Small GSP not eating as much?

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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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ILuvMyGSP
Dwarf Puffer
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Small GSP not eating as much?

Post by ILuvMyGSP »

My smaller GSP, probably about 1-1.5 inches not including tail, hasnt been eating like he used to when we first got him, we feed him crab legs, frozen krill, mussels, clams, and even put 2 dozen ghost shrimp in there, he still eats he just doesnt fill out in his belly like he did when we first got him, he always seems too skinny. any suggestions or do you guys think hes fine? his teeth were a bit long when we got him, they arnt hanging out or anything, and he wont eat snails for some reason either will my older GSP.? :? my other GSP is doing great, eating fine.
"I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain, somehow I'm still here to explain, that the darkest hour never comes in the night, you can sleep with a gun, when you gonna wake up and fight?"
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edmlfc1
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Re: Small GSP not eating as much?

Post by edmlfc1 »

Have you ever treated them for IP's. It sounds like he might have IP's.
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ILuvMyGSP
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Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:45 pm
My Puffers: 2 GSP's - Ernie and Cricket
Location: Central CA

Re: Small GSP not eating as much?

Post by ILuvMyGSP »

edmlfc1 wrote:Have you ever treated them for IP's. It sounds like he might have IP's.
what are IPs? I checked his teeth closly, and they are kinda long, how do i fix them? do vets trim them?
"I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain, somehow I'm still here to explain, that the darkest hour never comes in the night, you can sleep with a gun, when you gonna wake up and fight?"
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edmlfc1
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 2011
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:03 pm
My Puffers: Elvis (Stars & Stripes) R.I.P. 9/11/11
125G:Fahaka (Annabelle)
Location (country): U.S.A.
Location: Texas

Re: Small GSP not eating as much?

Post by edmlfc1 »

IP's are internal parasites. There's an article in the library that tell you how to deworm your puffer. There's also an article that tells you how to trim their teeth. For deworming you will need to treat all puffers in the tank. It be best to treat the whole tank with prazipro, you can also soak their food in it.

I've only done the teeth trimming once. It's best to have a helper when doing it so that you don't cut their lip. :D
Need to know what kind of puffer you have? Click on Puffer ID.....Puffer ID: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/
What to feed your puffer? Click on Feeding......
Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Have a GSP, need more information......Click on GSP Article.....
GSP Article: library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
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ILuvMyGSP
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:45 pm
My Puffers: 2 GSP's - Ernie and Cricket
Location: Central CA

Re: Small GSP not eating as much?

Post by ILuvMyGSP »

oh man after reading that artical, i am so nervous to trim his beak :( i wish they would eat some snails.. or i wish one of u were close to do it for me, i get so nervous about that stuff.
"I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain, somehow I'm still here to explain, that the darkest hour never comes in the night, you can sleep with a gun, when you gonna wake up and fight?"
User avatar
edmlfc1
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 2011
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:03 pm
My Puffers: Elvis (Stars & Stripes) R.I.P. 9/11/11
125G:Fahaka (Annabelle)
Location (country): U.S.A.
Location: Texas

Re: Small GSP not eating as much?

Post by edmlfc1 »

It's really not as bad as it seems. But it's alot easier if you have someone to help you. :)
Need to know what kind of puffer you have? Click on Puffer ID.....Puffer ID: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/
What to feed your puffer? Click on Feeding......
Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Have a GSP, need more information......Click on GSP Article.....
GSP Article: library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
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