The Puffer Forum

As long as he's eating something, that's good! What's the temp of his tank?

Temperature is just under 80, and has been the same since I got him.

I had very similar behaviour with my fahaka. I have read that parasites can make their way to the mouth making eating painful. I used a bath of prazi over 24 hours to treat. While none of it likely makes it to the stomach it did trigger feeding si I could get meds in. I also noticed that feeding could be temporarily triggered by dosing the water with water conditioner 'prime' or stress coat. I wondered if this soothed the mouth slightly? The bath method was stressful for the fish and me. I used a box with a external cannister filter I had running.

Thanks for sharing your experience pokey. If his condition worsens ilI try a bath, but as you said I imagine it would be pretty stressful for the fish and I don't want to dose the display tank. I have been doing water changes every other day, so maybe the conditioner has helped a bit.

Try raising the temp to 82.

Today he ate a bite or two of shrimp, mussel, blackworms and snail soaked in meds. Not enough to give him a belly but it looked like he probably consumed some meds. Then he ate a bunch more snails without meds. He is very interested in the food but doesn't seem to want to eat it. So I was thinking that maybe his mouth was sore as pokeystar mentioned. However he had no problem crunching up some small snails... so possibly it is the meds putting him off or him just being picky.

I have raised the temperature a bit (in the sump) and willl see what it gets up to in the display tank and keep raising it up to 82.

Sounds like he's eating again!

Great news. Keep us updated

Nipped at some medicated foods. Not interested in live worms. Ate a few bites of crayfish tail that filled him up. I just hope that he's getting enough meds in those little bites he takes.

It took about 2 days after meds for me to see improvement. Keep at it

His activity level is much improved. He is roaming around hunting. Keeps finding cherry shrimp but can't catch them. Ignores snails.

Its strange, he acts very interested in all foods (medicated and not) offered takes a couple nips at them then swims away. Then he will eat more of his pick of the day. The last few days at each feeding I have offered snails, market shrimp, cherry shrimp, crayfish, clam, mussels, blackworms and bloodworms.

This morning he nipped at some medicated food. Then he ate most of a freshly killed cherry shrimp. Then a short while later I offered him some blackworms again which he didn't want earlier but he ate a few of them this time.

He looks good after eating this morning. Which is good because I am away for the weekend and he won't eat for two days, although there are a couple cherry shrimp and some snails in there with him

Great Kass, with lots of food being offered keep an eye on the water parameters, last thing you want is an ammonia spike

Yes for sure.
All food offered is taken out right away, or shortly after, once he has lost interest.

How's it going?

Got home after being away for a few days and couldn't find him. Found him in the sump playing in the bubbles from the overflow water. He was a bit thin but fine. I found a couple large-Ish empty snail shells in the aquarium, so he had eaten something over the last few days.

He ate a bunch of blackworms and small snails and a few bites of earthworms. And part of one snail medicated. His activity level is back to normal. Looking good, will have to keep an eye on his poop and how thin he is between feedings.

Edit: the small gap he must have used to fall into the overflow has been filled with a peice of foam.