Goldfish Feeding / Refusing of Food

[NinaJ]

Hello guys. I have made a post about this few weeks ago but didn't receive any response.

My common goldfish gradually started refusing all commercial foods. It got to the point where they will not eat anything. I have about 20 different foods for them.
Presoaking pellets, buying different brands.
Right now the only thing they are still interested in are Tetra Dry Baby Shrimp treat.
They have even refused fresh blood worms! I used to feed them all these foods the first 3 months I had them. They started "striking" around December and gradually reject the foods.

I fed them steamed vegetable fish food egg mix and they used to love it for a while and would only eat that. Now they hate the egg veggie mix, too.

I feel like I might be starving them. Fish are looking for food constantly foraging. When I do feed them, they come to the top to take a look at the pellet but then kinda cringe and leave. I'm not sure if they are losing appetites due to some disease or infection or have they become extremely picky?

I cannot find 1 food that they like at the moment and they used to be voracious eaters - like most goldfish.

I heard that when common goldfish start reaching adulthood, they could refuse commercial foods? That does not explain why they reject the bloodworms - which is the fish delicatesse.

Please someone help! I have not even seen any poops in the tank - or hardly any because they don't eat. At the same time they look panicked and opening mouths when I come to the tank asking for food

Vid from 2 weeks ago for reference, in here they still seemed somewhat interested in food:

Example of fish foods they don't like and don't eat. I have since bought more that they also don't like.

 

[Chewbroccoli]

Oh dear! How stressful for you and the money you must have spent.

How big is that tank may I ask?

 

[JustAFishServant]

Good grief! What chonkers! I don't think they'd starve in WEEKS! (This is sort of a serious joke)

I don't think the tank size would affect much so I'm not going to ask for that, unless you want to fill out the emergency template

Some fish are very picky. Sometimes you have to starve them until they accept another. I've had to do this, and I've never had a fish starve to death.

So yeah...maybe try starving them for a few days (fish can usually go 2 weeks without feeding and exceptionally "chonky" fish can even starve for a month!)

The #1 goldfish killer isn't tank size, stunting, or even water quality...it's mineral deficiency. They only eat dry shrimp, which will eventually lead to deficiency. Symptoms include cancer, deformity, decreased lifespan, immunodeficiency and even depression. Starving for a month can cause this as well, so I don't recommend doing it.

So again, try starving for a few weeks. Trust me, besides begging, they'll be fine.

 

[NinaJ]

Oh dear! How stressful for you and the money you must have spent.

How big is that tank may I ask?

Hello Chewbroccoli. Their current tank is 40 gallon size. I got it at the time when they were babies and by the time tank cycled they seem to have grown out of it, lol.
They are going to a 125 tank soon. It is almost done fishless cycling.

Good grief! What chonkers! I don't think they'd starve in WEEKS! (This is sort of a serious joke)

I don't think the tank size would affect much so I'm not going to ask for that, unless you want to fill out the emergency template

Some fish are very picky. Sometimes you have to starve them until they accept another. I've had to do this, and I've never had a fish starve to death.

So yeah...maybe try starving them for a few days (fish can usually go 2 weeks without feeding and exceptionally "chonky" fish can even starve for a month!)

The #1 goldfish killer isn't tank size, stunting, or even water quality...it's mineral deficiency. They only eat dry shrimp, which will eventually lead to deficiency. Symptoms include cancer, deformity, decreased lifespan, immunodeficiency and even depression. Starving for a month can cause this as well, so I don't recommend doing it.

So again, try starving for a few weeks. Trust me, besides begging, they'll be fine.

Hello JustAfishServant!!!
thanks for responding. That is exactly what I'm worried about, them not getting enough nutrients.
I actually already tried starving them, or let me say it better. I tried to not feed them. It was about 4 or 5 days that they barely ate. I tried serving my home made gel food made from scratch and they hated it. They tried to chew it but spat it. Maybe it was hard to chew?
During that time they ate some pellets but not all of the fish. Only 2 of them ate pellets, others starved themselves. And the 2 fish that did eat pellets, they didnt eat plenty. They ate like 1 or 2 and they hated it.

I did occasionally sprinkle those dry shrimps in cause Im scared to let them go without food. So that's all they ate.
They have real problems eating veggies too. They mostly spit them. that zucchini was super overcooked. Eventually it become stringy like particles and fish then ended up spitting it and I saw it all on my filter intake.

Today I got another branded food Hikari Gold for koi fish. They also spat it.

Meanwhile they are going around digging looking for food. My biggest fish digs in the substrate with frustration and then spits a bunch of gravel and shakes head to the side - she seriously looks **** - ed. But when I give her food, she won't take it.

Well guys thank u so much for your effort and responding *hearts*

 

[GouramiGirl100]

Have you tried repashy?

 

[NinaJ]

Have you tried repashy?

Oh my gosh yesss! I used to feed that when they were smaller. They used to love it. Not any more Seriously! Right? I made them multiple repashy batches. Some included freshly mashed/cooked peas and carrots + fresh frozen brine shrimp in it. Some batches were plain just repashy. All had same effect. They spat them. I tried to force it on them multiple times by not feeding anything else. Same effect. My big fish actually tried chewing it multiple times and then spat it. Those were fresh batches, btw.

