# Electric Blue Acaras Not Eating



## Adz1 (Apr 21, 2010)

I bought 5 electric blue acara juveniles about a month ago and I am having trouble getting them to eat.
They were quarantined and treated with para guard and metroplex before moving into my 300g community tank. 
I have tried feeding them blood worms, brine shrimp, flakes, many different types and sizes of pellets, peas, small bits of tilapia and live food. 
Live food, small guppies and white cloud minnows, are the only thing that I have seen them eat but I don't want them eating live food long term. 
Im not sure why they only eat live considering they are a man made fish coming from a fish farm where they most likely weren't eating live. 
They have very sunken in stomachs but otherwise are active and acting normal.

The water quality is good. PH is 7 and temp is 80. Ammonia, nitrate and nitrite are all 0. I do a 50% water change about twice a week. 

Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks!


----------



## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

Have you seen them it when you bought them?


----------



## Adz1 (Apr 21, 2010)

No Charles I have not seen them eat before purchase. 
Unfortunately they were special order and Pre paid for.


----------



## Plumberboy (Jun 2, 2014)

It's too late now, but minimum quarantine should be 30 days before adding to your main tank. A 300gal tank is expensive to treat. I usually just Prazi in quarantine, and Quick-Cure if anything else shows up. This gives u a chance to watch them eat, check their poops etc.
That being said, I have just dumped fish into my tanks many times over the years. And every once in awhile I pay the price (actually my fish do)! It's a reminder on how important it can be to quarantine. Hopefully someone can help you before it's too late. GL.


----------



## Rjjm (Jan 1, 2012)

Provided they eat live food, give them dry food ever second day instead and cut back on live food when they are already used to dry foods. Good luck


----------



## Adz1 (Apr 21, 2010)

Plumberboy said:


> It's too late now, but minimum quarantine should be 30 days before adding to your main tank. A 300gal tank is expensive to treat. I usually just Prazi in quarantine, and Quick-Cure if anything else shows up. This gives u a chance to watch them eat, check their poops etc.
> That being said, I have just dumped fish into my tanks many times over the years. And every once in awhile I pay the price (actually my fish do)! It's a reminder on how important it can be to quarantine. Hopefully someone can help you before it's too late. GL.


They where in quarantine for 30 days which is where I had them eating live food. Aside from only eating live they where not showing any signs of illness after both treatments so I transfered them this weekend to the 300g hoping that they would take a hint from the other fish and start eating. So far no luck and like I said aside from being thin they are not showing any signs that something is wrong.


----------



## Plumberboy (Jun 2, 2014)

Hopefully just taking some time to settle in then. I've had some pretty stubborn fish go quite awhile without eating.


----------

