The Puffer Forum

Also keep trying to get him to eat normally, garlic soaked mussels are about as good as puffer food gets

So I am happy to report my Fahaka has made great improvements yesterday. I went home with every intention of having to force feed last night. On the way home from work I stopped by the LFS and picked up some live brine shrimp (one last ditch effort). When I got home to my suprise he was swimming around his tank like he was hunting. I put in the serving of brine shrimp after eating all of them he was at the glass begging for more! I didn't have any more so I put in the frozen blood worms but he has no interest in the blood worms. The guy I got him from said he was on feeders so I purchased 5 feeder guppies (I know feeders are bad but i want him to get some food in him). He stalked the feeders but wasn't quick enough to catch them. I am going to get more live brine today and some frozen to see if I can get him on the frozen and then after building up his strength I will try better food. Oh and no more white thread like poop so I assume the IP's are gone.

My 3 year old is a big fish fan. I tried to keep her away from the puffer in case it died but she loves to be with her daddy so I had a hard time with that. Well I was so excited the puffer was eating I didn't keep her away. Out of the blue she named the puffer, Blokey. I believe a bloke is a manly man in Australia and this guy is a tough little bugger so I think the name may stay. But now I am really in trouble if Blokey doesn't pull through. Her fantail goldfish named rockin baby and black more named pufferfish (her names for them) are doing very well so thankfully I have not had to explain death yet.

Thanks all for your help I will be returning with updates and still seeking advice on food transitions.

Forget brine shrimp, there 's very little nutrition in adult shrimps, they're 98% water. Get live blackworms or earthworms.

What about krill or ghost shrimp? He ignored the earth worms and blood worms. I can try the black worms.

GS need to be gut-loaded with something high protein or they are the same as BS. IDK why he'd prefer something dead, over live food.

Pufferpunk wrote:GS need to be gut-loaded with something high protein or they are the same as BS. IDK why he'd prefer something dead, over live food.

I don't know either. This puffer is a mystery to me. I have had a GSP and F8 puffers for years and never had a problem with any of them eating. I can try worms again who knows maybe he will suprise me. I will let you know what happens.

I was having the same problem initially. The only thing that worked for me was garlic soaked clam meat. I would try that

So he took frozen brine mixed in with the live brine. I am going to do frozen brine tonight. He didn't take any of the like black worms. I am going to try and put the worms in again tonight before the brine. If he doesn't take the worms I will try the clams in garlic again. He didn't bother with them the first time but now that he is feeling a little better and eating something maybe he will show some interest.

Keep in mind, he's getting little to no nutrition feeding him brine. I suggest at least soaking it in a good vitamin.

Brine shrimp is a taste treat, but as stated by Pufferpunk, it is all but worthless nutritionally. Its best use is mixed with other foods, to get the puffer to try and get a taste of and for those foods.

So he is starting to fill out nicely. He ate a few of the feeder fish that were in his tank and just started taking black worms on Saturday. He is still not interested in clams or snails. he took two bites of cooked shrimp and ignored the rest. My hopes are high that he is going to pull through (he is making small steps in the right direction). I am going to give him another week in his quarantine tank and hopefully next weekend transfer him to the main tank.

I know brine aren't the best food but he is eating it and I am introducing new things. He isn't at a point yet where I am comfortable taking away the one food he is eating.

Keep him there until he is a competant feeder. Don't move him too quick or you will be back at square 1