August 11-20, 2010 questions you asked Aqualand

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LA_Aqualand@msn.com

Bryan Skinner, Cleveland, OH, August 11, 2010
Can you tell me which one I should use to breed my bettas?
1. Condition female in floating breeder and condition male in ten gallon tank while they can see each other and have female jump out when she is ready.
2. Same as one with substrate.
3. Condition male in ten gallon tank and condition female in other tank and have her jump out of breeder when she is conditioned and ready.
4. same as 3 with substrate.
5. Condition male in ten gallon tank and put female in there when she is conditioned with no breeder.
6. Same as 5 with substrate.
7. Conditon in separate tanks for each and have female jump out of breeder when ready.
8. Same as 7 with substrate.
9. Condition in different tanks and have female in with no breeder.
10. same as nine with substrate.
If I use substrate, what should it be?
By the way, I have a 4 inch Plecostomus in a ten gallon, how long until he will need a bigger tank? We have had him for about a year and he has grown 1-2 inches.

A: If it's a standard pleco, he is already stunted. They usually grow to at least 10 inches in their first year. Leave him in the small tank.
As for spawning your bettas, sign up for the 6 pm today Betta Breeding Seminar. No substrate. LA

Bryan Skinner, Cleveland, OH, August 11, 2010
Great presentation. Next month you should do one on bearded dragons.

A: We'll see. I'm thinking in terms of angelfish first. LA

Chris Hammerand, Des Moines, IA, August 11, 2010
Hello Everyone, Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at Carol Culmer's home. Carol's address is: 110 42nd St. Des Moines, IA 50312. I understand Carol has an excess of fish so if anyone wants any fish, feel free to bring a container to take some home. If you have any questions, please contact either Anita at 515-491-2670 or me at 515-669-2084.
Bring a friend and a camp chair and join us for a pleasant evening!

A: I announced your August meeting on our home page. LA

Vincent Liew, Malaysia, August 12, 2010
Hi Larry, can you please identify this cichlid for me? Thank you.

A: Maybe a dempsey, but I sure wouldn't bet the ranch on it. Juvenile cichlids are tough to I.D. LA

Fiona Stokes, Peavcehaven, UK, August 12, 2010
Hi, I am new to the world of cold water tropical fish. I have a large 2mtr tank with 2 pumps and all the gear. The whole system was set up professionally for me. I then went and acquired fish (after waiting the week for the water to be retested and given the ok to finally get my fish). I have 5 angelfish, 1 zebra, 2 white and 2 multi coloured (these guys appear to be very inquisitive and intelligent!! Can they be trained?), 20 neons, 6 black striped, 6 other tetra cute looking fish,1 pearl gourami (1died), 1 dwarf gourami (1 died), corydoras of8 various types, one Corydoras rabouti, 2 guppies (originally 12....10 died!!)
I have 2 questions...
Q1. I bought 2 pictus catfish...aka..demented loonies!!!...not only while putting them into the tank they tried to jump out, they have not stopped zipping around the tank constantly. The rest of the fish were really stressed by this to start with but they have appeared to accept that this is what they do and kinda got used to it...Although I did lose a few fish during the acclimatization..(as above)...
I found your web site and it says these guys are nocturnal and they eventually calm down and find their own place (there are dark homes for them currently vacant!!)...These guys have not stopped. They are still speeding around the tank.... What can I do?.. Are they ok?...How much energy do these guys have as they do this night and day??!! I do love them they are great. But I do worry about them and for the other fish! Please advise!!!
Q2. I bought 2 pleco sucking catfish...one of which I think i have identified through your site. However the other .. well .. the guy in the shop said he (or she) was unusual and rare.. But I have not seen a pic of him (or her) on any site I have been on. As with the other sucking catfish, I believe he (or she) is of the same family...Plecostomus. This fish aka midnight has tiger markings, but majority black and smaller area soft creamy/brown but has a red stripe on the tip of his tail and slight red on his dorsal fin. Not orange as in your pics....So kinda looks like the gold nugget in that respect. From looking at your site the fish is similar to gold nugget..sailfin..leopard and tiger plecos. What is he? Many Thanks

A: Your fish are not coldwater, they're tropical fish. Angelfish learn to rush to the surface any time they see you waving your arm like you have food in your hand.
A1: Your pictus catfish should finally calm down and just go nuts at feeding time. Don't worry about them.
A2: I have no clue on your pleco I.D. LA

