Hi, I recently got a new porcupine puffer about 3 days ago. It has not eaten anything yet. I have read quite a few articles stating that it isn't uncommon for them to not eat while adjusting to their new home but also some stating that they usually eat quickly after being moved so I am unsure what to do. I thought about the possibility of him having internal parasites but there are not really any major signs pointing to that as a cause (I have parazipro being delivered today though just as a precaution, it was recommended to me by the local fish store) . Last night while sitting with the puffer (offering it various options to eat including live snails and macroalgae) I noticed very tiny white dots on him which from past experiences I believed was ich (probably brought on by the stress of moving I thought) but after even more research I became concerned that it could possibly be marine velvet but he doesn't seem to be slowing down or lethargic, just not eating. I can send a picture of him showing the little white dots on him if needed, I cant seem to figure out how to attach it to this post. I am hoping someone can help me determine if it is ich and also how I can get him to start eating.
Also, i just wanted to mention that I have begun treating with Ich-X (also recommended by the local fish store). I do have cupramine but I decided to use the Ich-X because I had recently used some prime in the aquarium and was too afraid it would cause problems and also wanted to begin treatment and didn't want to wait the time for the prime to clear out. Currently, he is in his own 110-gallon aquarium (which is only for him, I don't plan on adding any others in the future). Salinity is at 1.025sg ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 15, and ph 8.2. The aquarium cycled for close to 3 months before I got him 3 days ago.
New porcupine puffer not eating
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.
-
puffpuffpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2022 11:15 pm
- Location (country): Ohio, United States
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: New porcupine puffer not eating
Ich-X is wonderful stuff, make sure you use the SW version.
If it gets worse: library/hospital/swich/
If you can answer ALL the Qs above, I may be able to better assess the situation.
If it gets worse: library/hospital/swich/
If you can answer ALL the Qs above, I may be able to better assess the situation.
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!"