The Puffer Forum

Hello all. Its good to be back. I am a former active member here, but was forced to get rid of my tanks when I left for the military. I recently fell in love with a Brown Puffer at a LFS. He is in an established 55 gallon with a 4 inch Rubber Pleco and 12 feeder minnows. Not long after I got him he stopped eating. It was been 3 weeks now and I am at a loss. I have tried frozen raw shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, beefheart, blood worms, snails, and feeder minnows. He shows absolutely no interest in any food. He is now scary skinny and does not seem to have the energy to go after anything that gets his attention. When he does leave his cave, he acts like he has a hard time even swimming up off of the tank bottom. I please help me with anything that might spark his appitite. Thank you!

Params: pH-7.8
Ammonia-0
Nitrates-0
Nitrites-0
Running a Penguin 150 and 200 filters
Weekly 15-25% w/c
No changes to the tank since putting him in it.

Poor fella... Did you actually see him eat at the LFS?

I did not, he was kinda sickly looking in a tank by himself, labeled "pufferfish". They were very uneducated on the fish, and I would rather me spend money and try to save him than him die in the store or sold to someone that doesnt know what they are doing. I am currently dangling an earthworm on a string outside of the opening to his cave with the lights off. Still no interest. Garlic hasnt worked either.

I did not. He was looking kinda sickly at the store, and the guy working could not tell me anything about him, even what he ate. I figured he had a better shot with me than at that place. I am trying an earthworm on a string right now, but no luck yet.

I'm afraid he may be too far gone then. I have found that once their stomach has shrunk from starvation, they will never eat. Unless you want to attempt to force-feed.

I am more than willing to do whatever. I have never force fed though. What do I need to do?

I would puree an earthworm, IP meds & vitamins & use a tiny tube pushed slightly into it's mouth & down to the stomach (maybe 1"), from a syringe. How long is he?

2.5 inches or so. He finally took an earthwork last night, but only a bite or two.

That's a start!

A quick update. After trying to find everything, I got the material together to make a tube feeder and started force feeding a mixture of earthworm, beefheart, and brine shrimp for filler. I have started noticing his color is starting to lighten up and he is coming out more at night. Planning on continuing to feed him daily until he starts taking food in his own. Fingers crossed.

Forget about the brine shrimp (no nutrition) or beefheart (incorrect food for a puffer). Stick with the high protein worms & add in a good fish vitamin, like VitaChem. You're doing a good thing here!

I can do that. Earthworms are easy to come by and cheap lol. I was just giving him what I had until I can get to the store for some Vitamins. Thank you for the help.

I got home from work for lunch today and found my puffer out swimming and hunting for snails for the first time ever. So excited. Hoping I wont have to force feed anymore!

puffernuke wrote:I got home from work for lunch today and found my puffer out swimming and hunting for snails for the first time ever. So excited. Hoping I wont have to force feed anymore!

Glad he's doing better! I know how annoying it can be to get a turgidus to eat... But I found that they are more likely to eat at night than during the day.