Emily Johnson, Pipe Creek, TX, USA, August 12, 2010
I'm writing to say that I LOVE YOUR SITE!! I have three Emerald Green Corydoras, two Skunk Corydoras, a male Swordtail-Platy hybrid, a male Crowntail Betta, and two Albino Bristlenose catfish in two tanks. The Betta and the smaller Bristlenose are in a 10-gallon tank and the others are in a 20-gallon tank. My 20-gallon Bristlenose is a male, Hagrid, and he is 6 inches long. He's bizarre and cool and funny and possibly the most awesome fish I have ever had. As far as I can tell from a lot of different sites, Hagrid is a pretty big Noser, and I don't know why he's so large. My other Noser is not yet mature (I'm figuring about February is when it'll reach maturity, based on the info I got that they mature at 11 months) so until I can sex it with any certainty, I'm calling it Worf. (And yep, it speaks fluent CLING-On every evening, lol... They're awesome little cleaners!)
Anyway, I just wanted to say that your site is über awesome -- I love to just read through the different pages because it's not just informative, it's highly entertaining. (I love the wild-growing PVC joke in the section on breeding on the Noser's page!!)
It's quite common for me to get information on the fish I keep, but it's not nearly as often that I'm entertained at the same time. I don't care what anyone says, period -- your site is pure awesomeness. I've gotten a lot of valuable information on my various fish from your site, and I know that anytime I get a new fish, or if I ever get a Guinea Pig or a Snake or even some kind of Bugs, I can come to your site and get information on them and how to take care of them. Keep up the incredible work!!!

A: You're awesome, too. LA

Roman Antkowiak, Australia, August 12, 2010
Hi, I have read your column on the texas cichlid breeding and am still unsure on sexing the attached fish. I am almost positive I own a male attached also if U can confirm.
Could u please tell me if the first attachment is a female? I have been looking for 1 for a little while and since this 1 is so large I am finding it difficult to sex it. It seems to be fully grown very large approx 11"-12"
My next question is, is it possible to breed such a large female with a male half her size? Mine is approx 6" - 7" Your help is appreciated, thanx,

RA
Probable female.

RA
Probable male.

A: Looks like a good match up to me. Smaller males are less likely to kill their females. Put them together and keep your eyes open. LA

Bryan Skinner, Cleveland, OH, August 13, 2010
Can piranhas live with plecos? There is a spider web thing in my aquarium on the live plants and fake plants but I have sand as a substrate.

A: Piranhas are not a community fish. They live with any fish until they get hungry. They will flip a pleco over and eat out his belly. They will even eat each other when hungry. The spider web thing is fungus growing on uneaten food. Net it out and cut back on the food. LA

Melinda, Des Moines, IA, August 13, 2010
Hey LA, I love the website. I use it often. My grey tree frog escaped and is now wandering around my house. Any tips on how to catch the little sucker and which part of the house he might be more likely to head for? I don't want him to die. Do you know how long he will live in the house, providing my dog does not eat him? Is there some way to lure him into a box or something? Thanks,

LA
Grey tree frogs change colors to camouflage themselves.

A: He will climb high. He will look for a tube or some place he can enter to keep from drying out. He will change colors to blend into his surroundings. Grey tree frogs breathe thru their moist skin. If he dries out, he will die. LA

Dave Leader, August 14, 2010
I currently have one angelfish (unsure of sex) in a 30g with a 8/9 inch pink tilapia, 4 bumblebee cats, 2 redtail sharks, 1 whitetail shark, a female rainbowfish (left over from a "matched pair" as was sold to my father-in-law) and a pink gourami. I think the angel laid eggs in the corner of my tank, but there's no one else to mate with. Is this normal? Also I wrote to you in the past about my cichlid tank. I have since converted it to a 55g and they mate in it like crazy. There's currently 2 babies, unsure of the mix....the female is a yellow lab, but I'm pretty sure every other fish in the tank is a male. The babies are barely an inch at the moment and the female is already chewing more eggs. Would the female continue mating if I were to separate her into a 20g and randomly place males in there with her? My main intention with moving her is to assure the babies have a chance to grow before being discovered by their tank mates. Thanks for any advice you might have for me.

