Lion won't eat

[grouper 42]

My red Volitans has not eaten for at least two weeks. Used to come to the top and be hand fed Krill. Left for two weeks and had the lfs feed the tank. Everyone did fine but he hasn't been the same since. Tried to give him a feeder fish today. Held it in a net right in front of him and he didn't even move. Almost like he didn't see it. Tends to stay hidden during the day and comees out at night. Any suggestions?

 

[topfish]

Try to feed him the fish without the net, just let the fish go and let the lion do the rest of the work. If that doesn't work, post and keep us informed.

 

[grouper 42]

I used the net because I knew the others would get it if I didn't. As it was it only took my tuskfish about a minute to squirrel his way in there and swallow it. I will try again tommorow but I can't help but think he is starving to death. His fins don't look as good as they used to.

 

[guppie]

If you have a Q-tank you might what to move him into it, that way you can work at getting him to eat with out the others trying to get the food. It sounds like there is something else going on with him, some kind of internal problem, but I am no expert. You say he seems to move around at night, you might want to try and feed him then when the lights are off and the other fish are at rest, just a thought. Good Luck

 

[eric18]

i would keep trying different food for him maybe squid?

 

[skirk]

Well, you definitely should have time to experiment with this one. Some of the veterans to the site may remember me trying to get my one that wouldn't eat for me to eat. I tried for about 6wks. I even tried to force feed him (yep I held him and put the food down his mouth). He had a dislocated jaw. A semi-common problem with lions. Eventually I tried to take him to another friends tank as a last resort to see if a new tank would help spark his interest in food and that wa when he was eaten by a tesselata eel. He was about 8-9" and never starved to death after 6wks, for that matter he never even appeared smaller looking. Don't stress, take your time, and wish for the best. I would put a couple dozen feeder guppies in there just so the tuskfish can't eat them all and see if the lion goes for any of them. Check his jaw too, just in case his lower jaw is dangling a little and it appears he never opens it no more (dislocation) not that it is this, but if it is then they tend not to yawn anymore either. Good Luck. Keep us posted. I will try to visit the site more and tell you all the things I tried. Later.

 

[grouper 42]

I see him yawn so I know his jaw isn't dislocated. The other malady about his mouth that I posted about 2 weeks ago is what appears to be a symmetrical disintigration above the upper lip. No one had any specific ideas but suggested antibiotics. I used erythromycin. Hasn't gotten any better or worse except that now there is a small circular flat lesion in the middle of the lower lip. Looks like trauma as though he ran into something and damaged it. I wish I had a quarantine tank but I don't.