The Puffer Forum

My porcupine puffer has started not to eat. He was originally on a diet of freshwater guppies when I purchased him from my local LFS. I then moved him to squid which he quickly tired of. Currently he eats (was eating) freeze-dried krill.

I had a nitrate spike in my aquarium which resulted in my puffer developing a mild case of what I believe is cryptocaryon. He continued to have an appetite and ate for a few weeks. Since then, he cannot swallow anything but still has an appetite and begs for food. I really have no clue what to do now and my options are limited because my local LFS closed. I was going to move him to a larger tank but his current condition makes me feel like a move is not a good idea. I ordered Selcon and Vita-chem and have been using the Vita-chem in the tank although it does not seem to be making a difference.

My tank is a 20 long and the puffer is by himself. The filtration I have has usually been reliable at keeping the water conditions good. I do not have any more test strips and the nearest fish store is now quite far away. I will try to obtain some soon to tell you my water parameters. I have an algone in the tank which should be keeping the nitrate levels safe.

The fish has not been displaying any lethargic activity until today and still swims around the tank like everything is fine. I know my tank is not big enough for him and I was planning on moving him to a larger tank. I have the filter and everything. I think the lockjaw is the most serious issue and I cannot find much information on how to treat it. Please advise on how to get my puffer back to proper health.

If you have only been feeding him krill for a short time, he may not have lockjaw "yet". Get those test kits ASAP. How was the tank cycled? How is it filtrated? Are you aware it willl need a 100g tank & very soon? I hope he's tiny.

I have been feeding him krill since about October. The tank was cycled using Marineland Bio-spira. It is filtered with an Emperor 280 and a "Phosban Reactor" filled with Seachem Seagel. I am aware how large of a tank he will need soon and have been planning for it.

Did you keep it refrigerated/was it refrigerated in the store? He is VERY stressed out because of the tank size. Try to get the test kits with the test tubes and not the strips. They are much more reliable. Go to the grocery store and pick up some raw, frozen muscles, clams, or shell on shrimp. Try soaking those in vitamins and garlic and see if he will eat them.

Yes the bio-spira was refrigerated and the tank had been running for over a year. There was a power outage while I was away and I suspect that is was caused the nitrate spike. I will post the results of the water tests I am able to purchase locally tonight.

Here is a post in our forum that talks about lockjaw. I had found some useful information for the person posting. I don't know if they had sucess or not. They never came back and posted. It may help you.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16017&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=lockjaw

Salinity 1.024
PH: 8.5
Ammonia: 0ppm - undetectable
Nitrite: 0ppm - undetectable
Nitrate: 0 - 15 ppm
Temp: 78 degrees F

I couldn't really find anything that would help me in that other post.

This is the reference I was refering you too.

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic81305 ... itamin+b12

Found it: Vitamin b12 quote from pufferqueen page 2

You can buy them at any health food story, grocery store or Target, Walmart, KMart, etc.

I would recommend giving it via bath instead of adding it to the entire tank - more concentrated delivery plus the stability in saltwater tank is limited.

I would probably add 500 -- 1000mcg in a couple gallons and well aerate. I would bath for an hour.

Best of luck. Keep us updated.

On page 5, he says he's had sucess and the puffer is eating on it's on.
Questions were asked by pufferqueen and answered by jtesdall

What dose of B12 did you use?

What vitamins and how much did you use?

What volume/amount of food did you feed?

I used 1/2 tablet of over the counter B12, I don't know the size of tablet as I am at work.
I used selcon, garlic, mixed vegetable baby food, and Nori for vitamins.
The above was blended with everything I had on hand - Shrimp, mysis, brine, good flake food and maybe some thing I am forgetting. I started with a 1ml feeding and went up 1ml per day until I got to 5ml feeding and held there.