The Puffer Forum

Hello!

We just recently got some pea puffers on Saturday, march.7 . It was a new tank and hadn't been cycled yet, it was set up as an emergency tank for my sisters pleco who was getting bullied by my brothers fahaka. my sister got excited and couldn't wait to get some DP. They are just finally starting to come out and look for food after this adjustment period. There are snails in the tank but they are growing really fast, and I have been offering baby blood worms. But it seems they are still a bit too big for the fish to eat. They just watch them sink to the bottom and look at them like, WTF am I supposed to do with this? They are obviously hungry, and they are so tiny so I don't know what else to offer them or if there's a way I can make the blood worms smaller? Should I try cutting them while they are frozen? I want them to eat I am worried they will starve

If it's an in cycled tank your water parameters are likely off which could be suppressing their hunger. Grab a bottle of safestart to get the tank going. What are the readings from your water tests? If all is good try soaking their food in garlic

Welcome to the forum

I know our tank is still adjusting, our PH is a bit high so we are going to do our next water change with some distilled water. We have a couple small live plants and we are going to be getting some marimo moss balls as well. But it's a new tank I know it will take a couple weeks for it to cycle, they have been hiding since sunday and started coming out today looking for food. I cut up the blood worms while they were frozen which made them smaller but they still didn't touch it. I will try it with some garlic tomorrow. I think we will get some more baby snails, hopefully that will perk them up. they are so tiny it seems our options are limited!!!

stephyl wrote:Hello!

We just recently got some pea puffers on Saturday, march.7 . It was a new tank and hadn't been cycled yet, it was set up as an emergency tank for my sisters pleco who was getting bullied by my brothers fahaka. my sister got excited and couldn't wait to get some DP. They are just finally starting to come out and look for food after this adjustment period. There are snails in the tank but they are growing really fast, and I have been offering baby blood worms. But it seems they are still a bit too big for the fish to eat. They just watch them sink to the bottom and look at them like, WTF am I supposed to do with this? They are obviously hungry, and they are so tiny so I don't know what else to offer them or if there's a way I can make the blood worms smaller? Should I try cutting them while they are frozen? I want them to eat I am worried they will starve

defrost them, chop them up, and rinse them in a small strainer (I use a designated tea strainer with a small mesh), you can add some mashed garlic (minimal amount), feed............
can you get live blackworms where you live?

Get that tank cycled ASAP. Here is how viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32416

stephyl wrote:Hello!

We just recently got some pea puffers on Saturday, march.7 . It was a new tank and hadn't been cycled yet, it was set up as an emergency tank for my sisters pleco who was getting bullied by my brothers fahaka.

Bought fish on March 7th but when was this tank set up for the pleco? A week? A day ?
Do you have a test kit to check the nitrates or ammonia levels?
I've never seen my DP eat the worms I put in it's tank. It picks at everything though, and has been surviving 6 months so far and is a chunky little bugger.