Hello all. Its good to be back. I am a former active member here, but was forced to get rid of my tanks when I left for the military. I recently fell in love with a Brown Puffer at a LFS. He is in an established 55 gallon with a 4 inch Rubber Pleco and 12 feeder minnows. Not long after I got him he stopped eating. It was been 3 weeks now and I am at a loss. I have tried frozen raw shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, beefheart, blood worms, snails, and feeder minnows. He shows absolutely no interest in any food. He is now scary skinny and does not seem to have the energy to go after anything that gets his attention. When he does leave his cave, he acts like he has a hard time even swimming up off of the tank bottom. I please help me with anything that might spark his appitite. Thank you!
Params: pH-7.8
Ammonia-0
Nitrates-0
Nitrites-0
Running a Penguin 150 and 200 filters
Weekly 15-25% w/c
No changes to the tank since putting him in it.
Sick M. Turgidus
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
Poor fella... Did you actually see him eat at the LFS?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I did not, he was kinda sickly looking in a tank by himself, labeled "pufferfish". They were very uneducated on the fish, and I would rather me spend money and try to save him than him die in the store or sold to someone that doesnt know what they are doing. I am currently dangling an earthworm on a string outside of the opening to his cave with the lights off. Still no interest. Garlic hasnt worked either.
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I did not. He was looking kinda sickly at the store, and the guy working could not tell me anything about him, even what he ate. I figured he had a better shot with me than at that place. I am trying an earthworm on a string right now, but no luck yet.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I'm afraid he may be too far gone then. I have found that once their stomach has shrunk from starvation, they will never eat. Unless you want to attempt to force-feed.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I am more than willing to do whatever. I have never force fed though. What do I need to do?
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I would puree an earthworm, IP meds & vitamins & use a tiny tube pushed slightly into it's mouth & down to the stomach (maybe 1"), from a syringe. How long is he?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
2.5 inches or so. He finally took an earthwork last night, but only a bite or two.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
That's a start!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
puffernuke
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:36 am
- Location (country): Lake of the Ozarks, MO
- Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
A quick update. After trying to find everything, I got the material together to make a tube feeder and started force feeding a mixture of earthworm, beefheart, and brine shrimp for filler. I have started noticing his color is starting to lighten up and he is coming out more at night. Planning on continuing to feed him daily until he starts taking food in his own. Fingers crossed.
"P.S. - this is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated."
- Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
- Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
Forget about the brine shrimp (no nutrition) or beefheart (incorrect food for a puffer). Stick with the high protein worms & add in a good fish vitamin, like VitaChem. You're doing a good thing here!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
puffernuke
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:36 am
- Location (country): Lake of the Ozarks, MO
- Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I can do that. Earthworms are easy to come by and cheap lol. I was just giving him what I had until I can get to the store for some Vitamins. Thank you for the help.
"P.S. - this is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated."
- Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
- Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
-
puffernuke
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:36 am
- Location (country): Lake of the Ozarks, MO
- Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
I got home from work for lunch today and found my puffer out swimming and hunting for snails for the first time ever. So excited. Hoping I wont have to force feed anymore!
"P.S. - this is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated."
- Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
- Mitch Hedberg R.I.P.
-
eieio
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:34 am
- My Puffers: *
The Congo Puffer:
"olivia"
and.......
The DP:
"cream puff"
RIP cream puff :-( - Location (country): U.S.A.
- Location: Prescott, Arizona
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
puffernuke wrote:I got home from work for lunch today and found my puffer out swimming and hunting for snails for the first time ever. So excited. Hoping I wont have to force feed anymore!
"I plan ahead. That way, I don't have to do anything right now!"
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hadla
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1626
- Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:33 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 gsps and a big Stars and stripes
- Location (country): California
- Location: Sacramento, CA
- Contact:
Re: Sick M. Turgidus
Glad he's doing better! 
I know how annoying it can be to get a turgidus to eat... But I found that they are more likely to eat at night than during the day.
I know how annoying it can be to get a turgidus to eat... But I found that they are more likely to eat at night than during the day.Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR