[Ken]

Some advise please. i have a fuzzy Dwarf lionfish which now refuses to eat. He was eating fine when i got him home from the lfs and this carried on for some time. However, he decided he wasn't going to feed a couple of weeks ago, but i managed to change his mind with some live brine shrimp. This appetite only lasted a few days though, and now with trying flake, frozen brine, mysis, krill or even live brine, he refuses the lot, all of which he once ate. Any ideas on how to encourage him to eat would be gratefully appreciated. All parameters are ok and all other fish eat as though it's their last supper, so not sure what's going on. Hopefully someone out there may have overcome a similar problem and can point me in the right direction.

Regards

Ken

[Marcus Watts]

He may need worming - it certainly puts them off the feed as I think they get no benefit from the food, get weaker and just stop eating. I have just had a very similar experience with a tang - ate like mad - grazed the rocks, ate frozen, constant foraging for a week or so - then started 'hollowing out', then just stopped eating - I spent the night searching online until silly oclock, worked out gut worms was probably the cause and the poor bugger didn't make it through the night.

I suspect most fish are treated when they arrive in the UK but they are probably not at the wholesalers for long enough for a full course of treatment to kill all the nasties. If we end up buying a freshly delivered fish The parasites, worms, diseases etc that were nearly cured can re-establish themselves anything from a few days to a few weeks later.

[Ken]

Thanks for the advice marcus. Being fairly new to this and not coming across this problem before, what is my next step? I assume there is some potion i can buy as opposed to a tablet i have to try and stick down my cats throat.

[Marcus Watts]

http://www.internati...?showtopic=5741

Even though this post starts off talking about a tang it as lots of very relevant bits to your lion - hope it helps - It was a lipstick i lost too, exact symptoms as this thread but it was too late when i discovered the info i needed

[Social D]

Try Pellets thats all my lionfish eats he used to eat frozen but doesn't touch frozen anymore. Medium sized ocean nutrition are the ones i use
He even recognizes the pot when i pick it up worth a shot ...

[tommo]

Normally, it is quite rare for lions to need worming! What are your parameters with what test kits? Fuzzys are notoriously easy to feed but can take some graft to get them confident. Have you got any tanga or angels in with him?

[Ken]

I use salifert test kits, all of which are only 2 months old. My parameters are all good. I have a Koli tang and a Sailfin Tang(recently introduced, but after problem started), i also have a Coral Beauty, 2 clowns, a sandsifter goby and 3 cleaner shrimps, plus a few corals. As i've said above, all other fish feed well, it's just the lion that doesn't want to eat.

[karnivor]

Ive always found Lancefish to be very appetising for Lions when ive kept them in the past.

[tommo]

If your parameters are 'good' a claim that always concerns me without specifics, then i would look to either the coral beauty or more likely the sailfin tang for an explanation.

Try feeding these more grazable produce to divert their attentions and then see if you can then coax the lion into a proper feed. Lancefish is reliable, especially taget fed on a thin piece of wire or feeding stick (might take some harrassing to get it to trigger) Also typically it doesnt take long for fuzzys to start on new era flake if they are content.

Tom

[lindsay]

I suspect the coral beauty.

[tommo]

You lot don't half bully dwarf angels