Feeding DPs bloodworms - how many, and size?

[Minipuff]

I have started feeding my new DPs bloodworms. It only takes ONE to make their bellies really BIG! How many bloodworms do you feed your DPs?

I noticed that the second largest DP is not really interested in trying the worms, but I hope he will change hos mind. He keeps searching for snails, I think. But they ate all the tiny snails that were present in the tank in less than 48 hours...

Another of the DPs appears to struggle with the bloodworm. He kind of "fights" with it, shaking it, and then he floats around for a while with the worm hanging halfway out of his mouth... Yesterday I helped him get rid of it (eehhrr, felt kind'a sorry for the cutie-pie-puff...), today it seemed he managed to cut it in half in the end (and then another puff rushed in and took the other half). Is this normal, or do you think the worms he got were actually too big for him??

[Pufftastic]

Sometimes bloodworms are a tad too big for very young DPs. It's also not uncommon for them to just suck the insides out of the bloodworm, leaving the clear casing behind. You'll be surprised at how quickly your fish grow, though -- they'll be eating multiple worms apiece soon enough.

If their bellies are nice and round after they eat, they're getting enough.

To encourage the fussy fish to eat, you can try live blackworms if an aquarium store in your area carries them. Live brine shrimp, while not very nutritious, are also a great appetite stimulant.

[bertie 83]

Quite normal in my experience, they will get the hang of it. Just feed until the tummy is slightly rounded

[Minipuff]

I still have problems with one DP not wanting to eat frozen bloodworms. The other DPs love them. It's been over two weeks now, and he's getting really skinny. Live food is not available in nearby petstores. My snails are not reproducing fast enough to start feeding the DPs, but I fed him quite a few the other day because I felt so sorry for him. He had maybe 6 or 7 small snails, and his personality almost changed afterwards. And I've fed them live brine shrimp, and he loves it, but it's not enough to get him a little rounded belly.

Is he beyond hope with the bloodworms? How can I trick him into eating??

[Minipuff]

The fussy puffer has eaten one and a half bloodworm today - hooray! Maybe it was the abundance of brine shrimp the last couple of days that triggered his appetite, as you suggested Pufftastic. I'm very happy now

[IDPF]

I still have problems with one DP not wanting to eat frozen bloodworms. The other DPs love them. It's been over two weeks now, and he's getting really skinny. Live food is not available in nearby petstores. My snails are not reproducing fast enough to start feeding the DPs, but I fed him quite a few the other day because I felt so sorry for him. He had maybe 6 or 7 small snails, and his personality almost changed afterwards. And I've fed them live brine shrimp, and he loves it, but it's not enough to get him a little rounded belly.

Is he beyond hope with the bloodworms? How can I trick him into eating??

I was going to suggest soaking the bloodworms in a garlicy water for a bit. I did this when I first got my puffer and his appetite seemed to pick up. Mind you, I am a complete newbie but that worked for me.

[Minipuff]

Yes, I tried garlic, but that did not really interest him. But he has been eating the last few days. Once he dared to taste it, he understood that this was actually food. The only problem now is that he's a bit slow - the worm has to be investigated from aaaall angles for a looong time. And meanwhile, someone else will grab the worm... The trick seems to be to put the worm in a remote, dark and secret corner while the others are busy... ;-D They are really different personalities with different apporaches to feeding, heheh! One of them prefers that I hold the worm with the tweezers, in front of his mouth - he happens to be the "king" of the pack