The Puffer Forum

Hey guys, well all four are present this morining which I am amazingly glad. Just need a little advice.Two are bigger than the others, but one in particular looked like he had eaten when brought him home yesterday there was a little buldge which only got massively bigger when I fed them a little. I thought at the time is is trapped air or something as the other three had flat not concaved bellies before eating.

All four had round bellies after eating (some more than others). This morning, the 3 have returned to normal straight bellies but little piggy still has a slight round one, not so bad as yesterday but still there..

1) Just going to get these!
2) 14 gallon with 4 dwarf puffers.
3) Fed a little yesterday at 7:30pm, will having a water change shortly (one done before their arrival). Was using Stability, did about 3 x 20% water change and now using tetra safestart.
4) Nothing, new tank all decor has been in there from the beginning. Oh did add a poly filter pad to the filter on Friday before arrival.
5) Tank been running for 2 and half weeks, was meant to be cycling but stuck a bit, process of possible mini cycle. (keeping up with many water changes)

If it is trapped air, have not had them 12 hours yet and they are tiny...the shock would kill him to get the air out? (Never handled a fish before). Thanks for any advice. (will try to get a piccy but they are shy and need to do water change first.)

It is possible that this one is just bigger than the others. Some are just fatter and look rounder. If he is not acting out of the ordinary I wouldn't worry too much.

Thanks Yunachin! Two are definately bigger than the other two (and the fattest!). Just have to watch Piggy as he is always in there first chomping down. He does not act out of the ordinary, he seems the most laid back of the two. The one I believe is a male still paces a little and one of the other little ones has not eaten but then it is early days

Piggy seems like a fitting name.
Also watch and make sure the big ones aren't stealing all the food and bullying the little ones into not eating. You may have to feed the food-bullies first then feed the little ones after.

hmmm.. you may be right, I put some live worms in a feeder for today's feeding, 3 ate, piggy was straight in their and a blimp in little to no time. The next biggest ate to good round belly. One of the smaller ate to a decent belly but the fourth didn't eat anything even when a worm landed on him! I haven't witnessed any bullying yet, but will keep a careful eye on them.

Worse comes to worse you may have to isolate him to try and get him to eat. But since you just got them, give it a couple days to see what happens. He may step up to the plate.