The Puffer Forum

What do I do? My puffer, Shuo, gets so bored! I do my best to change the decor every cleaning (which is once a week), and he's fine for about a day or two then gets bored and starts pacing!!! AHH! He's in a 33gal by himself for now, I thought maybe putting some plastic tubing in for him might help, but I can't afford it right now. Any sugestions?

What sort of puffer is he? Some puffers like it when there is more flow for them. I don't know how much you already have but you could add a powerhead for him to add more flow. Also, you say you are changing the decor, but it's not really about changing it, just make sure you have enough of it. If you are changing it do you mean you are taking some out and adding new stuff. If so you could put everything you have in there, and just cram the tank full of plants and rocks or whatever else you are using, so he has loads to explore. Something other people find successful is adding a few snails into the tank and scattering them in amongst the plants and then the puffer can go hunting for them, but because they are not in plain view, the puffer is constantly searching for them, even if he's already eaten them all.

I toss in a QT'd, gut-loaded ghost shrimp once a week or so, for the same purpose as giving them snails like riggers said - with the added benefit of actually getting to chase something.

The only reason a fish explores it's environment is to search for food, so when smart fish like puffers find out that food comes from you and not the environment they spend all their time pacing the glass trying to get food from you, this is the case with all my puffers, when they can see me they are pacing the side of the glass that's closest to me. As long as your he isn't pacing the glass 24/7 i would call your puffer normal, but a snail hunt every now and then would be appreciated

Hmm:) I can do that! It's harder cause he's a Green Spotted Puffer who has been adapted to Marine. I've got lots of "hole" filled live rock which I move around a lot for him. I'll see what I can do about getting shrimp and stuff for him to hunt. He doesn't usually eat snails. He used to play with them, but never eat them. Ha ha. Hmmm. but should I go with the tubing? I want to eventually design a maze for him with Live rock, and plexi glass but I don't have the time or funds right now.

There are still lots of options for SW decor. Even fake plants are still an option if you don't mind them. I'm not sure the tubing would interest him, as most of they're exploring is weaving through plants and stuff...
describe your maze idea for me. just curious

Maybe he's uncomfortable in ther higher SG? How fast did you get him there?

I took about 24 hours to acclimate him. (minus a few when I actually slept), He's been in there for just over a month. He likes the salinity, he's much healthier since moving in. And he likes the space. He just gets bored easily. He didn't when I had the clowns in there. He would swim around and check them out and sorta "hang" with them. I dunno. He's an oddball.

As for the maze, my idea is to construct a 8" high and 6" wide series of tunnels using live rock along the top and farther side, and cut up tank dividers on the other. The tank divider strips would allow waterflow, it would essentially be a maze starting from one end of the tank to the other that is able to be moved/shifted, and has multiple openings to allow for "victory". There would be some sort of air tube at each entrance, or something powerful enough to cause a medium current through the entire maze-the only pockets of stillness being dead ends. I probably wont do it for a long time. And I'll probably make it MUCH bigger then I proposed in a much bigger tank. But it is an ambition of mine. I know my fish get bored sometimes, I would too if I had such a small space and nothing to "play" with.

What sg was he in, and what is it now?

the only problem I see with a maze would be keeping it clean. even with the flow...

I know. Ha ha. But the advantage is that it would all be "movable" so it wouldn't be fixed to one spot so I could work on it every so often to clean it:) I'm not certain what he was in then, but he is in 1.021 right now. His colouration is as it should be, nice strong yellow, black spots, and white belly. He hasn't shown any signs of any external or internal disease. He still loves to eat. Everything from frozen brine shrimp to Mussles he can pry open. I was thinking of putting a background because he seems to be very interested in the puffer in his reflection. Maybe that will help stop him pacing. Worth a shot?

Even easier would be to get him a Habitrail to play in.

So.. you don't use a background? IMO, it makes difference... How is your light? How many watts do you have there?

I don't have a background (unless you count a half finished batman mural), maybe I'll get him one. I don't have any lights set up yet, over the next two weeks I should have something in place. (They are expensive and I've got a number of things to budget. Though I'm desperately working to get everything in place)

One thing that I've seen help: a powerhead to create water flow to play in. Put the powerhead so that it's blowing the length of the tank, about 2/3 to 3/4 up on the glass. (Make sure you have an intake guard on the powerhead.) The puffer may "dive" into the stream of water and get himself sent across the tank.

I've seen him do that with the filter's waterflow. Hmm:D Ill see what I can do! These are great ideas everyone! Thanks so very much!