The Puffer Forum

Its been awhile, maybe 2-3 weeks. I still can not get my puffer to eat. I have tried margarita snails, krill, clams, squid, silversides, and even live ghost shrimp. He hides during the day and the only time I have seen him out is when
I turn on the lights in the morning. He shows zero intrest in me, tankmates, and food. What should I do?
SG: 1.023
pH: 8.2
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 10

Has he ever eaten for you? Find out what he was eating in the LFS, before you got him. Does it look like he can open & close his mouth?

Have you tried feeding at night? Maybe stand back from the tank and give him some space while feeding.

have you tried market shrimp yet?

Are his teeth too long?

I'd like to hear some answers to the Qs I've asked.

Pufferpunk-
No he has not eaten for me and it turns out I bought him the same day that they got him. He didn't get a chance to eat for them either. They say he was a "captive bred" puffer but I'm pretty sure they mean't "tank-raised". I don't think it has a problem opening or closing its mouth but I could be wrong. He only comes out when its too dark to see and hides when the lights are on in a part of the tank that I can not see.

jdak-
Yes in fact last night I slipped a live ghost shrimp in my tank. I woke up and half of it had been eaten. At first I thought it may have been the puffer, but in my opinion I think my two hermits went at it.

SammyDee-
If you mean shrimp from the local fish market, then no I have not tried market shrimp.

Lil' Swimz$-
Quite frankly, I can't even tell if he has teeth.

no teeth .... grinding plates?

have you tried soaking the food in crushed garlic? Garlic is a fish attractant. I don't know anything about fish Lock Jaw.. other than the garlic I wish I could help.

Or possibly hand fed foods? A worm or 2 shaken before him? 3 weeks sound like a long time.

I hate to say this but I dont think he has any teeth. What the hell do I do now?

Never mind the garlic worked.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yippee!!!

Keep us updated as to how he's eating

esine wrote:I hate to say this but I dont think he has any teeth. What the hell do I do now?

someone correct me if I am wrong, but I recall PP saying the porcs don't have "teeth" per say. They have dental plates to crush their food.

Glad to hear that it finally ate

Yea, they only have one on top, and one on bottom; also, they grow only so much as they wear.

Well he continues to eat. However, he is still very inactive. He tends to hide under a rock for most of his time is this normal for porc puffers?