# my raphael cat not moving/eating



## Albino_101 (Aug 14, 2008)

For the past 6 days my raphael cat has not moven or eaten anytinhg, I think he is stuck in the driftwood, which the crevice is way to small for him, I've done evrything to try and get him out, but nothing works, help me please???

edit:
The driftwood is this very large fake decoration, the inside is hollow a bit but not meant for fish, and my raphael has stayed up there for days now, I know they have big spines, so I am worried he accidently got stuck up there.


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

Welcome to having a raphael cat, he will sit in that wood all year and you might see him come out two times if you are lucky. Dont try to get him out, you will most likely hurt it.


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## sarahbellum (Feb 28, 2008)

We haven't seen ours move out of his hidey hole on his own in a good six months, but he's still alive and must be coming out to eat or her wouldn't be with us any longer. The only time we see him is because we pick up his log that he hids in and put it in some old fish water when we do water changes. Otherwise he splashs and freaks out anytime the hose gets near him.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

Yep. My raphael stays next to a flower pot. No matter which tank he's in (he's been in 3 so far), he always likes the left side of the flower pot. What a loser...


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## Albino_101 (Aug 14, 2008)

but mine doesent eat the other fish eat his food!

edit, h=but he is in soo depp he cant even see the food, and the other fish eat it in like 4 seconds, id move the other fish if i had a tank for them.


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## Plecostomus (Jul 31, 2006)

I have a fake log just like that. I got it from Petsmart and the kuhli loaches and bumblebee catfish always hide in it. The kuhli loaches come out quite a bit, but the bumblebee catfish(which I imagine is similarly unappreciative of light like a raphael catfish) only comes out in the middle of the night if at all. When I turn on the lights in the morning before the sun rises, sometimes he will still be out then he zooms as fast as he can back into the log. When I do see him out at night, he can eat a whole shrimp pellet in one gulp, after which he goes back and hides again. Raphael catfish are probably even harder to see because they are mostly black, but I'm sure your catfish is fine. Sitting around in a log all day probably doesn't require very much energy.


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

Just every few weeks toss some food in a few hours after the light goes out.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

My dad says go a couple hours after the lights are out,toss in some stinky food like krill or something like that, put it near the front of the glass, wait a couple of minutes, then hit it with a flashlight. Youll see your raphael chowing.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

You would be surprised at how small of a place a Raph can hide in without getting stuck. He can lay those spines down and wiggle into some really tight spaces if he wants to. I would imagine that there is enough food left after the other fish are done for him to survive on. One idea is to put some food in one end of the tank to attract the other fish then drop a bit inside the log with him while the others are busy.

The only way I know of to get a Raphael out of a hidey hole without hurting it is to pick up the log and GENTLEY swish it back and forth until he decides to let go. DON'T try to pull him out. Not only will you injure him but he might injure you as well.


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## Albino_101 (Aug 14, 2008)

Hey guys, last night I waited up till 2:00 am and when I saw my catfish come out I removed the driftwood, I put some sinking pellets in, the other fish started eating them but he managed to eat a few.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

I hope you put his log back in. They will become very stressed if they don't have a place to hide.


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