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Pacu help 2 Anonymous
First off, thanks for the advice from my last thread. My Pacu's skin condition has cleared up a bit.

However, he's still not eating, he will not eat ANYTHING. I've tried cocktail shrimp, lettuce, algae wafers, and in the picture, carrots, he just ignores it completely.

He's stopped darting around his new tank, I believe he's used to it now and only swims about when I'm opening the top to do a water check, or clean the food from inside his tank because he will not touch it. =\

Am I missing something? Can anybody identify anything on my Pacu that would - illness, anything, that would make him loose his appetite.

He does have a small black mark on the top part of his mouth but I don't know what it is, anybody know anything?
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Here's a closer picture.

Also, anything I can do differently to feed him besides just dropping things into the tank? Something that could possibly interest him?
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164120
Diet - Pacu's are reported to be herbivores but are in fact omnivorous (eats anything).
Sinking food pellets such as HBH's Super Cichlid Sinkers or Spirulina Pellets are very good foods to keep a healthy Pacu. They need a balanced diet so giving them veggies such as romaine lettuce, peas, carrots, celery, zucchini and fruit such as nectarines, apples, grapes are recommended in their diet. Algae wafers are a favorite also.
>> Anonymous
Small black mark-- maybe fungus? Also, you said new tank. Has it been cycled?
>> Anonymous
>>164124
Yeah, well, I probably should've done it for another week, due to what somebody said in my old thread, but I cycled it for about a week before I put him in. He was in the this new tank when I made the old thread btw.

>>164123
I know about all that, believe me, he just won't eat anything. I tried even mangos and stuff like that, the first day I got him he ate some mangos but not this time. =(
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164127
You only cycled the tank for a week or two? Well, there's your problem - the nitrates in that tank are probably sky-high! Get your water checked ASAP before it kills him.
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
Nitrogen Cycle Stages
Stage 1
Ammonia is introduced into the aquarium via tropical fish waste and uneaten food. The tropical fish waste and excess food will break down into either ionized ammonium (NH4) or un-ionized ammonia (NH3). Ammonium is not harmful to tropical fish but ammonia is. Whether the material turns into ammonium or ammonia depends on the ph level of the water. If the ph is under 7, you will have ammonium. If the ph is 7 or higher you will have ammonia.

Stage 2
Soon, bacteria called nitrosomonas will develop and they will oxidize the ammonia in the tank, essentially eliminating it. The byproduct of ammonia oxidation is Nitrites. So we no longer have ammonia in the tank, but we now have another toxin to deal with - Nitrites. Nitrites are just as toxic to tropical fish as ammonia. If you have a test kit, you should be able to see the nitrite levels rise around the end of the first or second week.

Stage 3
Bacteria called nitrobacter will develop and they will convert the nitrites into nitrates. Nitrates are not as harmful to tropical fish as ammonia or nitrites, but nitrate is still harmful in large amounts. The quickest way to rid your aquarium of nitrates is to perform partial water changes. Once your tank is established you will need to monitor your tank water for high nitrate levels and perform partial water changes as necessary. There are other methods to control nitrates in aquariums besides water changes. For freshwater fish tanks, live aquarium plants will use up some of the nitrates. In saltwater fish tanks, live rock and deep sand beds can have anaerobic areas where denitrifying bacteria can breakdown nitrates into harmless nitrogen gas that escapes through the water surface of the aquarium.
>> Anonymous
The water looks cloudy, which is probably new tank syndrome from the cycling. Screw going to get the water tested-- just do a water change now.
>> Anonymous
>>164135
Oh geez, I was under the impression that I didn't have to cycle it for that long depending on the size of the tank. Geez, good thing I got 5 gallons of water ready to change into the tank, I'll buy more tomorrow.
>> Anonymous
>>164139
Huh? Buying water? Why?
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164139
How big is that tank, and how old is your Pacu? A full size Pacu needs a 300 gallon tank...I wouldn't reccommend putting a juvenile Pacu in anything smaller than a 55 gallon.
>> Anonymous
>>164143
My tank is 29 gallons, it's what I have at the moment to use. I have a 150 gallon waiting for him but the filter that came with it is fucking old and cracked and I'm working on getting that updated but while I wait I have that tank set up for him. I don't know how old he is, I've only had him for a month or two but he is at about 6-7" at most.

>>164140
I never really got used to doing the tap thing, I would just buy distilled water, but I really should just get a couple chemicals and use tap water that way...
>> Anonymous
Btw, I just changed out 5 gallons.

Btw Taboo Fetsih, what would you reccoment the desired amount of time to cycle a tank, a month?
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164146
I would reccommend a month, unless you're changing tanks and have old gravel, etc from the old one, then you can cycle less. Also...NEVER use distilled water in a fishtank. It's not good for them, tap water is much better as long as you get the right treatements for it.
>> Anonymous
aren't pacu really a schooling fish? Maybe he needs a few more pacu around to feel comfortable.
>> Anonymous
>>164149
Oh fuck, don't tell me that... I've been using distilled water for a while now... Godamnit.

