The Puffer Forum

I'm beginning to get desperate here.

I've posted on reefcentral, but figured posting here might also be helpful.


My spiny box has not eaten in about 9-10 days.

my water tests, (I even had the local fish store verify).
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <20
pH : 7.0 (I know it's low, I hadn't tested this regularly, and the LFS said this was low)


all my other fish and inverts are fine, no new additions to the tank in the last 4-6 months.. no one is missing, Tank has been up and running for 2 years.

typically, when my puffer hasn't eaten in a day or two his stomach is concave or indented.. during the last week it's be puffed out and he looks bloated

he's also pale and uninterested in anything including food. He's been my favorite fish since day one, I hand feed him every other day with Krill.


I've done one 5 minute fresh water dip, I don't know what else to do... I've had him for 2 years and would really hate to lose him.


any advice is greatly appreciated

I've taken him to the LFS and they can't find anything externally wrong, nor can they offer any real advice.

Perhaps he is constipated - try feeding him a cooked skinless pea, if you can get him to take it. If not, you can quarentine him and use an epsom salt treatment, which may be effective, a tablespoon or two per gallon is the dose if I remember.

Nick wrote:Perhaps he is constipated - try feeding him a cooked skinless pea, if you can get him to take it. If not, you can quarentine him and use an epsom salt treatment, which may be effective, a tablespoon or two per gallon is the dose if I remember.

I can't get him to eat anything or even attempt to eat.

Can constipation last that long?

Constipation lasts until the impacted fish either clears its bowels or dies. Since your fish is not dead, it's up to you to get him to clear his bowles before he is. I'd try the epsom at this point, if he will eat nothing. Can he swim normally?

No reason to QT. Add 1 tbsp Epsom salt/5g. Look out for a might big poop! I am just going to continue to post here for this, so I don't have to post 2x, for every response, OK?

Nick wrote:Constipation lasts until the impacted fish either clears its bowels or dies. Since your fish is not dead, it's up to you to get him to clear his bowles before he is. I'd try the epsom at this point, if he will eat nothing. Can he swim normally?

he swims fine, though he tends to stay at the bottomo in one spot.

how do I administer the epsom salt treatment?

Pufferpunk wrote:No reason to QT. Add 1 tbsp Epsom salt/5g. Look out for a might big poop! I am just going to continue to post here for this, so I don't have to post 2x, for every response, OK?

So I add the Epsom in main tank?


should I be concerned about my other fish, LR, etc?


luckily I have a couple of fresh bags of Epsom, (wife is pregnant and uses it for soaking)

Would it be better if I put him in a 10 gallon tank, and dose him there?

The 10G is empty, but I have a spare light, heater, and air pump

This is more of a soak than a dip. I believe it should be safe for all the other inhabitants & LR. How big is the puffer? Adding it to a small uncycled tank, may do it more harm that good.

I'd still read the feeding articles on our Library. No need to panic just yet. Your puffer can go quite some time w/o eating.

Pufferpunk wrote:This is more of a soak than a dip. I believe it should be safe for all the other inhabitants & LR. How big is the puffer? Adding it to a small uncycled tank, may do it more harm that good.

I'd still read the feeding articles on our Library. No need to panic just yet. Your puffer can go quite some time w/o eating.

The puffer is about the size of my fist, maybe sluightly larger... I'd guess somewhere between 5-6 inches

I'll add the Epsom to the tank right now and see what happens

The Epsom has been added, how long before I can expect to see any progress?

and at what point should I treat for an internal parasite?


I really don't want to loose this guy

How long have you had him? I don't think it's IPs. He'd be really skinny, even after eating a lot the day before. Give the salt a day or so to work.

Pufferpunk wrote:How long have you had him? I don't think it's IPs. He'd be really skinny, even after eating a lot the day before. Give the salt a day or so to work.

I've had him for nearly 2 yrs

he looks bloated

Yeah, I'll betcha it's constipated, from all that krill. After his giant poo, this would be an excellent time to start introducing new foods to him. He'll be nice & hungry!

Also, what about your substrate? What are you using? Why is the pH so low?

Pufferpunk wrote:Yeah, I'll betcha it's constipated, from all that krill. After his giant poo, this would be an excellent time to start introducing new foods to him. He'll be nice & hungry!

Also, what about your substrate? What are you using? Why is the pH so low?

substrate is crushed coral

PH is low because I haven't checked it or used a PH buffer in a very long time