The Puffer Forum

hello, to begin with I have experience with dwarf puffers, fig 8's and saltwater gsp's but haven't had a puffer in a while. I was in the pet store the other day and saw a small (about 2") fahaka puffer. He was very thin and from the description by the lfs associate it was apparent he has internal parasites... eating and then going right back to the emaciated look right away, which the lfs associated insisted was normal . They had had him for a couple of months and had just bumped his price down to $29.99, so I snagged him at least to treat him. He's alone in a cycled 10 gallon right now and I have a brand of powdered praziquantel called "fish tapes".

now, i have had puffers with ip and have never had success treating them, but I have only ever treated the water. His water is treated according to instructions but I'd like to treat his food as well... he barely nibbles at frozen krill so I picked up some blooodworms which puffers in the past have gone nuts over, which he eats very passively but eventually finishes. How can I go about treating his food with powdered praziquantel? right now I have a block of frozen bloodworms soaking/thawing in a bowl of his treated water with a tiny bit of extra powder thrown in. Help anyone?

It's a waste of time treating the water, you need to treat the food. Krill has been linked to lockjaw so is best avoided.

I have a block of frozen bloodworms soaking/thawing in a bowl of his treated water with a tiny bit of extra powder thrown in.

Perfect! Add garlic juice to the mix, to enhance his appetite. My fahaka looked exactly the same, when I bought him.

Thanks guys! Believe he's all clear, he's so fat and happy now! I'll keep dosing for a little while to make sure it's all taken care of.