A1: Of the fish you listed, the angel was the only one likely to lay visible eggs. So, she's definitely a female. They will lay infertile eggs without a male present -- much like chickens lay eggs without roosters.
A2: Yellow labs will cross with auratus. To save the most babies, put her in a tank by herself (no males). After she releases her fry, give her a two week or longer vacation in her own tank to re-condition her egg factory -- she doesn't eat during the three weeks she carries her eggs. Then put her back in the original tank. LA

Dave Leader, August 14, 2010
Ok. thanks for the info. I did just put an auratus in the tank right before her first spawn. I do have a male lab in there, a large livingstoni, a cobalt, an orange peacock, and a fish that was labeled as a kennyi (when I bought him he was a nice silverish fish with blue on his back and nice dark bars, but after a few months he became chameleon-esque). I'm pretty sure all the others are males on account of the number and size of tail spots they have, with the exception of the livingstoni.
After researching the angelfish situation a little more, I learned about the papilla and noticed my tilapia had a papilla hanging out also. The eggs have since been eaten and have to get a few spare bucks to go and try to get some male angels. I will be removing the tilapia and giving him to a friend since he does hog up the tank. Thanks for the help. If you'd like some pictures, I could try to get some to you. If you have any advice on taking a good photo of a fish that would be appreciated also, since I always end up with a glare or poor lighting. Thanks again

A: Sounds like your lab is a pure bred. Kennyi females stay blue with black bars. Males turn yellow with lighter black bars. Just get one male angel -- otherwise they fight.. When taking photos thru the glass, take two steps to the left and shoot again. If you shoot straight on, you'll always get a reflection of your flash. LA

Megan Hinrichs, Oregon, August 14, 2010
Hi LA. I read through your page including all the of comments from concerned guinea pig owners over the content of your page. Regardless of your personal beliefs, a good majority of the information and concerns raise by the previous commenters are true. Yet you stand by your ignorance, and allow your page to proclaim such. Publishing everyone's comments are great for an owner who has the time to go through and read all of them. However my issue is with the first part of your page's content.
Substrate - No cedar chips
You need to expand upon this by letting people know why. I don't recall you mentioning Guinea Pigs are susceptible to respiratory problems, which can be caused by bad judgements in bedding. From my own personal experience and research the best is Carefresh, or if it costs too much, Aspen.
Chewer - Needs wood and a pumice block for teeth
I haven't met many guinea pigs that will actually chew on a wooden stick. Most prefer their houses or paper tubes. One of the best ways of helping with the teeth issue is through unlimited quantities of Timothy or another grass hay.
Supplements - Dried alfalfa and timothy
What about vitamin C? This is a HUGE health concern beginner guinea pig owners need to be aware about. You need to differentiate between alfalfa and timothy hay. Only young cavies and pregnant/lactating mothers should be given alfalfa. Believe what you want, if you walk into any pet store and pick up some generic brand of alfalfa it should state on the back of the label that it is not intended for adult animals. Also hay shouldn't be listed as a supplement, it's a dietary need guinea pigs require every day. Good quality cavy food is made with either alfalfa or timothy, but they require the actual fibers to be healthy.
Treats - Oranges , potatoes, apples, greens, nuts
Greens? Again be more specific. Dark leafy greens in small quantities. Kale is great for guinea pigs. Cabbage, lettuce and broccoli should be avoided because it can led to intestinal problems. What about carrots? Or red peppers? Both are great treats, guinea pigs (or at least mine) love. Never ever ever, give or even recommend giving your guinea pig nuts, seeds or corn. All three are terrible for them.
Your page has some good information about their background but to be taken as a serious website you need to update your information and expand upon it. The chart at the top of the page could use a section about food choices for different ages. Many commercial guinea pig foods rely on alfalfa as the main ingredient. I know at the PetsMart I work for, only two of eight or maybe ten varieties of cavy food we carry are made with only timothy hay, everything else is alfalfa. Which again is great for younger cavies, but once they reach adulthood they need to slowly be transferred to a different diet.
Thank you for your time, and please take the time to change your information or at least do extensive research to learn the facts for yourself.

A: Thanks for your time. I found your info useful and added it to my GP page. LA
PS I find that many readers like to read the updates on the pages more than the main text.

