How long can you starve a congo puffer?

[pufferian]

I am trying to get my congo puffer to take red wiggler worms...
I have starved her for 7 days now.. she still resist...
She is really hungry cause she's begging for food everyday.. but she just won't take the worm..
Should I just give up? How many more days should I try? Will I starve her to death?

[bertie 83]

I would try soaking the worms in garlic first, if that fails feed it's favourite foods until it gets excited and pop a bit of worm in inbetween as it might accidentally munch it lol. Have you tried putting part of a worm right infront of it's face with tongs?

[Donna_G]

When I purchased my Congo puffer I'd already stocked up on earthworms to feed him while I battled to get him to eat frozen dead food, he wouldnt eat them!!! The worms were practically crawling into his mouth and still he didn't want to know lol, this went on for nearly 2 wks so then I managed to find some frozen prawns that weren't cooked and straight away he ate it. I did try worms again when he'd settled into a good eating pattern but they ended up in my compost bin. I have come to the conclusion he just doesn't like worms

[PolishPuff]

I did not have a good experience with my congo. First he didn't eat anything and I tried and tried, still nothing. I had too try live food which he loved, but thanks to that idea he got sick. I had too give him away

So now he lives happy with PufferPunk

[suvattii2012]

They should eat earthworms or big lobworms as many as he can stomach, will eat crabs, shrimp aswell. Mine won't eat them if there tiny worms like bloodworm you want bigger.

[Terrance]

If your congo is buried, then put the live worm right on his face. Leave for ~10mins and check to see if the worm is eaten or dead. Take out the worm if its dead. Also take out the worm if there are still pieces of it left :p

[eieio]

"olivia" (my congo) will not touch them!
never has, probably never will
she'd probably starve first
be sure to remove any uneaten food before it disappears & decays beneath the surface, as earthworms will "burrow" in..........

[pufferian]

Thanks for all the replies!
I gave up! I guess she just doesn't like worms!
I tried wiggling the worm right in front of her face for at least 10 mins..
I tried hanging the worm and it just annoyed her so much that she would bit the worm off the hook but not eating it..
I also tried soaking it in garlic.. no luck!

[Terrance]

Try leaving the worm in front of your congo and hiding somewhere in the room (or totally leaving the room). When I left a red wriggler worm in the tank, the worm didn't bury into the sand. The worm keeps struggling and eventually died (from drowing?).

[Pufferpunk]

Start offering her something else.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

I guess I was very lucky with my Congo puffer because He will eat just about anything live. Earthworms mainly, small crayfish, and even rollie pollies. But From what alot of the other owners say about their's, they can be very fussy eaters. Ever tried stick feeding it? And gutloaded ghost shrimp is a great live food also. So not many Congo puffers with eat anything other then live feeders but no goldfish though.