My freezer contains several batches of different repashy, homemade gel foods from scratch containing shrimp, crab, scallops. None were accepted, eaten. lol
Yesterday I tried to feed them boiled shrimp. I chopped it into smaller pieces but they were not able to chew it so again, they ended up spitting it and it decorated my substrate instead. I realize goldfish don't have teeth to chew with. Could be that foods are too hard for them?
Again, they used to eat all these in past.
Only thing they love are those Tetra shrimps. They treat all other food like I'm feeding them sh*t.
Actually, I catch them sucking on rocks and picking on sponge filter dust. they prefer that over eating food I offer.

I've been doing DAILY water changes for them because they are overstocked in this tank.
It's a 40 gallon and I usually change 20 gallons a day. Sometimes 15 when I don't want to stress them too much.

Nitrates have been pretty high last few days 30-40 but that is mostly cause I tried to feed them and they wouldn't eat it cause they are striking so food is dissolving and rotting in there. This afternoon after water change nitrates were 20.
Ammonia looks to be between 0 - .25 I am not sure. Seachem alert is not showing the alert color. Depends what light you see the vial in.
I'm using remineralized RO water, btw. so nitrates in source water are none. These fish be living the life but won't eat my food :-I

 

[GouramiGirl100]

Oh my gosh yesss! I used to feed that when they were smaller. They used to love it. Not any more Seriously! Right? I made them multiple repashy batches. Some included freshly mashed/cooked peas and carrots + fresh frozen brine shrimp in it. Some batches were plain just repashy. All had same effect. They spat them. I tried to force it on them multiple times by not feeding anything else. Same effect. My big fish actually tried chewing it multiple times and then spat it. Those were fresh batches, btw.

My freezer contains several batches of different repashy, homemade gel foods from scratch containing shrimp, crab, scallops. None were accepted, eaten. lol
Yesterday I tried to feed them boiled shrimp. I chopped it into smaller pieces but they were not able to chew it so again, they ended up spitting it and it decorated my substrate instead. I realize goldfish don't have teeth to chew with. Could be that foods are too hard for them?
Again, they used to eat all these in past.
Only thing they love are those Tetra shrimps. They treat all other food like I'm feeding them sh*t.
Actually, I catch them sucking on rocks and picking on sponge filter dust. they prefer that over eating food I offer.

I've been doing DAILY water changes for them because they are overstocked in this tank.
It's a 40 gallon and I usually change 20 gallons a day. Sometimes 15 when I don't want to stress them too much.

Nitrates have been pretty high last few days 30-40 but that is mostly cause I tried to feed them and they wouldn't eat it cause they are striking so food is dissolving and rotting in there. This afternoon after water change nitrates were 20.
Ammonia looks to be between 0 - .25 I am not sure. Seachem alert is not showing the alert color. Depends what light you see the vial in.
I'm using remineralized RO water, btw. so nitrates in source water are none. These fish be living the life but won't eat my food :-I

Have you tried the cheap tetra koi or goldfish food? Weirdly sometimes I find my fish need a totally different brand for a few days and then go back to eating the better quality stuff. Otherwise I’d have to say fast them like you tried

 

[NinaJ]

Have you tried the cheap tetra koi or goldfish food? Weirdly sometimes I find my fish need a totally different brand for a few days and then go back to eating the better quality stuff. Otherwise I’d have to say fast them like you tried

I haven't tried the Tetra pellet food, no. From my experience they dont eat the tiny pellets. They disregard them as food so I didn't even bother.
From the cheap ones, I have Aqueon Shrimp pellets for bottom feeders. They ate them for short period of time during their "strike" but as of today they ignore them again. Those are the pellets that dissolve super fast and cloud water.

I was going to try the X-treme Cichlid pellets for them cause I read they are good for goldfish too. I just haven't bought them yet cause I am so discouraged and already see them spitting in my head
My biggest and oldest fish was kept on tropical flakes her first 1.5 years of life and barely ate. (I took her off of someone). So she used to be less picky than the young fish, as if she appreciated food more. But now shockingly she became picky too.

 

[Chewbroccoli]

I w

Hello Chewbroccoli. Their current tank is 40 gallon size. I got it at the time when they were babies and by the time tank cycled they seem to have grown out of it, lol.
They are going to a 125 tank soon. It is almost done fishless cycling.

Hello JustAfishServant!!!
thanks for responding. That is exactly what I'm worried about, them not getting enough nutrients.
I actually already tried starving them, or let me say it better. I tried to not feed them. It was about 4 or 5 days that they barely ate. I tried serving my home made gel food made from scratch and they hated it. They tried to chew it but spat it. Maybe it was hard to chew?
During that time they ate some pellets but not all of the fish. Only 2 of them ate pellets, others starved themselves. And the 2 fish that did eat pellets, they didnt eat plenty. They ate like 1 or 2 and they hated it.