Kate, Ontario, August 15, 2010
Hi, I contacted you a little while ago about some snails that I had, well now I found an American toad that has some swelling it looks like on its back leg. I have him in a habitat in a critter keeper. I don't know what is wrong. If you can't help me, do you know any toad experts that I can email? Thanks

A: I am totally unfamiliar with toad diseases. And I don't know anyone who is familiar. I can't recall ever seeing a sick toad. Chances are very good that he will recover on his own if you give him (or her) a diet of crickets and earthworms. LA

Kate, Ontario, August 16, 2010
Thanks for the input. We have had him for two days. He has nipped at some worms that I put in the cage, but he hasn't actually eaten anything yet. But the swelling looks like it has gone down a little and he buries himself when the sun comes up which is what he is supposed to do. So I will keep him until the swelling goes down and maybe keep him as a pet or set him free. He's about the size of a quarter so do you think that the cage that I had for my snails is big enough for him for now? And do you think that he will go for crickets more than the worms? Or some grubs that I can buy at the fish bait store?

A: Small toads have difficulty eating earthworms (which do not stick to their tongues). He'll fare better on crickets and wax worms. He doesn't need much room. LA

Kate, Ontario, August 17, 2010
Ok thanks. Ya I noticed that he couldn't get the worm on his tongue. I will get some wax worms and crickets.

A: Big toads can eat worms because they're more persistent. They keep trying until they get them. Little toads just bounce off worms. LA

Bryan Skinner, August 15, 2010
I was looking at Beardies II and noticed you said female baby beary not beardie. Also, Ants and beetles can have toxins in them so I would not feed them to any reptile. Same with any wild caught insect, as they may have pesticides and/or Parasites on them.

A: I corrected the typo you caught on Beardies II. Don't worry about ants and beetles, not very many reptiles will eat them. They probably taste awful. And most critter keepers are too lazy to go out and catch wild insects. LA

Lindsey Weatherly, Pleasant Hill, IA, August 15, 2010
Hello, I have three goldfish, I think they're comets, one is possibly a common. One is 5in the other two are 6in. I was wondering how much I could get for them? Thanks!

A: We probably won't make you rich. However, you need to call 283-0300 to find out. LA

Malachi Wadsworth, Iowa, August 15, 2010
I purchased a pixie frog from the store on Friday 8/13/10. I asked what it was, dwarf or Giant. Giant being the preference for 90% of pixie buyers. The clerk who checked me out assured it was not a Dwarf but could not say if it was a male or female. I want a male but I planned on getting a female eventually so it didn't bother me what sex it turned out to be.
I have seen snapped photos and posted a lot of them on frog experts and owners forums. Everyone is flatly stating its a dwarf. Now I would expect to get the wrong frog from say petsmart (since I doubt anyone there even knows there are two species ). I went to Aqualand to support a local business and consult your knowledgeable staff. On your website the only pixies shown are of the Giant variety as well.

To say the least I am disappointed. You may want to ask your supplier what exactly they are sending. If they are marketing these as P. adspersus(Giant ) and not P. edulis ( Dwarf ). The giants are in the most demand. I have seen a lot of online sites and suppliers false marketing the Dwarfs as the Giants. Sincerely ,

(PS. I have been going to Aqualand since I was in elementary school )

A: As far as I know, we've never had a dwarf pyxie. If you're unhappy with the one you got, just bring it back. LA

Malachi Wadsworth, Iowa, August 15, 2010
I am more or less frustrated with suppliers. I just can not find the true "giants" P. adspersus. from South Africa. When young they are very similar. It's technically not a "dwarf" pixie but a subspecies from Tanzania called P. edulis. They get under half the size of the giants. There are now more verities and hybrids going around since Giant pixies sell very well and some suppliers ambiguously label them "pixies" rather than what breed/subspecies they are.

I am not unhappy with the frog itself. He/she seems healthy and is eating well. How old is this frog? Did you guys get it as a froglet.

LA

LA
Definitely some differences.

A: I'm not sure which one you bought. If he was the size of your first finger joint, he came in as a froglet. If he was a bigger guy, he came in as a trade in. You might want to check out the Reptile and Amphibian Sale mentioned on our home page. LA
PS Your knowledge of the different strains definitely exceeds mine.

