The Puffer Forum

I know that smaller puffs eat every day, but I have always thought that bigger puffs were to eat ever other day or every couple of days??

Your puff is not really chunky..perhaps you should feed one large meal every couple of days??

Don't consider them rude, most of us here are just REALLY hardcore about puffer care.

I prefer the smaller meal more often approach now. I used to feed a large meal and then wait a few days but I prefer to split that up now and feed a smaller portion each day.

The reason I ask about that lump is from possible constipation, considering where it's located.

I went back to read over this thread & I didn't notice posting of fish size, you just say "small". Even my 6" GSPs ate only every other day & my 12" fahaka eats 2x/week. In nature, food is found much more sparingly than the large banquets we can feed them in our homes. We tend to greatly overfeed our fish. In the wild, they gorge themselves on large meals & then fast, until they find/catch more prey.

I also see you are feeding live mussels to him. Are they QTed before feeding out? If not, I would freeze to rid them of any pathogens they may carry.

I agree with Hilly. Because I have such a variety of puffers, many which need to eat every day, I tend to feed all my puffers every day. However, I've got what are called "light" feeding days and then "regular" feeding days. The so-called "light" days just mean that instead of skipping a meal that day, I just make it very light, so they are still getting something but not so much as to over-feed. And then of course, the regular days I just feed as I normally would. I don't stick to any certain schedule, and I alternate between light feedings and normal feedings. But I don't want the puffers to get to know which days are which and that's why I do it differently each week.

I will think I will feed mine as I have been doing, as for live muscles they are frozen before placing in the tank. Not sure how to give blood worm, because Midge just sits and watches. Just info on his size from head to tail tip I would estimate @ being under 5".
Hey you guys have given me much food for thought .

I wouldnt even bother with the bloodworm for him, big puffers just seem to ignore it as far too much effort to warrant moving for it. At least you have other fish that will take it.

I only fed mine bloodworms when he was 1-2". once he got bigger than that, he no longer was interested. Your Mbu is about the same size as my fahaka. If you have a bait shop near, or someone that sells bait worms - try looking for Nightcrawlers. They are big, fat and juicy - and wiggle all over... My Fahaka can easily take one whole, and is enough to give him a slighty rounded belly. It might take him a minute to inspect it, and figure out if he really wants to bite - sometimes his tank mate (a Cichlid) will try running off with it... not that he does much than make it hang out of his mouth...) It's worth a shot though. Perhaps your MBU feels like he has to fight for his food? I know my Fahaka is very interested in whatever I put in the tank, but if the Cichlid gets in there, stealing his worm, clam, mussel or whatever - he tends to back off and go pout... Even if the cichlid doesn't eat it - or barely picks at it, I think Vicious is miffed at it being touched by others.

Better yet, large earthworms/nightcrawlers.

Another update Midge is fine, eating, swimming and looking interested in his surrounds

Glad to hear that Midge is getting back to normal activity.

pufferpuggirl wrote:Glad to hear that Midge is getting back to normal activity.

Many thanks Pufferpuggirl

I'd still like to see a pic I love taking peeks at other people's tanks. Gives me ideas for my own!

This is Midge home

Liking the ocean rock mountain, looks good against the plants.

He's so cute!