The Puffer Forum

I had this puffer for about 3 months and he had a pal who died shortly after due to high ammonia. Rocket (The puffer who won't eat) was perfectly healthy however lots of weeks later he decided he won't eat for a week and get very skinny. He ate after his little moment and seemed perfectly happy with his other mates (tetra, barbed wire fish, sucker,+other fish along the way but not at the same time. I have prime to keep the water safe but the other serum(idk what it was but my dad probably does) ran out but adults said it doesn't have to be in the fishes routine. The water temperature is below Luke warm but doesn't seem to bother fish (its summer). 3 fake plants are in the 5 gal tank, 1 cave thing, heater, bubble maker, and filter. There are currently 1 ghost shrimp, 1 pink finned tetra, and a brand new Pea Puffer. I just recently moved and Rocket might be stressed from that, and his brine shrimp melted and we couldn't get another one right away but got the same brand of shrimp 2 days later (i know that is bad but my parents wouldnt go shopping):but he didn't eat it( we got another puffer that same day). Now its been 5 days and he wouldn't eat. I gave him brine shrimp, freeze dried shrimp, fish flakes, and granules and still won't eat. I've looked for bloodworms and wasn't in store and can't buy online at this moment. Rocket keeps getting sucked into his filter and I know he is not going to continue his life. I wanted to check the pH levels but parents won't but kits ( yes, I am a teen\kid). Please help me!

It seems that you are really in over your head with this hard to keep fish. Can you return it?

Not an expert, very rusty at the hobby and made an account again because I was planning to ask for some advice on a couple tanks I'm planning to start, but I've only really had success feeding them frozen blood worms. Not sure if that's a sufficient diet either which is one of the questions I actually wanted to ask, but they will readily take them from tweezers. If they don't stock them at your local pet shop then you should return them to them if you haven't already. They won't eat flakes or pellets.

Yeah I'd return the puffer, they're difficult fish but they mostly just eat blood worms and its best if they're alive. It's your choice but he definitely wont eat flakes, pellets, etc. wiggle the blood worms on the ends of a tongs. Try find other fish stores, travel if you have to, find people that keep fish in your area, make friends are reptile shows, try everything you can and if you cant find bloodworms soon then please bring him back, i know its hard to do but it's whats best for him if you cant feed him.