The Puffer Forum

Hello everyone.
I am new to the puffer world.

I have been looking closely at my puffers at feeding time. And I am worried that they can't eat probably - perhaps because of their teeth, or?

When I feed them Krill for an example, they can't eat them. And when I feed them mosquito larvae, they also have trouble eating them. The biggest one does not, but the others seem to. The larvae is sometimes hanging halfway out of their mouth and then the puffers try to eat another larvae - as if the first one is stuck in their mouth somehow (maybe in their teeth?)

Also they are very "picky" and often don't wanna eat the live food I'm feeding.

I don't know why. They are looking at them closely, but sometimes when they "go for them" they can't can't them or hold on to them.

Any advise is welcome and I will be greatful for it.

What kind of puffers do you have?
Just in case it's something else, please answer all the questions above in red.
library/hospital/dentistry/

^
+1 "Just in case it's something else, please answer all the questions above in red."



Also how much and how often are you feeding? Can you get a pic of them feeding and also their bellies after feeding? What type of puffer?

I had a puffer that seemed to have the same problem. He wouldnt eat. He tried sometimes to bite but it seemed to just ram his food with his mouth. And give up. It was not his teeth that was the problem. Please post pics aside from answering the questions in red, or describe his physique, and how long ago did you get them.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it?

1. PH 7,5 to 8
No nitrite. I don't have the numbers for nitrate, as I have it checked by a aquarium store, who told me it was fine.

2. Only the puffers are in the tank.

3. I feed them live mosquito larvae + frosen krill, bloodworms, tubifex, and other stuff. They only seem to be interested in live food. I change water 2 times per week, 25 percent.

4. I haven't made any changes. The puffers were in poor condition when I got them (see the pictures I have linked to in my other thread "identifying them")

5. The aquarium had been up running for at least a month before they were put in it.



I was thinking, that maybe they were not fed the right type of food before I got them, and their teeth are now too long or something?
They want to eat, and some of them do it just fine. But a couple of them seem very "picky" and also a few of them have a hard time swallowing the food or getting it in their mouth.

What species of puffer?

Get yourself an API Master Test Kit & keep an eye on ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/pH.