Ram spitting out food again - ideas on treatment & are peas to blame?

[hbeth82]

A few weeks ago, I noticed that one of my bolivian rams was spitting out all of this food (Omega sinking pellets, frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worms, Tetra crisps, etc). Treated the entire tank with Jungle Labs Parasite Clear and gave the ram a salt bath and after a few days, he went back to eating as usual and even show interest in mating with my female ram. About a week ago I fed everybody peas and soon after, Bernard went back to spitting out all of his food - sucks up a pellet, spits it out, and goes after another, doing this a dozen or so times.

Not sure what else to do, I'm thinking about putting him in a QT, treating that three or so times with the Parasite Clear, and aquarium salt, and hoping for the best. I don't know that the problem is due to parasites but I've read where others did this and it cleared up the problem. Can anybody suggest another treatment? Is it possible that feeding peas caused this? Doesn't seem likely but this started after feeding the fish peas so it seemed worth asking.

Thanks!

 

[Gillie]

It may prefer the peas over the other foods, fish have preferences just like everything else, especially if they get the other foods more often, think of it like veggies vs cookies with a kid.

Have you tried any live foods?

 

[hbeth82]

It may prefer the peas over the other foods, fish have preferences just like everything else, especially if they get the other foods more often, think of it like veggies vs cookies with a kid.

Have you tried any live foods?

Hadn't thought about the fish wanting peas (I hate them so perhaps I'm biased) but I'll try offering them tonight. Nope, the PetCo nearest me doesn't carry brine shrimp eggs and haven't been able to get anywhere that does. Other than live BS and tiny snails, can you think of any other live food he might go for, or suggest someplace to get the eggs?

 

[Gillie]

I am fortunate to have a store near me that sells starter cultures of various live foods. If you can get blackworms you can try those otherwise you could order live cultures from aquabid, there are people there selling just about every live culture under the sun.

 

[hbeth82]

Thanks, I'll try calling around to a few of the other pet and fish stores nearby, maybe have better luck.

I'm getting ready to go out of town in the next week so if I need to medicate, I'd like to get the QT started soon to make sure everything is going okay. My boyfriend will be around to check on things but don't want to leave him to do everything. Do you think I should try to medicate now or try live food first and then if necessary medicate when I get back?

 

[Gillie]

I wouldn't risk losing the fish I would medicate and if possible feed the live foods.

 

[hbeth82]

Thanks, I don't like risking the stress of moving and medicating him but it seems better than waiting another week or more with fingers crossed. I'll use an established filter so he should be okay, and as I said boyfriend checking in a few times a day.

As for medication, any suggestions? The Parasite Clear was only because I'd read on another forum where a member reported success with it and salt after having another problem with one of his cichlids (lab I think, not sure). Since he doesn't seem to have any visible symptoms (obvious parasites, sores, etc) can't find any indication about how to diagnose.

 

[Gillie]

It could be intestinal worms a good way to verify this is if you can see what look like thick reddish brown hairs sticking out of the vent and I believe the parasite clear treats internal also.

 

[hbeth82]

Thanks, I'll try looking for anything like that. I know Parasite Clear recommends only 3 treatments but do you have any idea whether it would be safe to try additional treatments? As I said I plan to add salt to the QT which I couldn't do while medicating the main tank as I have cory cats, so hopefully salt this time will also help.