My Fish Isn't Eating - What Should I Do?

This is a very common question I get and one that has many answers. Loss of appetite is one

of the first signs many people notice when things aren't quite right with their fish.

Appetite loss is commonly due to diseases that are related to water conditions, infectious

diseases, non-infectious diseases, bad food and more. In most cases, when one fish is sick,

there is the potential that the entire fish population is at risk of getting sick. Note that

the use of non-targeted medicines for fish diseases without a proper diagnosis could cause

more harm and complicate the matter. This could lead to more pain and suffering. In this

post, we will cover the most common reasons for lack of appetite in the fish.

Water quality is the single most important factor for good fish health. They live in it,

swim in it, breathe in it and excrete into it. Many biological processes depend on the water

conditions to be just right for the type of fish. As such, fish can lose their appetite if

there is a build up of fish wastes (e.g. ammonia, nitrite or nitrate), if the water

temperature is too low or too high, if the dissolved oxygen is low, if the dissolved carbon

dioxide is high, if the pH is wrong and if there are toxins in the water. It is thus

important to check these parameters when investigating the reason for loss of appetite.

There are many different aquarium water test kits available at your local fish shop.

Infectious causes are many and they will affect your fish's health and appetite. There are

broad categories of disease-causing agents just like in any other animal. These include

viruses, bacteria, protozoa, worms, crustacea, fungi and more. Infectious diseases are most

commonly spread by the introduction of new fish and plants into your tank or pond. Any sort

of stressors can exacerbate the conditions. With the exception of a few diseases (e.g. white

spot disease, fish lice), many require microscopic examination to arrive at a diagnosis. It

is highly advisable that you get an experienced aquatic veterinarian to investigate your

fish problems because many diseases produce non-specific clinical signs. With the correct

diagnosis, you can use the correct treatments.

In terms of non-infectious diseases, the list is just as long. Your fish may have an

internal disease, like a tumour or a gut blockage. Perhaps your food has gone off (check the

use-by date, smell and check that it has been stored correctly). Perhaps your fish has just

become picky and is bored of eating the safe food every day. Try feeding them a variety and

with live foods.

If they are still not eating, don't leave it too long. Call TheFishVet!
http://www.thefishvet.com.au

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