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FAQs on Scats, Family Scatophagidae,
Foods/Feeding/Nutrition
Related Articles: Scats, Scats and monos;
Old favourites and new species for the brackish
water aquarium by Neale Monks,
Related FAQs: Scats
1, Scats 2, Scat Identification, Scat Behavior, Scat
Compatibility, Scat Selection,
Scat Systems, Scat Disease, Scat
Reproduction,
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Re: New Brackish Tank (Bob, any insight into Scat/Mono
behaviour from your obs. in the wild?), Scat fdg. 8/4/13
<<I have not observed my Silver Scats to be fin-nippers, but they *are*
ravenous, and very much bulk feeders. I would be providing suitable
green foods 24/7, much as one does for Surgeonfish, by affixing a
suitable plant food onto the wall of the aquarium using a lettuce clip.
I know that Bob prefers sea-based greens like Sushi Nori, but one of my
friends has had very great success over 10+ years feeding her
Surgeonfish on organic lettuce. Whether the fact it's organic lettuce
rather than generic farmed lettuce makes a difference I cannot say, but
given Scats eat terrestrial plant foods as quickly as marine, my guess
is that lettuce, spinach, etc. would be very suitable foods for yours.
Ensuring your Scat feels "full" will help prevent him/her from feeling
the need to peck at other things in the tank. Because plant foods
contain little protein, and indeed little calorific content of any kind,
you can pretty much use as much as you want without badly affecting
water quality. A lettuce leaf a day would seem a good starting point.
Cheers, Neale.>>
Puking Red Scat (RMF?) >I agree w/ your stmt.s Neale<
4/24/13
WWM!
I was feeding my 240 gallon brackish water tank the
other day, and noticed one of my oldest Red Scats (Scataphagus Argus)
was not eating as vigorously as he use to. I also noticed he
seemed to be losing weight and was not near as plump as my others.
I went on and set up a QT tank, so I could monitor him better. I
originally thought that maybe he wasn't eating as vigorously because he
is not the 'alpha', but even in QT, he isn't eating very well.
<A rare thing indeed with Scatophagus spp.>
QT water parameters are as follows: SG:1.013 Temp: 77 Nitrate:0ppm
Nitrite:
0ppm Ammonia:0 ppm When I fed tonight, I soaked his pellets in a
garlic supplement, just to see if that would help. He ate great,
or at least I thought. When I returned to the room, there were
pellets in the tank. Then I literally saw the red scat vomiting the food
back up. I would be more willing to believe that it is a internal
parasite, but I haven't added any new fish to the tank in over 6 months,
and this red scat is pushing 5 years in age. I am really at a
loss, and don't know what I can do to get him to get some weight put on.
Words of wisdom are needed, and very much appreciated!
Katie
<Regurgitating food is not necessarily a bad thing, but if the fish is
losing weight, I'd be worried about either "worms" or some protozoan
infection of the gut (like Hexamita). So, with that in mind, I'd go with
the Metronidazole plus Nitrofural combination in the first instance
(Metronidazole is about the only thing that treats Hexamita reliably)
and after that course of meds, if things aren't improving, an dewormer,
such as Praziquantel, Levamisole or Piperazine. Hexamita-type protozoal
infections are probably latent in many Perciform fish in the hobby, but
we know about them being so common in cichlids simply because cichlids
are so widely kept. Something happens in the environment and the
Protozoans multiply wildly, and that in turn causes the health problems.
Worms are similarly likely to be in many (most?) wild-caught fish
probably a lot of farmed fish too, but again, only become a problem when
something stresses the fish making it possible for the worms to "outwit"
the fish's natural defences.
Age can be a factor, but at 5 years, your Scat is barely middle aged;
this species should reach around 10-12 years in captivity, possibly
longer.
Cheers, Neale.>
