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Old 12-11-2009, 07:05 PM   #4
Spakase
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I noticed some aros are choosy in their food. When fed with froggies, some won't eat, but the moment SW is tossed into the tank, the feeding goes into a frenzy. In this case, I conclude that there is a psychological element in aro's feeding habits. Besides being fussy, an aro could refuse to eat because it was "spooked". This is another area that could trigger off a lot of discussion, for example the compatibility of tankmates, environmental changes such as noise eg from construction/renovation, etc.

However, there are many other reasons for an aro refusal to eat or low intake. Some of these would be water parameters, some parasitic infection, possibly viral infection.

On the topic of water parameters, the ideal situation would be doing water tests to ensure ammonia and nitrite are zero, and ph is within a range of 6 to 7. Regular water changes would remove nitrate and growth inhibiting hormones and increase aro's appetite. For a high bioload tank, twice a week 20% water change is a good habit, though tiresome one if there are several tanks! Otherwise, a weekly water change routine is essential. Never underestimate the power of water change to improving your aro's health. And then, there's the discussion on whether too much coral chip can affect appetite as this raises the gh, thereby making it more uncomfortable for the aro, many are adaptable to the harder water but not all are, and it could be the reason for the fall in appetite.
Another area which someone recently brought up, is a salted tank good for your aro? Salt is a great remedy for many ailments, but should you maintain salt in your aro tank all the time, or should salt only be dosed when there is suspected illness?
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