i need help with a jack dempsey asap

ok so heres the story i go into petco today to buy some filters for my oscar tank and im talking to the sales clerk when a lady comes in with a bucket with a 8 to 9 inch jack dempsey she tells the clerk that she just broke her 100 gallon tank and has no were to put the fish and before the clerk can say anything the lady puts the bucket on the floor and runs leaveing this beautiful jack damsey to rot. knowing that i had a spare 40 gallon tank in a closet i told the clerk that i would take him in have 2 oscars im not a stranger to cichlids so i figured id be ok well i take him home and he will not eat for me no matter what i do or what food i try and use blood worms feeders and my hakri pellets dont work can anybody tell me some good tips to save this beautiful fish cuz im out of ideas.

 

give him time to adjust to the new tank since you just got him today... If he isnt eating in a few days then try soaking food in garlic elixer... that may help getting him to eat...

 

huh i never would have thought of garlic elixer. if hes still not eating in a few days ill try it i guess im just use to oscars (the hoover vacuums of anything i drop in the tank)

 

id assume the fish is just stressed out from all the commotion it went through today. You may also want to leave the lights off for the next 24 hours to help keep the stress levels down. If it isnt eating dont keep trying to feed it. Just feed as you normally would feed and scoop out any food that is left over. If all else fails "Ecosystems Garlic Elixir" is what id use.
Good luck and let us know how it pans out
Garlic Elixirâ„¢

 

I always used freeze dried krill. My Dempseys always loved that. But, I would wait and see. I think he is stressed out a bit too.

 

thanks for the advise ill leave him be for a bit and see if he relaxes and ill post here in a couple days and let you know if i still am haveing trouble

 

a 6 to 8 inch dempsey is pretty matured i,ve had mine for 2 years and he's only about 3 inches. at this age he is allready set his ways. it would be nice to know his old feeding schedule and diet but it sounds like this info is unatainable. so i agree w/ all other posts. allthough 24 hours of lights out is the longest i'd go. thus depression could set in if it hasen't allready. just baby him and watch his habits. when he gets hungry he'll start searching!!...also if you feed and he dosen't eat remove any uneatin food thus water quality will become a factor and w/ a stessed fish could be fatel. good luck and feel free to contact me for any other info. also if he had company he may be lonley. after a few days you may introduce a peppy friend. but watch close a frien may become dinner.

Bryan(REEFWHISPERER)

 

she did have 2 pacus and a convict with him in the bucket but my 40 gallon couldnt house them all so i just took him plus the other fish were small enuff to fit in the petco tanks so i thought they would be ok. as far as friends i guess i could get him one im to scared to put him in with my oscars even tho my oscars are both close to 12in but im still scared where they are set in there ways either they will hurt him or he will hurt them. if i do get him a friend what could i get that wont be horrible in the 40 gallon im told he should be in a 55 gallon all by himself so 40 is already to small i need to get him a hideing place for sure tho but i guess ill keep my eye on him