New Amazon Puffer - skimming glass and won’’t eat :/

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Pennellapuffer
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 1:30 pm
Location (country): United States

New Amazon Puffer - skimming glass and won’’t eat :/

Post by Pennellapuffer »

Hey Everybody,

I am new to this forum. I just recently (two days ago) bought a single Amazon Puffer fish and named him Ernest/Ernie! :D The people at the store said it would be alright to just get one, but after doing some research at home I found out they can get nervous alone.. so that may have something to do with my problems. My little puffer fish, Ernest, looks pretty healthy. He is not skinny, just the right size (will include a picture), but since I’ve put him in his new home, a 20g long tank, he has shown little interest in anything besides skimming the walls all day :/ Currently I have a java fern, an unknown plant (?), and a couple of other fake plants, as well as a big round stone and a few other small decorations. His substrate is white sand, but I also bought some natural sand that I want to put in the back of the tank where I will be trying to grow a wall of plants. I’m also planning on getting a little bit of driftwood for him. The water levels are: PH:8, Ammonia:0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate:40-80. So yes, the Nitrates are a little, very high... and I’m hoping to change that as soon as possible. The temperature in his tank is reading at 82 degrees, but sometimes it fluctuates a few degrees higher. I’m not sure how to stop this as the only heater I have that works can’t be set to a specific temperature. I have given him some Vibra Bites that’s a I bought from the pet store where I bought him (they said that that was what they fed their puffers, and he has completely ignored them. He also has an unidentified snail tank mate that he has completely ignored, even when it is under his nose. I really like the little mate and I don’t want to lose him. I also don’t think a I can upgrade the tank size anytime soon. I do have a 75 gallon with some goldfish in it, but i’m wary of adding him in with them and I would need to heat that tank first which would require me to purchase another heater. I also have an air stone that’s I haven’t yet set up in the puffers tank, maybe this can help things? I haven’t set it up yet because it still is missing a tube to connect it to the pump. Any advice much appreciated! I am open to buying more puffers.
csduck17
Puffer Fry
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Joined: Sat May 05, 2018 9:52 am
My Puffers: 55g- Schoutedeni
15g- Carinotetraodon irrubesco
Location (country): United States

Re: New Amazon Puffer - skimming glass and won’’t eat :/

Post by csduck17 »

It took some of mine a few weeks to start eating when I first got them in and I ordered a group of 6 at the time. For the most part, they will never stop pacing the glass from my experience and I would look at investing a powerhead. But he should chill out a bit after he gets used to things. I would try getting some frozen bloodworms to feed him with but if that snail is pretty small and he is ignoring it more than likely he's just not ready to eat yet.

Just my couple of pennies.
MuffinMan
Puffer Fry
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:37 pm
Location (country): USA

Re: New Amazon Puffer - skimming glass and won’’t eat :/

Post by MuffinMan »

Hey! I'm having a similar issue. I got two F8 puffers about two weeks ago, and one of them is obsessed with pacing the glass. When I first put them in they were both active and friendly, but he has since started to incessantly pace the glass.

I also have a 20 gal long, with lots of plants, driftwood and almond leaves. I am currently treating them for ich (temp at 86) but he started doing this a little bit before I noticed the white spots... I only feed them live food, and a large variety too (earthworms, shrimp and snails). I genuinely have no idea how to make him less bored, except maybe a larger tank. Any ideas would be appreciated, and if you've had any luck since with getting your puffer to stop I'd love to hear your advice!

Water params:
7.3 pH, ~0 NO3/NO2/NH4, pure freshwater (planning to transition to brackish soon)
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Pufferpunk
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Re: New Amazon Puffer - skimming glass and won’’t eat :/

Post by Pufferpunk »

@MuffinMan, Can you start a new thread in the Hospital forum, please?
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!"
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