The Puffer Forum

I have not been able to get any answers in my other thread for over a week now. Im sure some of you have read the other one and know my puffer was QT'd and treated for a bacterial infection on his tail. He has been treated for over a week now and the black is almost gone. I stopped the treatment yesterday because the instructions say not to treat for more than 10 days. The problem now is that he has not eaten in a few days. He refuses any type of food and is getting quite thin quickly. I have NEVER seen him refuse food! Is this common when medicating puffers? Any other reasons he may not want to eat?

Not sure why it's happening, but have you tried soaking his food in garlic juice first? Just mash up a clove of garlic and put it in some tank water with his food. Garlic is supposed to be an appetite stimulant. Sorry I'm not more help.

I'm sorry I forgot--is he in hypo for Ich?

I always soak their food in garlic, so I have tried that. He actually did eat tonight but not nearly as much as normal. I was happy to see him eat at all though.

Yes he is still in hypo for ich. He has another week to go. Is that maybe linked to the not eating?

That's what I was wondering.

Well I hope he eats at least a little each day and in a week I will begin to raise the SG again. So in a week and a half, he should be back up to marine.

How low is it now? Maybe you can raise it a bit?

What are the current water parameters?

When did you last see ich spots?

Usually hyposalinity does not affect puffers appetite.

Well he is eating well again. It was two and a half days in which he only ate a little bit. The black on his tail is completely gone now.

The water params are:

Amm. undetectable
Nitrite Small traces I think but not really able to match it up on the chart (very low)
Nitrate 15

I have been doing 50-75% daily water changes...very tiring even on this small tank.

I last saw ich spots...wow, I guess over 2 weeks ago. He never had very many.

Puffer Queen wrote:Usually hyposalinity does not affect puffers appetite.

I wasn't sure about that--just a thought. That's what we need you here for--the facts!

TriniGirl wrote:Well he is eating well again. It was two and a half days in which he only ate a little bit. The black on his tail is completely gone now.

The water params are:

Amm. undetectable
Nitrite Small traces I think but not really able to match it up on the chart (very low)
Nitrate 15

I have been doing 50-75% daily water changes...very tiring even on this small tank.

Having to perform such large water changes daily - can lead to feeding issues....have you checked water parameters right before a change and then after?

I last saw ich spots...wow, I guess over 2 weeks ago. He never had very many.

If you saw ich spots two weeks ago - treatment should continue for at least two weeks after the spots as the spots are just the feeding stage....free swimming and cyst stages can't be seen by the human eye without a microscope.

Pufferpunk wrote:

Puffer Queen wrote:Usually hyposalinity does not affect puffers appetite.

I wasn't sure about that--just a thought. That's what we need you here for--the facts!

Many will attribute whatever treatment is being used for anorexia, rapid respirations, etc when in fact it is the disease process itself taking a toll on the fish or even water paramters..........

He ate again today and seems "normal". His tail has no more black and the slight tear in the middle has already healed up. He is back to fanning that big beautiful tail of his again!

I have been testing the water every morning before work, then doing a water change every evening around 6, then testing again before bed. I usually get a bit of nitrite in the morning and its almost gone before bed (after the water change). I have yet to see ammonia since I have been doing big water changes but Im sure it must be there in traces that my kits do not pick up.

Overall, I have been happy with his progression, as far as my untrained eye can see. He seems much more energetic and "happy" again. Even his color has brightened up. He also comes to hover with me at the glass again and beg for food.