Skinny Puffer-New Owner

[LizB]

Hi Everyone,

I got my first 2 F8 puffers last Fri. In less that 24hrs one of them died and the store owner gave me a new one. This one was the most active one left. So I got Nemo on Sat. When I got him home I noticed he is skinny. He's quiet active but I haven't seen him eat yet. I feed Pete, the one that's been here since Fri, from a turkey baster. Just my wiggy way of making sure they eat. The new guy Nemo hasn't caught on yet. Right now they get blood worms and brine shrimp. I've learned on here that the brine shrimp isn't really good. Yesterday I got some tiny sea scallops that I'll cut up. I've also located a source of ghost shrimp and snails that I will be putting in a smaller tank to make sure I'm not introducing disease into my baby puffers home. I just adore them.

My question is whether or not I should go ahead and worm Nemo. Or should I just keep trying to get him to eat? How long can he go being skinny and not eating?

I checked my water yesterday.

30gal

nitrite 0

ammonia 0

nitrate 10

ph about 8.2

I don't have the right hydrometer but it's not registering at all on the other meter. The weather here is bad so I hope to be making the trip to get a new one at some point this week. No one close has the right meter.

I think that's all I can think of right now. I look forward to getting advice from you.

Warm Hugs, Beth

[SpockthePuffer]

He probably has worms so treating him would be the best thing. Then if he still doesn't eat then there are other options. You can also soak the food in garlic which might make him eat a bit but treating for worms is the best thing to do now.

[Agnate]

I agree. Use the raw, organic pumpkin seed method, as it is a lot safer. Keep us updated on how he's doing!

[CoreyK]

Please change his name.

[LizB]

You will have to talk to his 7yr old owner about that. The first one's name was Blade so I think this is a step up. My little boy was right in that I name all of the animals around here so it was only fair to let him finally name someone.

Hugs, Beth

Please change his name.

[LizB]

What if I can't find the organic seeds? I can't think of a store near me that would sell those. So far he's still active like Pete. Pete is a real character. I'm just holding my breath. I don't want either to die!

Hugs, Beth

I agree. Use the raw, organic pumpkin seed method, as it is a lot safer. Keep us updated on how he's doing!

[Agnate]

Well, I think you can go non-Organic if you can find them. There's just less chances of weird chemicals in the organic ones. ^_^ Or you can just pick up a pumpkin, haha!

[LizB]

Ok, I cut up little pieces of the scallops and they were a huge hit. I even got Nemo to eat! I was so thrilled I wanted to jump up and down. For the first time I saw what fat bumpy bellies look like. I figure tomorrow I'll see if Nemo is skinny again or still plump. That should tell me if he has worms right? None of the fish stores have anything for interanl parasites for anything but fresh water fish. All I have is Pepso that I used on some tropical fish a couple of years ago.

I also bought a bunch of ghost shrimp and put them in a differnt tank. One by one they're dying. I checked that tank for ammonia and nitrates etc and it's perfect. I threw in a little piece of scallops that the puffers didn't eat and the shrimp went nuts eating. I'll be lucky if even one of them lives. I also know to feed them veggies.

Now the furious part. I was watching my babies swim before I turned the light off for the night and I see a white spot on Pete's mouth!!!! No doubt it's fungus. I immediately put in Mela. and Pimafix. I also did a small water change. I swear if another puffer dies, especially Pete, I am going to jump up and down and scream!!

I am feeling TOTALLY discouraged. If they die I feel like throwing that tank in the road!

Beth, Very Frustrated

[Pufferpunk]

Hang in there Beth, it sounds like you're really trying with them. This is sometimes the problem with wild-caught fish.

[LizB]

I just checked on the guys, I can't even sleep, and Nemo is all skinny again. Can I use parasite clear? What about Tank Buddies? Can I get Strongid T from the vet and use that? Seems like I read that somewhere. What is Flubendazole? Where do I get that? But then again I've got the Mela. and Pimafix in there. He doesn't look really awful at this point. I can't stand it that he's so hungry, slowly starving to death. One time I went 24hrs without eating and I felt like I was going to throw my insides up. I couldn't believe how sick to my stomach I was. I was literally begging for food. It was a hospital situation. Stupid nurse told me to fast for 24 instead of 12hrs. What's next, ich? I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle.

Thank you for the encouragement. I just feel so hopeless and sad. I had decided before I got the puffers that I'd do everything I could to keep them healthy and if that didn't work I'd go back to tropical. I don't want tropical, I want puffers. These puffers. Sorry for being a big baby.

Hugs, Beth

Hang in there Beth, it sounds like you're really trying with them. This is sometimes the problem with wild-caught fish.

[Pufferpunk]

Excellent IP article in our Library.

[Agnate]

Yeah, unfortunately, what I've learned is that stressing out from things definitely doesn't help the situation. Were you able to locate any pumpkins/pumpkin seeds? You're best bet would be to get some of those as soon as possible, especially if you can't find meds at the fish store. You might be able to pick some up from a vet, but I've never done it, so I have no idea how that'd go.

Don't feel like it's only your puffers that have it. Like Pufferpunk was saying, it's the risks you take with wild-caught fish, as parasites and diseases are far more prevalent in the wild, and the stress the fish go through to get to your tank lowers their immunity systems and usually causes some sort of outbreak when you first get them.

Ich isn't a big problem if you can actively stay on top of it. Internal Parasites also aren't a problem if you can get the medication into them asap. Remember, if the parasites are eating a full-stomach's worth of food in such a short time, it means there are a lot, and that you need to find the meds/pumpkin seeds.

I was discouraged the first time I got puffers because they passed away, but I quickly learned that it happens, even to those of us who try to do our best to make sure everything works out.

We're cheering for you, so don't give up!

[mikeosoft]

The good thing is that both puffers are eating, this way you'll be able to soak their food in the meds and deliver it internally. I've had the best success with Metronidazol using this method, many other meds seem to taste bad to puffers and they spit it out. I believe Gel-Tek makes a gel droplet med with Metronidazol in it (I would soak their food in it, opposed to their directions), but I buy a powder form from my LFS.

I've never tried the pumpkin seed method, but it sounds interesting. Whatever you try, good luck and try to stay calm.

As for the ghost shrimp, I've never had much success keeping them alive in a feeder tank either. I know they can be carnivorous and I think they kill each other. If you’re going to try to breed snails, I would do it in a separate tank as the shrimp could eat the eggs as well.

[Myaj]

I personally use the food soaked in metronadazole and levimasole method myself. It tastes horrible and you usually have to fast your puffers for a day or two to get them to accept it, but it works very well.

Most good fish stores should carry metronadazole (I know I'm spelling these wrong, look at the article in the library for the correct spelling) or you can order it online from places like http://www.drsfostersmith.com. Levimasole, I just go to the local farm store and buy some water soluble pig wormer, usually called Levasole or something similar (look at the ingredients).

Some have had good success with GelTek, which is becoming more and more common in stores.

I've never been able to get any fish, EVER to eat Pepso food. It must taste incredibly bad.