Is this shape a definitive sign of parasites, even if the poo isn't white? I also notice most people recommend dosing their food with PraziPro, but the bottle I got (but haven't yet used) only gives directions for dosing the entire tank. If I do need to give him this medicine, would tank dosing be okay, given that he is such a shy eater? Are there any directions i haven't found yet about dosing their food (how long to soak, how quickly they need to eat the food to actually ingest the medicine)?
Some background info: I've had Nugget, my dwarf puffer, for almost a month now (brought him home April 26). He's a shy dude; he won't even eat in front of me (I just assume he's eating because the worms have left their cone and his belly always looks slightly rounded). I originally got him with another dwarf puffer, but it was clear once I brought them home that they were both boys; and despite the heavily planted tank, the slightly bigger puffer was picking on the little one, so I took the bully back to the store. (There were no injuries that I noticed, its as more psychological warfare: the big one would follow Nugget everywhere, even into hiding spots and bushy plants.)
I hoped that having the tank to himself would make Nugget more outgoing, but he seems wary of me still. Sometimes he'll dart around, and swim through the filter stream, but he mostly seems to cruise the tank when I see him in the evenings. Again, though, when I watch him from afar and I happen to be home during the day, he seems more active; so I'm not sure if he's trying to hide from me or genuinely inactive.
Thank you for any advice you can give!
Pictures:
Poo visible under statue's nose:
Same poo attached to puffer:
Nugget today (not that tail is only curled when I'm close enough to get a clear picture):
Here are my stats:
1) Your water parameters (from test on Saturday, before water change):
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: very low, much closer to 0 than to 0.25 (reads 0 on strips after water change)
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
Salinity: n/a
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants:
10 gallon with one dwarf puffer, about a dozen "pest" snails
Originally had two DPs, returned one to LFS after 5 days because he was bullying Nugget persistently
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank:
Fed 4-5 live black worms per day, once a day
Water change: 25-30% twice a week
Products added/used: Seachem Prime as a dechlorinator, and Flourish for live plants
Testing schedule: test strips (including pH) every 2-3 days, API test kit once a week
Filter: MarineLand Penguin 75, with added pre-established biological media (I've dampened the flow with a sponge on the output because I know they aren't strong swimmers, but I can remove this if more circulation seems necessary for oxygen)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so:
None, except slightly larger water change on Sunday (about 40%) in an effort to clean substrate better
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it?
Set up with plants and biological media from established turtle filter on April 10;
Added feeder fish (destined for turtle tank) April 17;
Added puffers April 26, after water tests were level.
