Overfeeding Puffers

A place to discuss general puffer care or news.
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DMD123
Fahaka Puffer
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My Puffers: Tetraodon baileyi (Hairy Puffer, named Gizmo)
Location (country): USA
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by DMD123 »

bertie 83 wrote:Be sure to limit krill to the occasional treat, puffers get addicted to it and there are links to lockjaw. It's way too easy to overfeed puffers, they are great at convincing you they are poor starved critters
I did not know that about the krill...
300g Pearsei x1, Bala Sharks x 3, Dabola endli (Tinkisso river) x1, Ansorgii x1
65B Hairy Puffer
65B Angel fish x1, Monk tetra x7, BN Pleco x2
90G red devil
90G Trimac
46G Bowfront Community tank
30G Growout
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DMD123
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 573
Joined: Tue May 13, 2014 3:39 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Tetraodon baileyi (Hairy Puffer, named Gizmo)
Location (country): USA
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by DMD123 »

Just did a bunch of reading on the krill thing. Wow, did not realize so many had issues with it. I will feed it sparingly.
300g Pearsei x1, Bala Sharks x 3, Dabola endli (Tinkisso river) x1, Ansorgii x1
65B Hairy Puffer
65B Angel fish x1, Monk tetra x7, BN Pleco x2
90G red devil
90G Trimac
46G Bowfront Community tank
30G Growout
RTR
Mentor
Posts: 6155
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
Gender: Male
Location (country): East Coast, USA

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by RTR »

Huge +1 to Bertie's comment. Enlarge his comments, print it out and frame it to sit on top of your puffer tank. Obesity and monotonous diets are as dangerous for puffers as is bad water conditions. If you combine all three of those, or any two of the three, then the end is all but certain.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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DMD123
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 573
Joined: Tue May 13, 2014 3:39 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Tetraodon baileyi (Hairy Puffer, named Gizmo)
Location (country): USA
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by DMD123 »

Thanks for the advice. With my 210g tank I actually use the pill boxes with the day of the week on them. I measure out the amount of food that the fish are fed daily. This has really helped me make sure the fish stay healthy and that I dont overfeed. I will give them a treat, something besides pellets, when Im home more on the weekends but it still is regulated. I have figured out my routine now with the puffer and he will not get overfed. Really appreciate the info from you guys!
300g Pearsei x1, Bala Sharks x 3, Dabola endli (Tinkisso river) x1, Ansorgii x1
65B Hairy Puffer
65B Angel fish x1, Monk tetra x7, BN Pleco x2
90G red devil
90G Trimac
46G Bowfront Community tank
30G Growout
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malkin71
Puffer Fry
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Gender: Female
My Puffers: Fahaka puffer
Location (country): United States

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by malkin71 »

I've got a fahaka that's about 7 inches long now. This guy can put away some food but we try to never get him to the point he has trouble swimming. He's in a tank with 2 palm sized gouramis & a 8 inch pleco. If we don't feed him twice a day he gets pissy & rips up all of the plants & sometimes will nip at his tank mates. He never trys to eat his tank mates though, just warning nips on the fins.

We've had to adjust his feeding schedule to smaller amounts twice a day. We've tried putting crayfish in there for him, we used to buy them 4 at a time, but the most recent time he ate all 4 of the crayfish & was stuffed to the point he couldn't swim & he just hid in his cave until he pooped. We now have to only get single crayfish or two.
TheStig
Figure 8 Puffer
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Location: CA

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by TheStig »

This is such an important PSA and discussion for Puffer owners. Thanks for starting it, PP.

Speaking as a n00b in fish keeping, I didn't think about obesity and the importance of diet n enrichment in fish, just because. Yet, I am adamant about keeping my working GSDs lean and muscular, with a natural, varied diet, and a satisfying job. Same with my cats, parrots and horse.. so why shouldn't it extend to fish?

The hardest thing was skipping a day's feeding, just because they beg harder than a dog. Currently, they get frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp and my tank-bred snails gut-loaded w/ carrots, kale, zukes, etc. I try to stimulate them w/ plants, driftwood, wee terra cotta, rocks, and snail-hunting. I need to move them from a 10 gall to a larger one. They use every inch of the tank.

Honestly, I didn't think it possible to love fish this much... I dream of a Puffer room someday, just a matter of softening my husband and getting a second, third job to feed this darn addiction! I did catch him watching my little dudes a couple of times.

/rambling
10 gallon: 1 dwarf puffer, 3 Otos, 1 amano shrimp

Don't let your wet friend suffer - PufferPunk
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Pufferpunk
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Also kept:
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Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by Pufferpunk »

My dog would NEVER leave me alone if I skipped his dinner! He can tell time & paws at me exactly at 9am & 6pm, when his feedings are. Sometimes he tries to trick me into feeding him earlier...
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!"
TheStig
Figure 8 Puffer
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Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 3:25 pm
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Location: CA

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by TheStig »

Haha! Isn't it just amazing how they can tell time? It stumps me. Mine wld nose me, then sit in front of the kitchen, and just stare at me.

My older dog has tricked me into feeding her a second breakfast, that stinker. I didn't realize my husband fed her before he went out. She scored that day, but now we let other know if they've been fed. Fool me once, shame on her... ;-)
10 gallon: 1 dwarf puffer, 3 Otos, 1 amano shrimp

Don't let your wet friend suffer - PufferPunk
Hillehaus
Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by Hillehaus »

@PP: There is no doubt in my mind that JRT's can tell time. If food isn't delivered on time and CORRECTLY, there is hell to pay. I swear, if I don't follow the routine 100% of the time, he wont eat and the look I get is "Are you a moron? Why is this so hard for you?! You grab the food, put it in the bowl, and THEN get me fresh water. I don't want the water first. How many times to I have to tell you?!"

The only dog I've owned that made me consistently feel like I wasn't the one in charge. It's a constant battle of wills. It will be really hard for me to go back to another breed after him.
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
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: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by Pufferpunk »

He also get's a treat before bed & refuses to go to bed without it. I'll always have a JRT, they're so much fun! Are you a member of the local club? Kalvin does all sorts of terrier sports & excels in them!
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!"
Hillehaus
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 205
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:45 pm
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My Puffers: 1 GSP.
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Location: Maryland

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by Hillehaus »

Not yet. We're taking him to a local kennel soon that does agility/racing training to see how he takes to it. I hope well. He needs it. I'm hoping it tames his "feral" side a bit. He was a farm dog escapee that had a stint on the streets. We have his behavior back to "normal" now and its time to get him involved in some fun stuff.
signnet
Figure 8 Puffer
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1 Orange Saddleback Fucca
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Location: Coral Springs, FL

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by signnet »

My two GSP's eat krill, half shells and blood worms. I have two GSP's and a Orange Saddleback in a 75 gallon tank. Funny though I find my really big GSP to be sifting sand and blowing it all over my decorations. When they say he is sifting for Pods, what are PODs? I also feed them every night, or once a day...is that bad?
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
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: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by Pufferpunk »

Copepods
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!"
signnet
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 159
Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca
Location (country): USA
Location: Coral Springs, FL

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by signnet »

Copepods??????

I must admit, when I saw sand coming out near the fins I was alarmed, then saw it happening more often.
signnet
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 159
Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca
Location (country): USA
Location: Coral Springs, FL

Re: Overfeeding Puffers

Post by signnet »

Do Copepods exist in my tank or do they appear after adding another fish? Does this make my GSP's sick?
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