Amanda Palomares, Paradise, CA, August 16, 2010
I don't know if you can help... your website seems to be the most informative, so I figure I'll give it a shot...
I inherited a "free" 50 gallon tank, which included a Jack Dempsey. Since then I have purchased a few African Cichlids (trial and error with that one!) I also purchased a small Dempsey.
Currently, my community consists of 2 purple Cichlids, 2 black and yellow Cichlids (tho one has turned purple as well), a large Dempsey and a smaller Dempsey (the smaller Dempsey is about 1/2-3/4 the size of the large, and the large I would say is slightly larger than my hand)
Over the last few weeks, the two Dempseys have been shacking up in one very small log. The log is about 2" wide, 4" tall, and about 6-8" long. It had been the designated "home" for the smaller Dempsey since we introduced it to the tank. My larger Dempsey always took up shop in a much larger Tiki head. They have dug a small pit in the gravel inside the log, pushing the gravel to the front and back of the log, making it a very small opening for either to get in or out. The large Dempsey rarely comes out, even to eat. The smaller Dempsey appears to be quite protective of their shared space, and more aggressive to the other cichlids in the tank.
My question: in your opinion, have I got a mating pair? I'm curious, as I am new to aquariums altogether, and I cannot even tell a male from a female Dempsey. I can't judge on size, because the large Dempsey when I got him, was the same size that my smaller Dempsey is now (the smaller Dempsey was purchased as a baby about 1" quite some months ago). They also seem to be equal in beautiful colors as well.
They seem to be mating to me, I guess I would just expect to have seen eggs or fry by now.
Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated,
Thank you in advance,

A: Jack Dempseys will get along with African cichlids for awhile. As the African cichlids start growing to adulthood, they become more aggressive. They like to skin American cichlids. Anyway, it sounds as if you have a likely pair. If you want to keep the fry, realize that African cichlids will outnumber the parents and eventually eat all their babies. Also, it's pretty common for American cichlids to have a few unsuccessful attempts before they finally get their act together. Good luck. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 16, 2010
I bought upside down catfish when they were small. As they got a little older, they stopped swimming upside down. I'm wondering why? They look like the one at the bottom of the page and the one going into the pvc pipe. I have 2 that are 5-6in and 2 that are 3-4 in -- very spotted. I think they are so much prettier than the other catfish but they want to fight a little bit. You say to put them with African cichlids. Mine kill everything. even each other. They single out 1 and pick on it till they kill it and then pick out another one and start on it. I only have a few left.

A: I'm confused. Are you saying your upside down catfish, Synodontis nigriventris, are killing your fish or your African cichlids are killing your fish? I've never seen S. nigriventris pick on any other fish. I've also never seen 5-6 inchers. African cichlids in small tanks almost always kill each other. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 17, 2010
Sorry for the confusion. African cichlids are killing each other. I have several tanks -- 30gal.with about 8 Africans, 2 large pleco who they pick on all the time. the Africans ran after 1 certain African last night until he jumped out and landed in laundry basket that had folded clothes. I had to put Plexiglass over the top. I have lots of hiding places, but they still fight. I have catfish in a 40gal hex with 10 angelfish. Not absolutely sure about size but will try to measure. They are big. The largest has a very fat tummy. I have a 55gal with parrot fish. Some as big as my hand and some gouramis which I am just learning about and 2 plecos and 4 convicts which I am going to put in another 30gal. One female convict keeps trying to raise babies. I have 2 separate litters of babies in small tanks. I want to watch her raise them in a tank by themselves. The last bunch she had her mate died before they ever hatched. He was albino mixed I think. Will she take another mate? Thanks for emailing back.

A: African cichlids kept in small numbers almost always start killing each other. They do better when crowded. Your female convict will accept another mate. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 17, 2010
They were crowded until they started killing each other. I had twice that many or more. How many do you suggest in a 30 gal? Another question, do female bettas get along in the same tank?

A1: I like a 55 with 40 African cichlids. I'd put two dozen in the 30 and give them lots of PVC pipes.
A2: You can keep female bettas in the same tank with other female bettas unless the females had been separated like males. If they've grown up together (with plenty of water changes), they usually get along fine. You can't keep them with African cichlids. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 17, 2010
I can't keep anything with Africans. I'm about to put mine up for adoption and find something else. I have female bettas in a hexagon with angelfish. They seem to get along pretty good in my big tank but I noticed tails and fins are a little ragged. Thought they might be fighting. You didn't tell me why my catfish are no longer upside down. thanks for all the info.

LA
Synodontis nigriventris.

A: Lots of catfish are called upside down catfish. If you have Synodontis nigriventris, they hardly ever turn right side up. The other Synodontis species usually turn right side up. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 24, 2010
I measured the catfish.moved them from the hex to a 55. The.largest ones' tail fins are just over 5in. Looking at your website better, .I think I have eupterus synodontis. Very pretty.looks like the one you refer to as being well fed.very high fins.long whiskers. They seem to like the 55. They don't stay hid as much. They.swam upside-down when little, then stopped when they started getting big. They have more room now in the 55.

