The Puffer Forum

Hello,
My porcupine puffer stopped eating for about 4 days. We think it was because the water was a bit off and that problem has been corrected. Aside from the eating, he was acting just fine. Prior to his eating strike, I was feeding him raw shrimp (like from the grocery store) and on some days, that dried jumbo shrimp, which has the word Krill on the can. The puffer is eating again but now only wants the dried stuff. I cannot get him to eat the raw shrimp any more. Also tried a half clam shell, to which he wanted nothing to do with. I even removed the clam meat and tried feeding him that and he ignored it. Bought some silversides and he doesn't want those either. He's an odd puffer in that he's in a reef tank and leaves the corals alone. Also leaves the snails and hermit crabs alone. Our puffer is probably 4-5 inches long and in a 65 gallon tank. We are going to up size the tank within the next year. Anyway, I am not sure why he decided to stop eating the raw shrimp and I have concerns over just feeding him the dry stuff because of lock jaw, something I am not too familiar with but have seen on the forum. I am happy he is eating again but that's not the food I want him to eat. Any insight or suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Ive read that if you soak his food in garlic that helps

Try soaking it in garlic.

Maybe he likes tilapia?

Try live foods, like fiddler crabs, crayfish, etc.

Starve him out for a few days and then try the shrimp, oyster, etc.

I used Kents Garlic xtreme its magic stuff, helps finicky fish and boosts immune system


http://m.petco.com/product/108653/Kent- ... treme.aspx


http://www.thereeftank.com/compare-addi ... -/reviews/

NO KRILL, no matter what he says! Krill is the #1 cause of lockjaw in porcpuffs.
library/feeding/problems-feeding-your-puffer/

Thanks for the responses! I will try the garlic soak and see what happens. Thanks again!

You are welcome keep us posted!

Pufferpunk wrote:NO KRILL, no matter what he says! Krill is the #1 cause of lockjaw in porcpuffs.
library/feeding/problems-feeding-your-puffer/

I'm guessing you mean dried krill since the article you posted advocates using frozen krill as a food stuff...

For the bigger puffers that feed on meatier foods such as mussel, prawn, and krill, again the technique is movement. Once thawed the food can be placed on a skewer and can be twisted and bobbed in front of the puffer.

Krill is OK as an occasional treat. NOT as a staple, as most LFS do. Although another issue with krill is it's referred to as "puffer crack", because once it's offered, they'll eat nothing else.

Pufferpunk wrote:Krill is OK as an occasional treat. NOT as a staple, as most LFS do. Although another issue with krill is it's referred to as "puffer crack", because once it's offered, they'll eat nothing else.

I have had this problem with live earthworms. I had to starve my puffers for up to three days to get them to eat anything else.

I bought some of Kent's garlic and it worked! He finally ate shrimp again. We'll see what the second attempt holds this evening when I try it with the silversides. Thanks everyone!

YIPPEE!!!

AWESOME!