I've had my Red Devil cichlid for about 12 years and nothing in the tank has changed over the last 2 years. He hasn't been eating anything for 16 days and I'm running out of ideas. He has fasted before a few years back when the tank was cooler during the winter but it's sitting at 70⁰ currently. Tested my water and I did have some higher nitrates than usual so I've done three 40 gallon water changes over the last 9 days. Nitrates are back down and going to continue a few more over the next week as well.
I tried the food that was mostly insects and he didn't care. Bought some frozen krill and tried that and didn't care. Threw some ghost shrimp in but I think the tetras got them instead. I even turned the light power all the way off the last few nights because he always seems to kill something when the light accidentally got unplugged….but nope all the tetras are accounted for.
Tank is 120 gallons. Got a few Wandering Jew plants in the corner (he rips up anything that's ever gone in there).
He is still active and hates me just as much as he always does. About 12-13 inches long and normal fat.
I was going to order a crap ton of ghost shrimp and just load up the tank but it doesn't guarantee that he actually got them. I hate feeder fish but maybe something slower and dumber than the tetras would work too. I figure a fish this size could go without eating for a bit but I don't want that for him either.
Any advice or am I on the right path?
Posted by mydogsdrift