The Puffer Forum

After moving Bloat to his new tank, I noticed that one pupil is always bigger then the other. It has been 3 days now with no change. Im wondering if he has sight problems.

Here are pics of both eyes so you can see what im talking about

Hmmm, interesting. His left eyes pupil does look smaller. Do you reckon its always been like that or a new occurrence. Put a pencil in front of the tank on the side of his poorly eye and see if he focuses on it.

If you do think its only a recent occurrence, tip top water and Melafix.

I just noticed it but it never seems to change. No matter what he is looking at. When he was chasing the crayfish around(still hasnt caught it) it was like that, at rest its like that. At first I thought it was a light thing but it doesnt seem to matter. Also the more I think about it I did notice it when he was in his 55. Im going to go back through his old pics and see if i notice it there

He seems to be looking around with that eye also

If he hunts with it and doesnt seem to give him any disability then I wouldnt worry too much mate.

well just went through all my pics of him, and it seems to be old. I also noticed that he rarely lets me take a pic of that side. Im thinking he has a problem. But its old so I guess there is nothing to be overly concerned. But that may explain his funny dance on food when i put it on that side of him

Probably needs glasses.

he's half stoned

well after payin close attention, im 100% sure he is blind in the left eye. I can dangle a worm right beside that eye and he wont try to get it, as soon as it is moved over to the right side he nails it before I can even move. Same thing goes if I just drop them in, he wont go after anything unless its dead in front of him or on his right side. No real big deal, probably better that he is in captivity then in the wild though. What sucks is that I think its something that is just getting worse, I had to pull 2 worms out of the tank today and put them right in front of him today cause he couldnt find them

strange... I have heard of older arowana getting this but not puffers.

I think it is more a birth defect then an age thing. After I looked back at his older pics his eyes have always been that way.


Im thinking that why is doesnt swim around that much, and is only active if he thinks he is going to get food. I know most puffers get more active, but he will lay in the same spot everyday enless he see's me walk up and he hasnt been fed yet.

try chumming the water a little and see what happens (cut the worm). His smell may be perfect.

Havent tried that yet, I usually drop in 3-4 worms at a time and usually have to pull a few out from under rocks cause he takes so long to find them. I have to walk him down the tank for him to find them.

Ill try cutting them in half before dropping them in and see what happeneds tomorrow.

Thou he does have the same problem when I drop in a clam, he wont go after it enless I drop it right beside him. For awhile I thought he was just being lazy lol

xrayjeeper83 wrote:Havent tried that yet, I usually drop in 3-4 worms at a time and usually have to pull a few out from under rocks cause he takes so long to find them. I have to walk him down the tank for him to find them.

Ill try cutting them in half before dropping them in and see what happeneds tomorrow.

Thou he does have the same problem when I drop in a clam, he wont go after it enless I drop it right beside him. For awhile I thought he was just being lazy lol

Poor Bloat.... Like you said tho at least he has this issue in captivity instead of in the wild. He looks like such a cool Puffer by the way,

xrayjeeper83 wrote:I know most puffers get more active, but he will lay in the same spot everyday enless he see's me walk up and he hasnt been fed yet.

This is pretty how much how mine acted.
Only active/interactive when he hasn't been fed.

I don't know if it's a personality thing or an age/slugging out thing.
Probably a bit of both.