# My Piranha won't eat



## Piranha Fan3 (Jul 6, 2006)

I have a 5 1/2 year old red belly in a 60 gal. tank. About three weeks ago I noticed a growth on its chin. Within a few days it became a big bump. I have seen images of piranhas with growths on their chins like this one, but since this growth formed my piranha has not eaten. I've been dropping in raw shrimp with no shell every few days, and the fish does seem interested in it but I have never seen it bite it. I've been removing the shrimp and there are no bite marks on them. Two weeks ago I bought some small goldfish and dropped them in the tank, thinking live fish might catch its interest. The fish are still in the tank, untouched. The piranha does chase the goldfish, but it never has killed one. It hasn't eaten since before the bump formed which was three weeks ago. Overall the fish looks healthy and is acting normal except for the bump and the fact that its not eating. I've done water tests and my Ammonia is 0, Nitrate 10ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, and my pH is 6.8. I do weekley water changes and I change my filter on a monthly schedule. I don't know if its just the fish aging or if there is a problem. I'm having a problem with my computer right now and can't get a photo on, but as soon as I can I'll post it. thanks for any advice or imformation on my fish's condition!


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

hmmm.... usually the bump on the chin is just a chimple, which is a harmless growth caused by rubbing it's chin on the glass. i haven't seen a chimple cause a fish not to eat, so pictures would be nice to help figure out what's going on. have there been any major changes lately? maybe a drop in the temp?


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## the keeper (Jan 16, 2010)

joedizzlempls said:


> hmmm.... usually the bump on the chin is just a chimple, which is a harmless growth caused by rubbing it's chin on the glass. i haven't seen a chimple cause a fish not to eat, so pictures would be nice to help figure out what's going on. have there been any major changes lately? maybe a drop in the temp?


your water is good, i almost bought a p with a chimple, he's still at the lfs, i'll till you what he is the most aggresive p that ive seen yet, he is out for serius blood, and he eats very well, so if it aint either of those i would think your water temp, maybe fluxuating to much? or the bump on his chin is something else? goodluck.


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## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

right when he developed the chimple had u changed the filter?
when you change the filter... do you change it while doing a water change, and if so, how much water do you change out?
and by changing the filter, what do you do?

im just thinking that if your changing the filter out and also taking like 50% of the water you might be creating a mini cycle that might cause your fish not to eat.


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