The Puffer Forum

I've had my porcupine puffer for about a year....he's; well I think it is a he. He was always a hearty eater he loved to eat dehydrayted shrimp in a can...that was his Fav....;but in the last two weeks he's basically stopped eating ( I mean eating anything ) just a nibble here and there....he swims aimlesly in front of the tank, he also developed a hump on his right side of his back...Not sure why??? Could he have fatty liver diesease??? and how can I be sure this is what he has??? and usually how long will he live?? or does he have something else wrong??? PLEASE could some one let me know what may be wrong with my BABY!!!

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

Also, this shrimp in a can stuff, is it krill? Krill has been show to cause problems in puffers when it's the primary diet.

Water parameters are good and he is the only one in the tank...cause when we had him with other fish he would chase them and eat my snails and hermit craps...so now just my baby in a tank by himself....and he's always loved this dehydrated shrimp in a can made by rainone yellow can. we've tried to feed him other...frozen krill, larger pellets...and still won't eat...and still has hump on right side of back.....

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "good" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

Still do not have this info. The rain one dried shrimp is dried jumbo krill. This is known to cause lockjaw, a condition in which puffers cannot eat. Do not even offer this food anymore. Try a large earthworm.

Please read this about krill diet: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic72164-10-1.aspx