How long can puffer go without food
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.
How long can puffer go without food
How long can a puffer fish go without eating? I think he ate a rock and cant pass it...has anyone heard of this?
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: How long can puffer go without food
Well, I know bichirs sometimes eat rocks. If you feel this is the case you can add some epsom salt to help him pass the rock, 1 tbsp/10g.
As far as how long can they go without eating, depends on the size of the fish, but it's a while, something along the lines of 2 weeks if they are healthy.
As far as how long can they go without eating, depends on the size of the fish, but it's a while, something along the lines of 2 weeks if they are healthy.
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: How long can puffer go without food
I moved this to the hospital so you could also answer the questions above in red, lets make sure we have all things covered.
Re: How long can puffer go without food
Hes in a 90 gallon tank stars and strip puffer. I know he use to hunt at night so i dont know if he ate something then. He hasnt ate in a week.
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
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- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: How long can puffer go without food
We can't help you very well if we don't have more information, could you please answer all the questions above the post in red?
Also, since this is saltwater, the epsom salt dosage is 1 TBSP for every 5 gallons.
Also, since this is saltwater, the epsom salt dosage is 1 TBSP for every 5 gallons.
Re: How long can puffer go without food
I put it with every post but ok....
Nothing has changed in the tank but a water change a few days ago levels are these still
Ph 8.0
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Salinity 30 or 1.022/1.023
Size-90gallon he is the only fish in tank besides one crab and chocolate chip star fish
Eats jumbo krill shrimp canned food have feed him live crawl dad once
Water change about every weekend or 2 weeks about 30 precent change
Nothing has changed in the tank but a water change a few days ago levels are these still
Ph 8.0
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Salinity 30 or 1.022/1.023
Size-90gallon he is the only fish in tank besides one crab and chocolate chip star fish
Eats jumbo krill shrimp canned food have feed him live crawl dad once
Water change about every weekend or 2 weeks about 30 precent change
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: How long can puffer go without food
Ok, well not everyone has read all of your posts, so this is just something that is helpful for this question.
However, have you changed anything about his diet? Because eating krill, as explained in your other post, can cause lockjaw, and in my opinion, he is exhibiting signs of this, and unless you saw him eat a rock, that's probably what is going on. I'm going to link you to the thread again, and there is a treatment plan you can follow. Please read this, and follow the advice within: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic72164-10-1.aspx
If/when he starts eating again, do not feed him anymore krill.
Here are some feeding ideas:
You can get some non-seasoned, uncooked seafood from a grocery store, like mussels, shrimp, squid etc. I also like to include tilapia and red wriggler worms, (available in bait shops or the bait section at Wal-mart) to offer some thiaminase (An enzyme that inhibits the body's ability to uptake b1) free/low food sources. If the seafood is fresh, freeze it first, and thaw/ soak the food in a bit of tank water (Don't use straight tap) with the addition of vitamins, such as vitachem and Selcon to make sure they are getting balanced nutrition, as freezing does break some of the nutritional value, but it is important to freeze to kill bacteria and or parasites.
However, have you changed anything about his diet? Because eating krill, as explained in your other post, can cause lockjaw, and in my opinion, he is exhibiting signs of this, and unless you saw him eat a rock, that's probably what is going on. I'm going to link you to the thread again, and there is a treatment plan you can follow. Please read this, and follow the advice within: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic72164-10-1.aspx
If/when he starts eating again, do not feed him anymore krill.
Here are some feeding ideas:
You can get some non-seasoned, uncooked seafood from a grocery store, like mussels, shrimp, squid etc. I also like to include tilapia and red wriggler worms, (available in bait shops or the bait section at Wal-mart) to offer some thiaminase (An enzyme that inhibits the body's ability to uptake b1) free/low food sources. If the seafood is fresh, freeze it first, and thaw/ soak the food in a bit of tank water (Don't use straight tap) with the addition of vitamins, such as vitachem and Selcon to make sure they are getting balanced nutrition, as freezing does break some of the nutritional value, but it is important to freeze to kill bacteria and or parasites.
Re: How long can puffer go without food
Ok yeah i dont want to feed him anymore krill and we got some frozen silver sides but he wont eat those either. I know it sounds gross but he acts like hes constipated. Like he cant pass something.
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: How long can puffer go without food
Well, you can try the epsom salt in addition, but I think it's important that you treat him for the lockjaw as stated in the article I linked.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: How long can puffer go without food
Nothing other than the crawdads is the proper food for your puffer. You can start by trying live fiddler crabs or earthworms to get him eating again. Then move on to people shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters, crab legs or squid. Try different foods & see what he might like. all bought in the produce dept of your grocery store. Soak in Selcon & vita-Chem & try some garlic juice to enhance appetite.
Eventually, he's going to need a MUCH larger tank.
Eventually, he's going to need a MUCH larger tank.
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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: How long can puffer go without food
He finally passed a little something last night but today will be 8 days without food. He loved crawl dads but had to put him in his quarantine tank bc I think it brought ich to our tank months before and haven't got them since so I'm just nervous about putting those in there. He just wont eat. Doesn't show interest in food anymore and I don't know what to do...
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Pufferpunk
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Re: How long can puffer go without food
I just told you what to do. 
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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: How long can puffer go without food
And I was just telling You information about my puffer.
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Pufferpunk
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DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: How long can puffer go without food
OK, & I've given you some good suggestions about what to do next. 
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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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chuckfriedrice
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Re: How long can puffer go without food
Ghost shrimp might get your puffer to eat . They have been appetizing to anything ive put in my fish tank! Worth a try .
170G Picasso Trigger, snails,Damsels, Coral Beauty Angelfish and Diamond Goby .
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