LA
4-inch Synodontis eupterus.

A: Syn. eupterus may grow as large as 12 inches. They will live well with most African cichlids. They occasionally swim upside down. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 25, 2010
Mine don't look exactly like this pic. Mine are darker more black or dark grey. Fins on top are very tall and whiskers are black and very long, very fat and pretty. No brown color to them at all. When I measured him, he chirped at me like a channel cat from the lake. People ask me questions all the time when I go to Wal-Mart or PetsMart etc. to buy food. They know I take good care of my fish. I always send them to your website. Thanks a bunch.

LA
8-inch Syn. eupterus (featherfin).

A: Featherfins darken as they age. LA

Anita, Tennessee, August 25, 2010
That's more like mine except mine are darker. They must be older. I am afraid to put them with African cichlids. I have worked so hard to keep them, I'm afraid they will hurt them. I have 1 big blue that is terribly mean.------------------- question? I have a male betta in a basket in one tank with females in tank running loose ln the same tank, the male built a bubble nest. I went to your website and learned females have white dots. The bubble nest is gone. I may have disturbed it when I moved catfish to 55. What should I do? If I put them in separate tanks with her in a globe, do you think he will build another? I have another male also and 3-females. Thanks for all the advice. I moved convicts to 30 gal. My momma convict has already taken another mate. How big should babies be before putting them in a tank with others? I only have 5 adults (some medium size from 1st litter).

A: Yes, your male will build another bubblenest. Put him and one female in a small tank half-filled with water.
A2: Once your convicts grow to one inch, you can mix them with other rowdy fish. LA

Carlos Garcia, August 16, 2010
Whenever I click on links to certain species, the entire page moves to the left making it hard to read.

Please address the problem, Thank You.

A: Are you using a Mac with Safari as your search tool? Use a different search tool. I cannot alter your results from this end. LA

Sara Noway, New York, August 18, 2010
Hi, I have an upside down cat. If you want pics let me know. But I was wondering if I could put in an Elephant nose in with my upsidedown cat? Just drop me a line and tell me what you think! Thanks for your help.

A: They should ignore each other and get along fine. LA

Wattie, August 19, 2010
Well unfortunately I just had to give up my BGKF. Even though he was small, he just became too aggressive toward my other fish. My local pet store told me she would make a trade with me for either an elephant nose or something cool when she gets her shipment tomorrow from the airport. I just thought I would let you know that they can get aggressive even when small.

A: Noted. LA

Vincent Liew, Malaysia, August 12, 2010
Hi Larry, is the firemouth in the first pic carrying eggs? The second pic is the so-called dempsey cichlid...But it really looks like a Texas to me.

A1: I can't tell what size she (or he) is from your picture. If she's under three inches, it's more likely she has a belly full of her favorite food.
A2: As I mentioned before, it's often difficult to determine the species of juvenile cichlids. Your guess is as good as mine -- probably better because you are closer than I am. LA

Palm Tree of Doom, August 20, 2010
Hello. I was hoping you could help me with what I believe to be a problem with my African Lungfish.
First, he's about 4-5 years old, around 20 inches long, and in a 30 gallon tank. No filter, no bubbler, no plants (fake or live), no other fish, the water stays room temperature, and I do a water change (taking out about 3/4) once a week. I don't know the water parameters, but if it's important to this then I'll find out.
It's been about 3-4 weeks since he's really eaten anything, and it worries me. Is it normal for a lungfish to go that long? In the past weeks he's only eaten 3 average-sized goldfish* and maybe 3 pieces of little salad shrimps. In the past couple of days I've offered him smelt, which he's eaten in the past, but he won't touch that either.
He doesn't appear to be sick, and he's acting normally. He just won't eat. My poor little Kisame has gone anorexic on me. Is there anything I can try to offer him that he simply can't refuse? Is it possible that there's something wrong? Whether it be his health, or how I care for him? (He's been living in the above mentioned conditions for months, possibly since late last winter) Any help or advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
*And for some reason he won't touch goldfish live. I have to kill them. He's been like that for the 2-3 years I've had him. Is that normal?

A: Sounds pretty normal for a 20-inch lungfish to me. Mine was a picky eater, too. Go to your local bait shop and buy a dozen nightcrawlers. Feed him one. LA

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