Do you think he's sick or just bored

[-Russ=]

Hey,

I have 2 F8's in a 55gal and I'm not quite sure if there is something wrong one or not. There's something wrong. He's not eating that I see, but he doesn't really seem to be getting smaller. I typically feed each puffer at night making sure they each get food and one doesn't steal from the other, I use nets to feed them snails or ghost shrimp. The last thing I actually saw them devour was a 1/2 bag of blood worms I got them for a treat. Last Sunday...

His color doesn't seem to be fading at all. He doesn't seem to be getting smaller either. But he's not eating. I do a 10g out of 55g water change weekly to week and a half depending on my schedule. I'm slowly adding salt to bring up the salinity being it doesn't look like I'll ever find the other fish I want to add to the tank. This weekend I'm gonna try and re-arrange their decor to change things up.

All he does is swim up and down on the one side like he's trying to get out. My other F8 is just his happy content little self, swims, eats, does everything he normally does. Any thoughts? Sick? bored? bullied by the other even though I've never seen it?

[crazedpuffer]

Chances are its IP, or boredom. Is the tank heavily planted and is his stomach indented?

[-Russ=]

NO live plants, a fair amount of fake ones. Don't see an indent but just might not be showing yet. Guess I'll just keep an eye on him over the next few weeks and see what happens.

Gonna re-re-read the IP article and prob try a remedy just to be on the safe side.

[StormySkiez]

Not eating could be the first signs of something. Keep your eye on him. Are your water parameters good?

[crazedpuffer]

Try remodeling and a few more plants, they might help too.

[-Russ=]

Ya I gotta do a big als order for food and filter media, I think this weekend I'm gonna finally decide how to remodel the interior and order a bunch of plants that actually look like they belong together instead of the mish-mosh I've got now.

Maybe got get some PVC for temporary caves till I build stuff

[yunachin]

Even little glasses keep puffers occupied.

[mikeosoft]

Aside from the other suggestions I noticed that your waterchanges are pretty small. I would do a couple 50% changes this week (maybe a day apart) and see how they respond.

[-Russ=]

Well he started eating again.. so I'm happy.. whatever mental/physical crysis he was going through has been averted.

mike, I'll do a few xtra water changes for the next week or two.