I did occasionally sprinkle those dry shrimps in cause Im scared to let them go without food. So that's all they ate.
They have real problems eating veggies too. They mostly spit them. that zucchini was super overcooked. Eventually it become stringy like particles and fish then ended up spitting it and I saw it all on my filter intake.

Today I got another branded food Hikari Gold for koi fish. They also spat it.

Meanwhile they are going around digging looking for food. My biggest fish digs in the substrate with frustration and then spits a bunch of gravel and shakes head to the side - she seriously looks **** - ed. But when I give her food, she won't take it.

Well guys thank u so much for your effort and responding *hearts*

As just curious as the video gave the illusion it was a cube tank haha. And trust me when I say this, once you pop you won't stop and will end up with many tanks. It's a real challenge not to keep buying more and more. Good luck with the Goldie's. I hope it all works out okay.

 

[NinaJ]

I w

As just curious as the video gave the illusion it was a cube tank haha. And trust me when I say this, once you pop you won't stop and will end up with many tanks. It's a real challenge not to keep buying more and more. Good luck with the Goldie's. I hope it all works out okay.

Thanks so much! Well I have 4 tanks in my living room now *LOL*
Although I just tore down the quarantine tank so only 3 now.
thank you for good vibes.

So you guys recommend I hold off their favorite shrimps and force them to eat other stuff? How long is it safe for? They have been eating this way for about 4 weeks and I can see tiny holes in their fins forming I know they need more nutrition.

 

[cjcummings]

So you guys recommend I hold off their favorite shrimps and force them to eat other stuff?

Probably best to hold off on buying any new packaged food for now. Sounds like you have already spent a bit with no successful outcome so better to just not waste any more funds unless you know something that will work for sure.

The only other thing I would try right now would be either Live Food....or Garlic dipping the current food you have. If this doesn't entice them at all, then I don't know what will (Aside from the tetra shrimps) Maybe you can get your hands on a small bottle of Garlic Guard and just test with it. If they don't budge at all, then it starting to look like an environmental factor.

Hopefully the 125G completes it's cycle soon. Maybe a bigger space will breathe new life and appetite into them. Bummer that you can't just move over your current filtration and decor as I know you are worried about bringing over any bad stuff from the current tank.

 

[NinaJ]

Probably best to hold off on buying any new packaged food for now. Sounds like you have already spent a bit with no successful outcome so better to just not waste any more funds unless you know something that will work for sure.

The only other thing I would try right now would be either Live Food....or Garlic dipping the current food you have. If this doesn't entice them at all, then I don't know what will (Aside from the tetra shrimps) Maybe you can get your hands on a small bottle of Garlic Guard and just test with it. If they don't budge at all, then it starting to look like an environmental factor.

Hopefully the 125G completes it's cycle soon. Maybe a bigger space will breathe new life and appetite into them. Bummer that you can't just move over your current filtration and decor as I know you are worried about bringing over any bad stuff from the current tank.

Hello cj. I actually decided I will move everything over. Vet said she doesn’t think it’s parasites at the moment and she attributes their not feeding to high nitrates. Although the biggest I ever measured were 40. And we are doing daily WCs.
That’s a good idea. I don’t think buying any more foods is gonna help here.
I’m not willing to start over with whole cycling and new media. It’s too much

btw I’ve been using garlic guard ever since the start. When I soak it in it now, it does nothing. Garlic guard did not help - as of recent

 

[cjcummings]

Hello cj. I actually decided I will move everything over.

Very cool. Hoping you have a smooth migration! When does the fun/headache begin?

 

[NinaJ]

Very cool. Hoping you have a smooth migration! When does the fun/headache begin?

I’m not sure but within a week hopefully?

I just saw one of my fish rub on substrate on his gills 4 times in the row. So I’m thinking some parasite might still be there. I treated 2 fish in quarantine just now with Paracleanse. Treated fish are still flashing. Just asking advice of the vet. She thinks there are no parasites. But why the flashing then?

 

[cjcummings]

I’m not sure but within a week hopefully?

I just saw one of my fish rub on substrate on his gills 4 times in the row. So I’m thinking some parasite might still be there. I treated 2 fish in quarantine just now with Paracleanse. Treated fish are still flashing. Just asking advice of the vet. She thinks there are no parasites. But why the flashing then?

Could be parasitic. Could be dirty water causing irritation. Could be just an itch.
Also often times when a decision is made to treat a parasitic infection, the whole tank is treated instead of QT'ing the ones with symptoms since there is a good chance if one has it, the others have it as well.
Unless the 2 fish you treated in QT were new or never with the other 2.

 

[NinaJ]

Could be parasitic. Could be dirty water causing irritation. Could be just an itch.
Also often times when a decision is made to treat a parasitic infection, the whole tank is treated instead of QT'ing the ones with symptoms since there is a good chance if one has it, the others have it as well.
Unless the 2 fish you treated in QT were new or never with the other 2.

Yes I do understand that. I was initially gonna treat the other 2 right after. But I decided they were miserable in quarantine tank so I didn’t repeat it with the other 2 fish.