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-   -   How long does it take a fish to starve to death? (https://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=275961)

Hal 11/27/2003 10:04 PM

How long does it take a fish to starve to death?
 
I've got a 6 line in my QT since Sunday. It swims about just fine, but I don't really see it eat. I saw it nibble some frozen brine at LFS, and so far, I've tried frozen brine, frozen krill, frozen mysis shrimp, marine cuisine, flake, and pellet. I've tried garlic and Selcon soaks. The 6 line doesnt seem interested in amy of it.

Nevertheless, his belly is a bit rounded. It certainly isn't a constant curve from tip to tail.

I usually only watch him for 5 minutes or so after I drop in the food. Do you think he's eating when I'm not around? I just assumed that the filter clears out the food.

I'm ready to start with a preventative dose of Cupramine, but I really want to make sure the fish is otherwise ok (eating wise)before I add the copper.

Would a fish that's starving itself be swimming around normally? When would signs of starvation start to show? But for the fact that I don't see him eat, if I were to bring you in to look at it you would think he looks and acts just fine.

What gives?

ATJ 11/27/2003 10:37 PM

A fish can probably go anywhere from a couple of weeks to as much as 6 weeks before it would starve to death, depending on the size of the fish and its original condition. However, if the fish doesn't eat in around 10-14 days, ireversible damage will have been done to its intestinal tract and the fish will most likely die even if it were to start feeding. All through this time the fish will swim normally.

I recommend you get some live adult brine shrimp and try that. You could also get some brine shrimp cysts and hatch them yourself and feed the nauplii to the wrasse.


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