>>164150
Yeah, they are, I thought about that but I want to give this guy some space before I get anymore.
>> Anonymous
>>164151
5 gallons water change are way too less.
I have a tank that is years old and I change 30 to 50% of the water every week.
5 gallons on 29 gallon tank is nothing.
The poison levels will stay in the water.
Change at least 15 gallons now.
>> Anonymous
>>164151
The bucket is the best filter.

Anyway, tap water is fine,if it is not too highly chlorined.
You can ask your water supplier or at the local fishpetshop.
Distilled water has no minerals in it, fish don't like it.

Also, it evades me why you started with such a big fish when you obviously never had a fishtank before?
People normally start with guppies.
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164151
One adult Pacu needs a 300 gallon tank.
A immature pacu should be in no less than a 55 gallon.
Unless you have a huge tank, don't put more than 1 in, the nitrates will spike and kill your fish unless you do a daily waterchange...
>> Anonymous
An airpump will improve his situation.
Breathing in that small tank should be problematic for such a big fish.
It will also prevent bacteria carpets on the surface.
>> Anonymous
Remember when we mentioned Stress Coat? Get a bottle of that, and use that in your tap water. Or something similar, some kind of dechlorinator. I also second Anon's suggestion of an air pump/bubble wand for the health benefit and the entertainment of your fish.

However,>>164187is absolutely correct - pacu get gigantic. I worked in the fish department of a pet store and at least one pair of these guys got dropped off at our doorstep. They were HUGE, easily a foot and a half long a piece, and not full grown. I can't even convey what a mess it was moving them into the tanks when they arrived, and then getting them into bags when someone decided to buy them.. but everything in a ten foot radius of the tank was thoroughly soaked, including me.
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
     File :-(, x)
>>164196
Definite on the stresscoat, but you'll also need a bottle of Aquasafe (or something similar) to treat the tapwater with.
This is a medium-sized Pacu pictured. The other fish it's near is a large Koi...
>> Anonymous
>>164197
Those other fish are jack dempseys, not koi, aren't they?
>> Anonymous
OP here, yeah I know what you're thinking, why start with such a big fish - well originally, I had some guppies and over time I had more and then my friend told me about Pacus and how he used to have one and I wanted to get a serious fish and he offered to sell me his 150 gallon tank to start so I took it.

While I was cycling the 150 gallon tank I put my Pacu in a smaller 10 gal tank because that's what I had and I had found this Pacu at 6" for $6.49 at Petco, dirt cheap, so I took it.

Unfortunately... I somehow missed a crack in the filter, its one of those wet dry filters, so I stopped and I still have to go get it sealed, been too busy to do it lately, bleh. =\

Anyway I'm stuck with that.

Oh and yeah I've had an air pump inside its tank and its new tank for the entire time.

Anyway, yeah I've had some aquasafe that I've been using, just got back from walmart and I got a bigger bottle, I'm going to try the stresscoat with it.

Thanks for the info btw guys, /an/'s always been a big help with this sort of stuff.
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164209
One a Koi, the rest are Dempsey's, and i think maybe another type.
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164215
Not a problem at all, I used to breed fish, so I had to learn about all this stuff. Now all I have is a few Crowntail Beta Splendins, but hope to have a livebearer tank once I move from this apartment.
>> Anonymous
>>164217

The other guys are Firemouth cichlids.

>>164197

I thought StressCoat was a tap water conditioner?

http://aquariumpharm.com/en_us/productCategory.asp?categoryname=WaterConditioners
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164230
Stresscoat just adds back the slime coating, Aquasafe is the water conditioner.
>> Anonymous
>>164232

>>Stress Coat®

Instantly removes chlorine and chloramines, making tap water safe for fish. Neutralizes heavy metals. Also, replaces the natural slime coating fish need in times of stress, such as handling, shipping or fighting. Contains Aloe Vera, nature's liquid bandage, to prevent the loss of essential electrolytes and protect damaged tissue against disease-causing organisms. Helps heal torn fins and skin wounds. Use when setting up aquarium, changing water, or adding fish.
>> Anonymous
>>164219
Btw, just so I know for future reference, how long would you say it takes for the aquasafe to ready the tap water?
>> Taboo Fetish !mEXZ86LiuA
>>164237
Hmmm, maybe i had a different brand/one, mine didn't remove the chemicals.
>>164249
I don't wait very long, only a few minutes.
>> Anonymous
I hope you used the distilled water in the fish tanks only and didn't drink it.

Distilled water is not meant for consumption by animals (that includes humans of course) or to put fish in. Because it has no minerals in it, it is far more concentrated than the % water within cells. It will cause the cells in the fish (or in a humans esophagus) to absorb too much water and explode.

That's why drinking too much distilled water can give you a stomach ache or sometimes kill people.