Not eating — less than a week
This looks like: short-term stress after a move, hierarchy squabbles, or a picky day
Do this firstTest ammonia once — rule poison in two minutes.
Why this happens
Fish often pause eating while they map territory. Bright sales tanks to your living room is not a small trip.
How sure are we? Good short-term — still peek at ammonia once.
What to do right now
- Test ammonia once — rule poison in two minutes.
- Offer one high quality food type, tiny pinch, lights dimmed.
- Give shy species real cover near food drop zones.
- Separate obvious bullies if one fish is being cut off from food.
- If still refusing 5–7 days, jump to the longer-not-eating path.
What not to do
- Don’t pour garlic elixirs all week — troubleshoot environment first.
Stop it happening again
Acclimate new fish gently, give cover near the feeding spot, and offer a varied, high-quality diet so no fish becomes a fussy loner.
If that doesn’t fix it
Longer refusing — see not-eating-over-week.
Catch this earlier next time — log your water parameters in App-aquatic. Free forever.
This isn't veterinary advice - it's a directional read to help you decide your next step, based on the most common causes. We can't see your fish, so pair it with a liquid test kit and clear photos, and see an aquatic vet or a trusted local fish shop for a valuable or seriously ill fish.