Solomon Island Midnight Puffer
Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2023 8:12 pm
Hi. I'm new to this group, but hoping your expertise can help
A few weeks ago, I brought home a Solomon Island Midnight Puffer from my LFS. He was doing well at the LFS and had been there for several weeks.
He is in a Red Sea 300XL tank (approximately 75 gallons) that has been established for a year or so. The temperature is 79F, pH is 8.1, salinity is 1.024, nitrates are 15-20, I don't check ammonia and nitrites. I do regular large water changes, and last water change was yesterday.
His inhabitants are a squirrel fish, a small 6-line wrasse, a Valentini mimic file fish, a serpent star, and a purple lobster. The 3 fish are very docile. The invertebrates hide.
Initially when we brought him home and acclimated him, he was doing great. (I do not quarantine). He was eating well- combination of Krill, clams on the half-shell, and live grass/feeder shrimp.
However, over the last 2-3 days, he has been less active and it seems like his mouth is shut/he can't open it!
I took him out of the tank, into a small bowl to examine him better, and during this process he became very angry and all of a sudden began opening his mouth like normal! His beak is NOT overgrown. He also had a large bowel movement. I put him back in the tank, and he was doing great for 24 hours, and was eating like normal.
However, today, again he is not opening his mouth and not interested in eating. I took him out again into the small bowl, and the same process happened again. He got angry and began opening his mouth normally, and ate!
Tonight, he is again not interested in eating/mouth closed. I did dose his last meal with Selcon (as I read that puffer lock jaw could be due to a vitamin deficiency).
There is nothing growing around his mouth.
I have a huge dog faced puffer (in another tank) and am experienced, running several FOWLR tanks.
I can't find any information online regarding this weird problem, and am looking for your help! Thank you!
A few weeks ago, I brought home a Solomon Island Midnight Puffer from my LFS. He was doing well at the LFS and had been there for several weeks.
He is in a Red Sea 300XL tank (approximately 75 gallons) that has been established for a year or so. The temperature is 79F, pH is 8.1, salinity is 1.024, nitrates are 15-20, I don't check ammonia and nitrites. I do regular large water changes, and last water change was yesterday.
His inhabitants are a squirrel fish, a small 6-line wrasse, a Valentini mimic file fish, a serpent star, and a purple lobster. The 3 fish are very docile. The invertebrates hide.
Initially when we brought him home and acclimated him, he was doing great. (I do not quarantine). He was eating well- combination of Krill, clams on the half-shell, and live grass/feeder shrimp.
However, over the last 2-3 days, he has been less active and it seems like his mouth is shut/he can't open it!
I took him out of the tank, into a small bowl to examine him better, and during this process he became very angry and all of a sudden began opening his mouth like normal! His beak is NOT overgrown. He also had a large bowel movement. I put him back in the tank, and he was doing great for 24 hours, and was eating like normal.
However, today, again he is not opening his mouth and not interested in eating. I took him out again into the small bowl, and the same process happened again. He got angry and began opening his mouth normally, and ate!
Tonight, he is again not interested in eating/mouth closed. I did dose his last meal with Selcon (as I read that puffer lock jaw could be due to a vitamin deficiency).
There is nothing growing around his mouth.
I have a huge dog faced puffer (in another tank) and am experienced, running several FOWLR tanks.
I can't find any information online regarding this weird problem, and am looking for your help! Thank you!