The Puffer Forum

1. The pH is 7, ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are all 0. the water temp is around 70 F

2. Paul lives in a 10 gallon aquarium and has 3 small corry cats as tank mates. Has a guppy buddy (was meant to be eaten, but has now grown to large) and a few gost shrimp (who have also grown to large for cunsumption). I have an underground filter and a Quiet Flow 10 Aqueon power filter.

3. Feeding:
I was feeding him FD Baby Shrimp (Tetra) and FD Blood Worms (Omega One). When the pet shop caries them... I would get him some ghost shrimp. But... he has not eaten a live shrimp in about a month and a half. Now the few shrimp left have grown to large for him to eat. He was consistantly eating the FD stuff untill last Monday (May 20). Now he does not eat.

Water Changes:
I do a 50% water change every 2 weeks and I try to do a 100% change once a month. The last 100% change was last Wednesday (May 22)

Products:
API Aquarium Salt. I put about a TBL in every 5 gal
API Proper pH. I follow the directions.
Tetra Aqua Safe plus. I follow the directions on that as well.
***side note: I live on an island with acess to one, very small and limited pet shop. I have to mail order anything other than Tetra and API prouducts. And even then... my options are limited.

4. I change the filters regularly. And I clip his teeth about once a month. But I view these as rutine.
I have not changed any decorations recently.

5. the aquarium has been running for two years. I cycled the water by letting it run (no fish) for 2 days. I then added the corry cats. waited 3 more days. I origionally had a Beta. He eventually sucumed to genetic illness (as they all seem to do). After the beta passed I did my "cycle" process again and this time set the tank for a puffer. I have had my puffer, Paul, for a little over a 1 year.

The purpose for my post is because Paul has stoped eating. It's not that he won't eat. He gets very excited when I drop in the food... but he has a mini spaz attack when he tries to go for it and seems to get frustrated, then retreats to a cave. I see him try... but it looks like his mouth dosn't close...? Or that he can't suck it in...? When he was eating, he would make a sucking sound.
I am concerned that it may be lockjaw. But I have never given him Krill, and I was very religious about clipping his teeth.
I read on an earlier post on this forum, that someone was recomended to forcefeed... but my little guy is only 2 in long and gets very upset when I use my long tweesers to pick out dibris (so I can imagine I would give him a hearattack if I chased him with it.)

I would greatly appreciate any advise.

What species is he? Judging by the teeth being clipped I would guess a sap? If it is stop using aquarium salt as it is not good for him. I am shocked you are showing no nitrite. Also the 100% change will be stressful for the fish. If it is a sap it could likely be boredom/stress. Welcome to the forum.

He is a figure eight.
When I looked up his species online, salt was recomended.
When I do the water change, I keep about a gallon of the old water to help with the transition.
I have had no problem with him before this and I have had him for a little over a year.

I have taken some vid of him trying to eat.... I have to wait to get home to load it.
Thank you!

Adding water to a tank & letting it sit does not cycle the tank.
Please read: library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

Aquarium salt does not make brackish water, marine mix does. Aim for an sg of around 1.004 for best health and longevity. You should not need to trim his teeth that often, try adding lots of snails to his diet.

Something to add to what PP was talking about: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32416
Might go ahead and grab a bottle.

bertie 83 wrote:Aquarium salt does not make brackish water, marine mix does. Aim for an sg of around 1.004 for best health and longevity. You should not need to trim his teeth that often, try adding lots of snails to his diet.

This is what my LFS sold me with my F8. Shocking now that I think about it. The testing strips I got with the fish weren't really suitable either, I would be surprised if the nitrite level isn't higher than you think it is. Maybe get an independent test done at the LFS.

It took me a few weeks to raise the sg to 1.004. I would recommend separating him into a suitable sized aquarium and making sure it is cycled and at the correct sg level before moving him.

My little guy didn't make it before I could do that for him. Don't let it happen to yours.

I am going to the mainland this weekend. I will look for a "real" pet shop. My shop here is not helpful.
I will look for a new text kit also. Can you recomend one?
This eating problem is very recent. I don't know if the salt is the problem... but I'll look into that too.
Thank you

our mbu took nearly 2 weeks to acccept food from me..he slammed around his tank until he was so tired and hungry that he would take food dropped in front of him.. It took another few days before he'd allow me to feed him in his tank..

his water parameters were perfect..but he was a wild caught puffer.

API Master Test kit can be ordered from Amazon.

Ok, I got the only test kit that Pet Supermarket had (store brand). and here are my results.
Temp 75
No Ammonia or Nitrite
Nitrate is about 17

I got to look closely at his face today and the left side of his mouth is a little pink and looks a little swollen.
is it possible for him to break or sprain something in his jaw?

Have you fed him any snails? Can you please try to post a pic of his mouth?

I have fed him snails once.... but it was a long time ago. I couldn't get them small enough, he would suck the out of their shell. But I used to feed him gost shrimp and FD shrimp and blood worms.

My guess is if you've been feeding mainly krill, he's got lockjaw.