Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Discuss & learn about Mbu, Fahaka, Mappa & other giant puffers.
Post Reply
charest
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:18 pm
Location (country): California

Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by charest »

I recently acquired a small Fahaka Puffer around 2 inches. I put him in an established tank with normal parameters and I had everything all set for him. I've had him for 5 days now but I haven't seen him eat anything yet. Tried feeding him frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, live ghost shrimp, and live tubifex worms. Haven't had any luck finding any snails that are suitable for him yet. I'll be worried in a few days but I'm still waiting for him to start eating. I did a bit of research and one of the forum members here said that puffers are fine even if they don't eat for a month. Is this true? What can I do to make my puffer eat? I've tried wriggling the blood worms with tongs, putting it inside a pipette and moving it around, and I put in the ghost shrimp which he seems interested in but he isn't fast enough to get them. I tried semi-killing a ghost shrimp and put it in the tank. He nibbled at it but that was it. I've left the live tubifex worms in a floating plastic container inside the aquarium as a last resort. Some of them pop out halfway from the holes, its been in there for about 12 hours so hopefully he got curious enough to eat it. Any pro tips?
User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by bertie 83 »

Welcome to the forum. It is not uncommon for puffers to go on hunger strikes in new surroundings, fahakas have a voracious appetite and I'm sure he will soon start eating. If you are getting concerned crush a clove of garlic and add a little water and his food, allow to soak for a few hours and then feed. Puffers love having garlic breath, it's almost irresistible to them
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
charest
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:18 pm
Location (country): California

Re: Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by charest »

Thank you! Off to buy some garlic! Hopefully this works as I'm starting to see him get a little bit interested in the worms I put inside the tank. The worms will probably die if I put it in but at least the fahaka will like it. I will update tomorrow.
charest
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:18 pm
Location (country): California

Re: Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by charest »

Thanks for your help bertie! I think that did the trick. I took off a couple of legs of some ghost shrimp so my puffer could get to it easily and soaked it in the garlic solution, it was still alive when it went into the tank and my puffer ate it right away! Now its accepting other types of food without the garlic. Thanks for you help! I'll post pics of him when he grows up a little.
User avatar
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: Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by Pufferpunk »

Better gut-load those ghost shrimp, they nave no nutrition by themselves.
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!"
charest
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 3:18 pm
Location (country): California

Re: Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by charest »

Should I soak them in vita Chem? It doesn't want to eat anything else but the worms and ghost shrimp for now.
User avatar
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: Small Fahaka Puffer not eating!

Post by Pufferpunk »

Soak any food you feed to the shrimp in Vita-chem.
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!"
Post Reply