Some advice for F8?

[Cyn]

I posted this on another forum but got only one reply so I'd figure I'd look up a puffer forum and came against this awesome place.

I'm a bit worried (I tend to over worry) about my figure 8 whom I've had about 3 weeks or so now. I've read that they are full of personality but mine only paces the glass and hides when I approach. I also read they will eat non stop but mine seems to only accepts food every other day.

I've tried to feed frozen shrimp and live mussels but really had no interest in those and completely ignores the Ghost Shrimp. The only thing he will accept is frozen blood worms and sometimes even ignores the snails I throw in. At this time I have limited snails since I'm waiting for all my eggs to hatch and mature in my snail farm.

My puffer is about 2.5 inches long and my readings are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 40ppm
PH: 7.8
Temp: 78F
SG: 1.007

Aquarium is 20g long with about 15 ghost shrimp and I added even more plants yesterday but still seems to be the same old pacing and limited eating. Now the LFS said I could exchange for a new puffer if mine isn't adjusting well. Any advice? I'd hate to exchange unless I must since I've grown attached to this little guy.

[Pufferpunk]

Nitrate is high, should be <20. What's your WC schedule?
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... ur-puffer/

[Cyn]

Nitrate is high, should be <20. What's your WC schedule?
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... ur-puffer/

Actually the nitrate looked between colors of 20 and 40 and didn't know which color to go with so I went with 40ppm.
I do a 25% water change once a week but I think my water went a little bad from the live mussel when it died in over night and I didn't notice until the morning.
I didn't know those things went so bad that fast. Yuck. I probably won't buy those again since Jigglypuff refused to eat it.

Thanks for the link. Would meal worms or canadian nightcrawlers or red worms work? I have a reptile so I always have live worms and insects such as superworms and crickets. I was also thinking of throwing in a red clawed crab but I'm having second thoughts since it seems like a 50-50 chance of it getting actually eaten. I don't want it to live and end up having a new unwanted pet.

[Iliveinazoo]

Looks good in the photos he's probably just settling in. If you reduce your SG to about 1.003 then you could add a floating plant like cerateptoris thalictroides which might make him feel a bit more secure and less likely to dash off at the first site of you.

[Pufferpunk]

Yeah, I wouldn't think a small puffer like F8 could bite thru a crab's shell. I'd be concerned about the crab (if a male with large claw), catching the puffer while it's sleeping.
Mealworms are extremely fatty & puffers cannot digest their chiton, so maybe just as a treat, right after it's shed.


I get red wigglers at Walmart to feed to all my fish.
More ideas: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... r-puffers/

[By_a_coo]

Hi,

Try to scape the decor just like zig zag to brake line of sight. Doing it, your F8 can't will not feel trapped in a glass box.

How many watts of light bulb you have?

I gave up on plants after understand "less light = happier puffer".
Wouldn't you offer raw shrimp yet?
My F8 cant resist!

Hope that help.