dwarf puffer not hungry....?
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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pandalove182
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dwarf puffer not hungry....?
I have a dwarf puffer that is not a very big eater. I feed him frozen and freeze dried bloodworms and their are some days when he doesn't want to eat either of them. He is a pretty skinny puffer and quite small. Can anyone give me food suggestions or any tips? thanks.
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Mareva
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Re: dwarf puffer not hungry....?
Please tell us more:
How long have you had him? In what kind of aquarium? How was it cycled? Does he have other inhabitants in the aquarium? How often do you do water changes and what are you water parameters? (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate).
This will help us understand and help you better.
Moderators: shouldn't this be moved to the hospital forum?
How long have you had him? In what kind of aquarium? How was it cycled? Does he have other inhabitants in the aquarium? How often do you do water changes and what are you water parameters? (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate).
This will help us understand and help you better.
Moderators: shouldn't this be moved to the hospital forum?
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Agnate
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Re: dwarf puffer not hungry....?
Moved this topic to the Hospital.
Also, question, how long has he been "skinny"? Can you post up a picture?
It's quite possible that he has a severe case of Internal Parasites if he's very skinny and isn't eating. If this is the case, you need to read the Library article on IPs (Internal Parasites) and get some medication immediately.
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/
Also, question, how long has he been "skinny"? Can you post up a picture?
It's quite possible that he has a severe case of Internal Parasites if he's very skinny and isn't eating. If this is the case, you need to read the Library article on IPs (Internal Parasites) and get some medication immediately.
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/
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pandalove182
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Re: dwarf puffer not hungry....?
I have had this puffer for a month and a half. He is in a 6 gal. eclipse aquarium. It was cycled with new balance for 2 weeks with no living fish. He lives with one guppy. Water changes are once a week, 20-25% with a water conditioner solution.
Ammonia: Unsure
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0.3 or less
I am currently treating him with Jungle internal parasite medicine. But, its the fizzing tablet. Right now I am splitting the tablet into 1/4's because the aquarium is smaller than the single tablet dose. I was told that this is not a good idea. Would it be better to take a water bottle and soak his food in the whole tablet and then just giving him the food whenever I feed him?
Ammonia: Unsure
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0.3 or less
I am currently treating him with Jungle internal parasite medicine. But, its the fizzing tablet. Right now I am splitting the tablet into 1/4's because the aquarium is smaller than the single tablet dose. I was told that this is not a good idea. Would it be better to take a water bottle and soak his food in the whole tablet and then just giving him the food whenever I feed him?
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Nick
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Re: dwarf puffer not hungry....?
Do not use 1/4 tablets. Even with decorations, you'll need to use a full half tablet - undermedicating for IPs creates a deadly situation where the few parasites that survive are very treatment resistant, and so are all their offspring. Soaking the food he does eat is a good idea, but best to do it overnight in the fridge unless he eats them right away, becuase it wont' do any good of the meds all leech out into the water because the food sits.
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dmill82
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Re: dwarf puffer not hungry....?
by what ive read it could be internal parasites.
other people have told me on hear, that nitrite 0,3 is a toxic level and should be 0 in a fully cycled tank,so do water changes until it goes down to 0
other people have told me on hear, that nitrite 0,3 is a toxic level and should be 0 in a fully cycled tank,so do water changes until it goes down to 0
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Mareva
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Re: dwarf puffer not hungry....?
It does sound like unternal parasites and Jungle Clear fizz tabs seem to work when used at full doses.
But dmill82 has a point: You should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and lower than 10 nitrate. New balance does not cycle an aquarium, you will find all the info you need in the library, see the fishless cycle article (link in the red section above this post). Although it's too late for you to do that, do read it as it will help you understand. Until the tank is cycled you should make daily water change to avoid exposing your puffer to ammonia and nitrite.
I hope this helps.
But dmill82 has a point: You should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and lower than 10 nitrate. New balance does not cycle an aquarium, you will find all the info you need in the library, see the fishless cycle article (link in the red section above this post). Although it's too late for you to do that, do read it as it will help you understand. Until the tank is cycled you should make daily water change to avoid exposing your puffer to ammonia and nitrite.
I hope this helps.