4 Yrs old Rt refused to eat for a week.

KidKid · Post by **KidKid** » 18 Oct 2011, 03:31

Hi Guys,

My name is Franco from Singapore. I am new to this forum and I hope u guys can help me.

My Rt is abt 4 yrs old and abt 30" long. I fed her live small fishes when young and mostly market fish and prawn now. She refused to eat for more than a week now and i don't know what wrong. She appeared healthy and still reponded to my call.
Is she sexually active now and on heat ? ... Thanks.

[Mod edit: Moved to the correct forum --Mats]

Taratron · Post by **Taratron** » 18 Oct 2011, 05:04

What do you mean by RT? A redtailed cat?

Fish do not 'go into heat,' that is a mammal thing. What are your water parameters, tank size, etc?

KidKid · Post by **KidKid** » 18 Oct 2011, 06:38

Dear Taratron,

I rear my red tail in a 8'x4'x4' outdoor fibre glass tub. I do not check water parameter since 4 years back. I just ensure water is clear. Hers apetite is always normal 2 to 3 small fishes every one or 2 days. I will upload a pic tomorrow. Thks for your reply

Taratron · Post by **Taratron** » 18 Oct 2011, 06:45

I would check the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels, and temperature as well. Are there any other fish in with her? Any swollen stomach signs like she ate something she shouldn't have?

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 18 Oct 2011, 07:43

still, not eating for a week is nothing to worry about in such a large fish.

In fact, if it was mine, I think I eould feed it only once a week - or less

Viktor Jarikov · Post by **Viktor Jarikov** » 20 Oct 2011, 00:12

good questions from the guys above and indeed, nothing to worry about yet; if it's been a month or two, I'd begin to worry

Kidkid, the possibilities are too many. We need more info+photos - water parameters are a must know; is the tank filtered? If yes, parameters/bio-filter info? Any recent changes - water, temperature, lighting, etc.? Any indigestible things in the tank? Tankmates?

What exactly are you feeding your fish - live or dead small fish? Do they have have sharp spines? Can they have internal/external parasites (which would die if fish was frozen) or carry pathogenic bacteria (which would only die if the fish was boiled)?

8'x4'x4' is getting too small for your RTC, which normally should have been bigger than 30" at 4 years old. They usually hit 2.5'-3' in 2 years when properly cared for. Not implying anything, just citing an average/expected size.

KidKid · Post by **KidKid** » 24 Oct 2011, 03:43

Dear Viktor,

Thank for your reply. I have uplaoded a pic today. My Fibre Glass Tub are dug into the ground and my filter are DIY home made type.. i will upgrade my Pond come next year when i move house.

I do not actually measure the water parameter but just ensure water look clear.. I do not put anything else in
the tub except for the Pump.

I fed her mostly dead fish and prawn from the market.
She started eating again!.... The Beef Heart did it...
This is the first time i give her beef heart and she seem to love it... A big thanks to all you guys who has posted. From now on.. I will fed her once or twice a week. Cheers Franco

Deb · Post by **Deb** » 24 Oct 2011, 16:18

Hi, Franco. Glad to hear that things are back to normal!

I looked at your entry in My Aquaria and you might want to know that your outdoor tub of 8' X 4' X 4' is showing up this way:

Dimensions: 20.3 x 10.2 x 10.2 cm (8 x 4 x 4")
Volume: 2.1 litres, 0.5 UK gallons or 0.6 US gallons

That's the size of a Betta bowl!

So, if you want to change it to reflect the true size, please do.

Viktor Jarikov · Post by **Viktor Jarikov** » 24 Oct 2011, 16:40

Franco, perhaps I am being dense, but where did you upload the photos?

Ensuring water clarity will do nothing for your fish's health, per se, but only will do it for you so that you can see it. We all would strongly recommend keeping track of at least ammonia (NH3), if you aim at giving your pet the basic comfort. Sounds like you truly love her, so why won't you measure the water? No available test kits? Money?

It is a good idea that you have nothing swallowable in the tub. RTC's beauty is only matched by their stupidity when it comes to swallowing inedible objects, like furniture, plastic plants, pump and lighting and heater parts, heaters (yes!), plastic sacks, ropes/string, etc. etc. This most often leads to death, unless you manage to extract the object back out through their stomach and then mouth. If it makes it into their intestines, they are "dead fish swimming".

I'd strongly recommend to freeze the dead food she gets so that any and all parasites are killed.

Be careful not to include any fat with the beef heart.

It is not the frequency that's important, but the quantity of food, and hence, of fish waste, which your good bacterial cultures can handle. You can only know it by measuring ammonia and nitrites in your tub water.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 24 Oct 2011, 17:16

I'd say nitrate levels are also useful to monitor - not quite as dramatically toxic as ammonia and nitrite, but if the fish is fed quite a bit, and water changes aren't sufficiently large, nitrate will build up, and eventually lead to problems.

--
Mats

Deb · Post by **Deb** » 24 Oct 2011, 21:11

Viktor wrote:Franco, perhaps I am being dense, but where did you upload the photos?

He uploaded one to his Aquaria. See here:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/my_ ... ame=KidKid

4 Yrs old Rt refused to eat for a week.

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