The Puffer Forum

IP?? I'm trying to think of what that is the acronym for.

Haven't seen her eat. When I add food to the tank, she swims around like she's in feeding mode but the food goes right past her.

Normally her belly is kind-of rounded square and somewhat flat on the bottom. Just like in the bonnie3188 picture. This past week, she has occasionally made the skin along her belly stick out with a ridge down the middle like in the picture but then it goes back flat and normal.

I have been out all day and when I got home, didn't see her in the tank. I just checked again and she was sitting on the bottom but when I looked in the tank she swam up a bit and circled around then eventually settled back down. Then she slowly scooted behind a rock. Often, when I'm kneeling in front of the tank to do water changes, I'll look up because something caught my eye and it is Tessa who has swam down to look at me. So, she hasn't been "shy" in the past. This is going to sound crazy but maybe something happened that scared her. Could that be?? With the algae issues I've had, I have been cleaning the glass a lot -- maybe I accidentally knocked her with the scraper or something like that.

Gail

IP=internal parasites. It sounds like tehy could be the problem if she is refusing food. Try treating with Praziquantel.
Also what are your perameters?

My valentini used to do that (skin sticking down thing) when he was scared or trying to be aggressive. I used to call it his half puff. Id be worried about it sticking down permanently and I would suggest that something is irritating her.

Any aggression in the tank causing her to be stressed?

My first guess would be constipation. Do a search for constipated puffers or puffers that have swallowed air. I think peas are used to relieve constipation?

This is making me crazy. When I started feeding tonight, Tessa swam up off the bottom and started looking around like she was interested but never went after any of the food. She eventually settled back down and grabbed at the gravel a couple times. It is like she is hungry but can't track the food. She swam around like she was interested a couple of times but then never went after anything. Makes me want to find a way to make the food more accessible to her only but there is nothing I can do short of trying to catch her (and then what) and that would only stress her out and make her worse...

I'll look into getting the Praziquantel and try that. I'm guessing I can treat the whole tank? Of course I'll read up on it. I'd think that internal parasites would affect other fish in the tank. All the other fish have hearty appetites.

Gail

What are you trying to feed her? Any chance that she could be blind?!

She might be getting bossed around at feeding time so she has to attempt to eat at other times.