Pea Puffer Died/Dying

[necepticon]

Hi All,
I have a 5Gallon aquarium where I housed a single Pea Puffer. After I brought him home he seemed normal, generally active. I feed him Frozen (thawed) bloodworms as that's what he was being fed at the LFS. About 8 days later I put in two shrimp to help with the algae that was starting to grow. I knew that there was a chance that he would eat them but I figured that he would have a good meal. For two-three days it seemed to be ok, he would nip at them but he was so small that they would just scurry away and it wouldn't matter. Then the Puffer became very lethargic, almost if he was depressed. then yesterday and today he has just been sitting on a leaf, occasionally moving to another leaf. now he sits on the bottom of the tank and I'm pretty sure he's not going to make it.

I tested water levels throughout and everything checked out fine (PH:7.04, Ammonia:0ppm, Nitrites:0ppm, Nitrates:10ppm)
I also did 10% water changes weekly, and I would top up the tank every second day because this tank evaporates so quickly (National Geographic Waterfall Oasis 5Gallon)
I did a fishless cycle for about 3weeks, using fish food and bateria from my other established tank. testing the water the whole way and once the levels read PH:7.4, Ammonia:0, Nitrites:0, Nitrates:0 I thought it safe to add the Pea Puffer.

It seems obvious to me that the shrimp were the problem.
Maybe he stopped eating bloodworms after he saw live prey?
Tank space constraints? maybe I overcrowded the poor fella?
Maybe territory conflicts?
I also noticed that I never really saw him eat, I just assumed that he was eating. I would seem him pick at the bloodworms when I fed him (twice a day) but he never had a full belly, it always seemed flat or kinda sunken. I never treated for parasites or anything, and I read somewhere that wild caught Pea Puffers often have sicknesses or parasites.

For now I'm going to keep it as a shrimp tank until I move the shrimp to my established tank (3yrs, 20 Gallon, 4 Dalmation mollies) I just need to do a couple water changes to get the water parameters to where I want so I can introduce more fish to that tank. (high nitrates)

Do they need airstones or bubblers?
Are live plants a must? I've had bad luck with plants in the past where I can't keep the plant alive and it make a mess of the tank. I opted to have it well decorated with fake plants, decorations, and a piece of coral with lots of hiding places

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I would like to try another pea puffer in this tank but I don't want to be killing them due to ignorance.
Thank you for reading to the end! Sorry for the long post, I'm just bummed out because I really liked the little guy.

[pufferjw]

Yeah, if I had to take a guess I would say internal parasites. If you get another one, I would recommend feeding it bloodworms soaked in PraziPro. Dosing the tank does nothing. And lastly what is your KH? If it is too low then your pH is more susceptible to swings.

[necepticon]

Hi Pufferjw. You were correct, it was IP.
I after work today the puffer was done. I went to my LFS and spoke to them and looks like all their Pea Puffers have IP with the exception of one that was full grown.

I bought another Juvenile pea puffer, and some PraziPro. LFS advised to dose the tank as per the bottle instructions. If I were to soak the bloodworms what would you recommend for the dosage? do I soak all feedings for a week or something?

[Pufferpunk]

Please don't waste your meds by dosing the tank. FW fish do NOT drink water. Just a few drops on the food mixed with crushed garlic clove. Feed only medicated food for at least 3 days.

[necepticon]

Thank you or the advice Pufferpunk. I tried soaking the bloodworms in the medicine and garlic then I put it all in a cone feeder. it seems to me that the puffer isn't eating, nips a bit at the food but never swallows,a couple bites and becomes uninterested.

I called the LFS and asked what they have been feeding the puffers, and it was a mix of bloodworms, shrimp, and snails. I'm thinking that they have this mixed stuff. they put it in the tank and walk away. So I went down there bought frozen and live brine shrimp.

I fed him/her 5 live brine shrimp last night. Soaked (5-10mins) in the garlic and medicine (will the medicine still have the same effect with live food?).
It was the first time I actually saw it eat, and it was a happy little puffer afterwards.
I will try the frozen brine shrimp today. Besides cost, is there harm in feeding the puffer live brine shrimp all the time?
and how will I know that the puffer is IP free and that the medicine worked?

Thanks again!

[Pufferpunk]

Great news! But... brine shrimp have very little nutrition since it is mostly water. Cannot you find live bloodworms or tubifex?

[necepticon]

Nothing in my area for live bloodworms or tubifex. I'm on the hunt though.