Puffer's appetite changed?

[deekay247]

Hello Everyone,

I used to have 5 puffers in my 40 gallon tank. I would feed them shrimp cut in to little pieces and they would be gone before they even hit the ground. Same thing with blood worms.

On Friday I took 4 puffers back to my LFS, and have decided to just keep one. Ever since then, he won't eat the shrimp. He only seems to like the blood worms, but he will only eat a couple of worms and call it quits. I hear that puffers love snails also, so i threw one in there and he just ignored it!! I tried garlic on the food and that didn't work either. I added the internal and external medicine on Saturday. It's now Monday and he won't eat anything else except a couple of worms. What to do guys!!????

Here is my water parameters. Tested using "Aquarium Pharmaceuticals" freshwater test. Not sure if i should switch to saltwater tester with my SG at 1.010?

PH 8.0
Nitrate 10ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
SG 1.010

Thanks, David

[YBeNormal]

The other puffers may have acted as dither fish, creating competition for food and causing him to eat the shrimp. Now that the competition is gone, he can be more selective in what he eats and when.

Unless the puffer is underweight, I would continue offering shrimp for a couple of days--nothing else. Try several times per day and remove the food if it is not eaten within a few minutes. Offer a small portion of some other food if he still has not eaten by the third day, then go back to offering shrimp for the next few days.

[deekay247]

Will do, I will try that for a few days... thanks!!

[YBeNormal]

Great. I'm sure he will come around. Good luck and keep us posted!

[deekay247]

It's 3:30pm and the puffer is still not eating shrimp!!! What a waste of good shrimp. I 'm about to go get some blood worms, so he don't die of hunger..=(

[Pufferpunk]

Are you bouncing the shrimp on the end of a thread? The puffer may not recognize something not moving, as food.

[deekay247]

Haven't tried that yet. Good Idead PP!!! Anyhow just put some worms in the tank, and he won't eat the worms. GRRR, Punker is being a stubborn puffer!

[deekay247]

Alright guys, the puffer hasn't eaten anything since Tuesday. I have ran out of ideas of what to do. I have tried pufferpunks method and also feeding him nothing but shrimp, worms, snails, ghost shrimp. He won't bite. Feel sorry for him, he is going to die if he keeps this up.



Crappy picture, but he's been in that corner for days....

[Boxermom]

My three DPs didn't eat for almost 2 weeks when I first brought them home. How does he look? Does he look like he's getting skinny or does he look okay? Mine still won't eat while I'm watching, they only eat when they're alone but their tummies are nice and rounded so I know they are eating even if I don't see it.

[Pufferpunk]

Please make that pic much smaller, or it will be deleted. See Forum Rules on this.

[deekay247]

Sorry for the big picture. =)

[Boxermom]

From that picture, his tummy looks fine, doesn't look like he's emaciated. I don't think he's going to starve to death anytime soon. I'd suggest leaving him alone, don't stare at him too much, don't poke at him or anything, just let him be and he'll come around. It just might take a little while. Be patient. Keep putting food in his tank but don't stand there to watch him eat it, I'll bet he eats when you're not watching.

[Phaedrus]

It's hard to tell from that picture, but are his teeth poking out at all? they may be over grown..

[deekay247]

Just checked and his teeth is not poking out at all.