Catfish Not Eating: 7 Possible Causes & Solutions

Why are my catfish not eating? What do you do when you notice this? Well, follow me let’s find out

Most often, new catfish farmers get worried when they notice that the newly purchased fingerlings or juveniles do not aggressively rush for food as they ought to.

In this post, we will look at some of the reasons why your catfish may not eat for some time.

If you encounter such behaviors on your farm, there’s no need to panic. Your priority should be to investigate the possible reasons behind these behaviors and determine appropriate measures to address the situation.

Reasons Your Catfish Are Not Eating

Some reasons may prevent the fish from eating. Some of these reasons include but not limited to:

New Environment

Many farmers may overlook the fact that relocating fish to a new environment can temporarily disrupt their feeding behaviour.

Whether moving fish from one farm to another or simply transferring them to a different pond within the same farm, just that movement a lone can cause them to refrain from eating for a period.

This adjustment period typically lasts up to a day as the fish acclimate to their new environment before resuming their normal feeding routine.

Stress

Do catfish experience stress? The answer is yes. When catfish undergo stress, it first sign is that it affects their feeding habits. Sometimes it could cause them to abstain from eating for an entire day.

Stress in catfish can manifest in various forms. Firstly, the process of sorting the fish, removing them from the water, categorizing them by size, and moving them to different ponds increases the amount of stress on the fish.

Secondly, changing the water in the pond can also induce stress in catfish. The disturbance caused by draining and refilling the water makes them unsettled. This alone, leads to a reluctance to eat.

Therefore, fish farmers need to be mindful of this and their effects on the feeding behavior of catfish.

Water Temperature

The temperature of the water in the catfish pond contributes to one of the reasons catfish may not be eating for a while.

In extremely cold weather, fish tend to stop eating until the sun comes out. This behaviour is noticeable during the harmattan (dry season). During this time, it is advisable to wait until sunset to start feeding them. Waiting for sunset to start feeding them will help farm owners reduce waste.

Fish Feed Quality

When you feed your catfish with junk they will not eat. The reason is because the feed is not palatable. The quality of feed matters as to how they respond to the feed.

Numerous ingredients, when combined, create a palatable feed for fish consumption. Several of these blends are detailed in our article “Best Catfish Feed Formula.”

Occasionally, switching to a different brand of fish feed can result in an adaptation period for the fish. They may require some time to adjust to the new feed.

Sickness

Common catfish diseases can cause a loss of appetite in the fish, leading them to stop eating. When your fish are troubled as a result of sickness, the first noticeable sign is their inability to eat.

If you notice that your catfish has not been eating for approximately 24 hours, it indicates that there is likely an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Water Pollution

The cleanliness of the water in the pond affects the fish and their appetite for food. Changing water regularly is crucial for maintaining the health of the fish.

Dirty water not only breeds fungi but also increases the risk of catfish mortality. Therefore, if you notice that the fish in your pond are not feeding properly, the first step should be to change the water. After a few hours, you can then attempt to feed them again.

Additionally, dirty water often results in low oxygen levels in the fish pond. Low oxygen levels can disrupt the fish’s eating patterns. This means it is important to maintain clean water at all times.

Size of the Feed

Few fish farmers understand the calculation involved when it comes to sizes of feed appropriate for different categories of fish. If the feed size is bigger than what the fish can swallow you have ended up wasting the feed.

There are different sizes of catfish ranging from catfish fries, fingerlings, jumbo, post-jumbo and adult ones. It is expected that at each stage the feed they eat will vary in size.

Other Factors

Other factors that could affect or result in catfish not eating for a while are explained below.

1. When bigger fish swallows the smaller ones it will make them not eat till digestion fully takes place.
2. When the feed they eat earlier has not been digested, it becomes difficult for them to eat. Therefore, calculate how you feed them, possibly twice per day.
3. If they are not well sorted and graded according to their sizes, the bigger ones will not give space for the smaller ones to eat. The essence of sorting is to avoid unhealthy competition for food and cannibalism.

Summary

A change in environment can alter the feeding behaviour of catfish. This change may occur during sorting or transferring them to another pond.

When fish experience stress from these activities, they often stop eating. Continuously adding feed to the pond in such circumstances will only lead to feed wastage.

The quality of feed directly affects the appetite of catfish. Feeding them low-quality feed will result in low consumption. Therefore, if your catfish are not eating well, it may be necessary to change the type of feed provided.

Alternatively, you can learn to make your catfish feed for better results. Maintaining good water quality is crucial for optimal feeding as dirty water leads to low oxygen levels.