Catfish not eating

myfishandi

AC Members
Jul 11, 2006
25
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I picked up a Ghost Glass Catfish 2 days ago.
He hides out almost constantly in a cave and doesnt come out to eat.

What can/should I do?

I'm worried he'll die not eating.

30g
2 Dwarf Gourami
2 CAE
6 guppy
1 Angel
 
He's lonely. They're much more comfortable in groups. I have 5 myself and I still think it's too few. They are still a bit skittish. I've heard they get more calm with larger shoals. Like at least 7. It took a couple weeks before they would stop scattering when I entered the room or walked by the tank.

Also, what are you feeding it? They don't often take to prepared foods like flakes, pellets. I feed mine frozen food (brine shrimp, mysis, bloodworms, glass worms, daphnia) and they love it. They actually gorge themselves until their stomachs are little round gray marbles. A couple of them will take flakes, but I don't use them as a staple for any of my fish anyway.

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. They are pretty sensitive and delicate to water quality. That's why I change my water religiously, replacing at least 50% weekly.

One last thing, they don't like bright light. They need broad-leaved plants or caves to hide in. Mine usually stay in their large clay flower pot during the day and only come out to explore after lights out. I replaced my large root ornament with the larger pot to accomodate all of them comfortably. They love it!
 
dont worrie he will be fine my catfish hides when pepole are around but if you sneak in a night you can probley get a look at him eatting stuff at the bottom. or if your that worried take the cave out or put food in there for him.

hope this helps you.
 
Last edited:
Glass catfish are considered water column species, not bottom feeders. They are unique that way, for catfish.
 
plah831 said:
He's lonely. They're much more comfortable in groups. I have 5 myself and I still think it's too few. They are still a bit skittish. I've heard they get more calm with larger shoals. Like at least 7. It took a couple weeks before they would stop scattering when I entered the room or walked by the tank.

Also, what are you feeding it? They don't often take to prepared foods like flakes, pellets. I feed mine frozen food (brine shrimp, mysis, bloodworms, glass worms, daphnia) and they love it. They actually gorge themselves until their stomachs are little round gray marbles. A couple of them will take flakes, but I don't use them as a staple for any of my fish anyway.

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. They are pretty sensitive and delicate to water quality. That's why I change my water religiously, replacing at least 50% weekly.

One last thing, they don't like bright light. They need broad-leaved plants or caves to hide in. Mine usually stay in their large clay flower pot during the day and only come out to explore after lights out. I replaced my large root ornament with the larger pot to accomodate all of them comfortably. They love it!


Water is 0,0,2 nitrate.
I feed everyone flakes on the advise of a pretty good LFS (so I thought)
What makes me wonder though is he was out during a feeding, swam right by everything as if he were blind to it.

He definately loves that cave!


Maybe I need different food like you say.

He seems content in there though.
 
if your tank can support it get a few friends for him, some of my loaches needed friends to come ouf of hiding. my Dojo's I had to keep 3 atleast to even see any of them out and about
 
So with the light off last night he came out and was still out this morning :clap:
I fed some flakes directly over him and he ate it!
He seems to be doing fine but it looks like I need to adjust my feeding routine alittle so he gets some.

This behavior is kinda cute but a bit of a pain since all the other guys are used to eating with the lights on, they dont see the food falling to the bottom in the dark so it looks like a separate morning or evening feeding for the cat.
 
He'll probably catch on to the daylight feeding schedule when he gets comfortable. My kuhlie loaches, for example, are more active at night, but mine quickly learned to be ready for daylight feeding.

When he does start feeding with the lights on--and he is not being out-competed by the other fish--you can cut back on the lights-off feedings.

Food is food, and many common aquarium fish learn when food is available regardless of their wild habits.
 
its' good that he's eating. i would still recommend getting him some friends if you have the space. otherwise, maybe take him back to the store, because he'll be really stressed by himself. just my thoughts, as a proud glass cat mom.
 
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