Why Are My Fish Not Eating? In this post, we will help you to solve this problem so common in Fishkeeping.
There are many reasons why your fish may not be eating properly.
The good news is that most of the reasons that lead to this can be corrected before there are more serious consequences or even the death of your little fish.
Garlic in Fish Tanks! What is the B...
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Has Your Aquarium Been Configured For The Species You Are Breeding?The main characteristic of fishkeeping is the environment to which he it’s included. When keeping fish, it’s important to replicate their natural habitat as close as possible. Above all, provide the ideal lighting and temperature needs for the species.
The closer to replicating all these aspects of the natural environment, the more likely they are to prosper.
See Also:
- 10 Tips For Beginners In Fishkeeping;
This means that adequate lighting, specific foods and enough space to grow and move around, are aspects that must be considered when buying and setting up any type of fish tank.
Unsuitable Food For The Species
A very common mistake, especially for beginners, is to feed the fish the wrong type of food. There are many options available, so getting confused about the ideal food type for fish can be understandable.
But What Kind Of Food Should You Give To The Fish?
The best thing you can do is research on the species and, most importantly, read the label on the packaging. Most fish feed manufacturers list which species are ideal for that type of food. Find the one that claims it is for your fish.
For reef fish, for example, a variety of frozen foods are available, such as brine shrimp or krills. Always make sure to feed the species correctly. Foods made for freshwater fish may not contain all the necessary nutrients a reef fish needs.
See Also:
- 10 Reasons Why Your Fish May Be Dying;
The key to feeding is to use good quality basic foods daily with some live, frozen or freeze-dried foods, a few times a week, to add variety to the fish’s diet.
It may not seem that the fish are that demanding, but some of them are stubborn and they cannot eat to the point of starving. So check if this type of behavior is occurring, and if necessary, test with other rations.
Stressed Fish
Yes, your fish can be stressed. Most fish come from places where they need to be constantly vigilant, and need a place to hide from possible predators. If they aren’t in a suitable place to hide and feel safe, they will probably stress. Imagine lying in the middle of the street trying to sleep, that will be the same feeling.
Like humans, fish also needs a certain amount of sleep to stay healthy. Providing caves, or dense vegetation, is the best way to make them feel safe.
The longer the fish are stressed, the more likely they are to acquire disease.
Inadequate Lighting
Perhaps you have already thought that as long as you leave the room light on, your fish will be getting enough light, right? Wrong!
Have you noticed how the colors of marine fish are generally much brighter than those found in freshwater fish? Some of these colors are not really pigments, but caused by bacteria.
These bacteria live within the host, but they also offer beneficial nutrients. Thus, bacteria aren’t considered parasites. This relationship is called symbiosis.
See Also:
- How Much Light Is Needed For Freshwater Fish?
However, bacteria depend on a specific light spectrum to thrive. The use of a lamp that doesn’t emit this spectrum, can lead to the underdevelopment of these bacteria and make your aquatic friends feel bad.
Remember, they need each other to stay healthy, so what happens to one will affect the other. Therefore, it’s very important to read the luminaires specifications and even research the fish you’re going to raise, to ensure that the species is receiving adequate lighting.
Most lamp manufacturers have a list of light spectra that your lamp is capable of emitting.
Diseases
It’s extremely important to realize that the disease is simply the unnatural state in which the body is. So it could mean that something physical, chemical or even mental is wrong.
Some diseases such as Ich, for example, affect the external body parts, but it can make your fish very weak.
Ich is almost always fatal if left untreated. It’s incredibly contagious, so it’s absolutely recommended – if you are unable to treat it – that you don’t throw the animal into a toilet, as it can introduce a deadly disease into a very delicate ecosystem.
Inadequate Temperature Can Reduce Fish Appetite
Keeping the water in your tank as close as possible to the temperature the species needs will always be ideal. Most species of freshwater or reef fish can maintain themselves in an tank that has a temperature between 23° and 26.5°C degree.
Is the tank water cold?
When the tank temperature starts to drop and falls below 23°C, the fish’s metabolism also starts to drop. Fish don’t regulate their internal body temperature like humans, so they depend on the water temperature to keep them comfortable.
When a fish’s body temperature drops below it’s ideal level, they start to get drowsy and very slow. They won’t swim as often, so they won’t feel the need to eat. If this problem isn’t resolved quickly, it could lead to hunger.
See Also:
- What Is The Ideal Temperature For My Marine Fish Tank?
Remember that you should never change anything quickly in an fish tank, because, unlike the ocean or a lake with water plenty, the fish tank is a closed system with a much smaller water amount, meaning the fish will respond faster to change.
What if the water temperature is too high?
An fish tank with a very high temperature can be just as harmful as another one with a low temperature. When the water temperature is above what the species is comfortable with, animals can become hyperactive.
When this occurs, they will also be stressed, because the hotter the water gets, the harder it’s to absorb oxygen. This feeling is very stressful and can definitely make your aquatic companion stop eating.
High temperatures can cause oxygenation problems in the fish tank. We have an article that can help you solve this problem.
Conclusion
When creating fish in tanks, it’s important to maintain a balance between all of these things, and the more natural the environment appears to fish, the greater the likelihood of success.
Therefore, by feeding with appropriate feed, maintaining a healthy environment, you will be giving the fish the opportunity to always remain healthy. Besides, no one will want to look at a dirty and rotten fish tank, right?