will experience this sort of behaviour: it's normal, and nothing to worry about if the fish acts otherwise normal.
Piranha's in a home aqarium are really pampered pets: if you imagine that their wild cousins can go without food for weeks (or even months in extreme cases), you see you don't have to worry if your fish won't eat for a some days...

Just give him some time, add a few clean feeders, and once he ate those, try his regular diet again.


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## piranhapat (Oct 11, 2003)

Your rbp is on atkins diet. Piranhas go through this as they get older. We tend to over feed like we do to ourself. The only thing is how is his breathing. And make sure you check your water. He'll BE OK!


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

Thanks for the info guys. I knew I came to the right place. I purchased two giant dianos for him last night. I think he ate one, but it could have jumped out of the tank for all I know.

It's wierd, it has been about 5 days now, and he turns his nose up at everything he usually gobbled down. Otherwise he looks perfectly healthy.

So you guys think this is just a self directed diet or boredom of some sort?


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## lui_81083 (Feb 18, 2004)

well if he looks perfectly healthy, then he'll be ok. don't worry too much.


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

O.k. we are onto day 6, or is it 7... of the "fast". I am at my wits end here. I think he has eaten one small fish and a small piece of beefheart. But I can't be sure! I mean this guy went from being an eating machine, to not eating almost overnight... I am so confused. I know you guys have stated that this is normal, but is such a drastic change normal? All water parameters check out, so I don't know what's going on. He begs for food, albiet not like he used to, but when I drop in a smelt, he turns his nose up at it.... give me some comfort here lads!


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

I am considering giving up on this guy and bringing him back to the pet shop. I mean, I don't want him to starve. He looks hungry, but refuses everything!!!!


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## Frank (Dec 5, 2003)

I had his same thing happen with my 9 RB a couple of weeks ago. For the past few months Ive been feeding him mostly popcorn shrimp and an occasional feeder. For about five days he would just chew the shrimp and spit it back out. I put in a live nightcrawler and he immediatly ate it right up. Im now giving him more of a variety and he seems fine.

I wouldnt take him back to the petshop, that would only stress him out for no reason.

Frank


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

Interesting. It seems like my P is saying (through his actions) "feed me", then when I do it's like he's saying "oh god not that crap again, I don't want it anymore!" - But I have tried a variety of things, I don't have access to night crawlers though. But as the pinned article above states, I want white fish to be his main diet, yet he refuses smelts!!!


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## tanmuscles (Feb 18, 2004)

Don't take him back to the petshop. Most likely they'll just throw him in a tank and not think anything of it. You care about him, so do what you can to help in out. If he dies (which i highly doubt he will) at least it will be in the care of a loving owner. Sorry about your ordeal.


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## red_billy (Mar 8, 2004)

Update, well Mr. Bones (my P) ate 3 frozen shrimp cubes, and one frozen community mix cube last night. So it looks like he was simply sick of his regular fare.









On another note, I awoke this morning to find my 12 inch Albino Oscar on the floor!







He's a little banged up but he's alive. I don't know what happened but I will be making some serious hood alterations this evening to prevent this from happening again.







Also, this little escape forces me to rethink all my aquarium covers, especially my P's. It needs a little adjusting as well. Ditto for my 12 inch rock bass tank!


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