kacilotl
New member
Hello! I’ve had this little guy I named Hubble since around last November. When I first got him, he definitely had more weight and gill to him, and he was NOT at all a shy eater. Very comfortable with eating from tweezers and fingers. I change up his diet between blackworms, earthworms and the occasional mealworm - all live!
But recently, Hubble has gotten significantly skinnier and he’s been refusing to eat. I would say he started getting skinny around a month ago, maybe less time, but lately, he’s been refusing food more and more. For his gills, they’ve just been getting shorter and shorter since maybe around May/June? I also noticed his back legs becoming more white, but NOT fuzzy, so I am unsure whether this is fungus or damage to his slime coat.
For the tank, all parameters were alright before the first water change, with nitrate being the only pretty high thing. I’ve been doing 25% water changes about every two days or so for the two-ish weeks, or at whenever the time was where I started seeing more bone on him. Nitrate is back down to a good and low level. The tank is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which I know is a little warm, but that is really the lowest I can go without spending hundreds on a chiller. It’s definitely something I’m considering at this point though. I am positive this is not ammonia burn because my ammonia level is next to 0, I’m guessing either fungus (again, not seeing any fuzz) or just anorexia.
I have already tried to very carefully force feed him with blackworms in a small syringe, but I don’t want to push him or stress him too much, so I’ve given up on that a little. He spits out any blackworms I try to get him to down anyway.
I’ve also been unsure of doing this, but I have been fridging him every night for the past two nights. I know this will make him want to eat even less, but it also will make him lose weight slower, so I feel that we’re just in a state of limbo right now where I’m just unable to do anything more for him. Does anyone have any advice on what this might be or how I can help him in any way? Should I stop fridging? Should I keep trying to force feed? Any help is appreciated!!
But recently, Hubble has gotten significantly skinnier and he’s been refusing to eat. I would say he started getting skinny around a month ago, maybe less time, but lately, he’s been refusing food more and more. For his gills, they’ve just been getting shorter and shorter since maybe around May/June? I also noticed his back legs becoming more white, but NOT fuzzy, so I am unsure whether this is fungus or damage to his slime coat.
For the tank, all parameters were alright before the first water change, with nitrate being the only pretty high thing. I’ve been doing 25% water changes about every two days or so for the two-ish weeks, or at whenever the time was where I started seeing more bone on him. Nitrate is back down to a good and low level. The tank is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which I know is a little warm, but that is really the lowest I can go without spending hundreds on a chiller. It’s definitely something I’m considering at this point though. I am positive this is not ammonia burn because my ammonia level is next to 0, I’m guessing either fungus (again, not seeing any fuzz) or just anorexia.
I have already tried to very carefully force feed him with blackworms in a small syringe, but I don’t want to push him or stress him too much, so I’ve given up on that a little. He spits out any blackworms I try to get him to down anyway.
I’ve also been unsure of doing this, but I have been fridging him every night for the past two nights. I know this will make him want to eat even less, but it also will make him lose weight slower, so I feel that we’re just in a state of limbo right now where I’m just unable to do anything more for him. Does anyone have any advice on what this might be or how I can help him in any way? Should I stop fridging? Should I keep trying to force feed? Any help is appreciated!!
