The Puffer Forum

I have a porcupine puffer in my 80 gallon saltwater tank and he hasnt been eating and I think it is because he can't close his mouth. I havent seen him close his mouth once. I once saw a puffer that couldnt close its mouth so they had to stick a tube down its throat to feed it. He is breathing pretty hard and fast too. Does anyone know what this is and what I should do?

What are your water parameters - post specifics.

How long have you had the puffer?

What have you been feeding the puffer?

Any new tank mates?

Do you quarantine all new arrivals - rock, inverts, fish, etc...?

Does the puffer have any spots, increased mucous, discolorations, marks.....?

I have had him for almost a year and he is about 4 1/2 inches long. He is in a 80 gallon tank. I just got a new copper banded butterflyfish. I dont quarantine. He doesnt have any signs besides heavy breathing and fast breathing and he wont close his mouth or eat. I'm not sure my parameters. But I have been feeding him freeze dried krill. Could that have anything to do with it because I read that freeze dried contains alot of air and Your supposed to soke for at least 10 mins. I havent been doing this because I didn't know that.

Do not feed him any more krill.

A diet mainly or soley of krill leads to nutritional deficiencies and the inability to chew - open/close mouth. The symptoms take months to "develop" and once the symptoms show - often the damage is irreversible.

Provide different foods and enrich with vitamins.

Since you do not quarantine and you have had a new addition - possibly parasites in the gills. Try a freshwater bath - match pH & temp. - for 15 minutes to see if the breathing improves any - often the first signs of parasite infestation is fast/labored breathing.

Be prepared to move the puffer to a hospital tank to treat.

Puffers fed a diet of only krill, are extremely prone to developing lock-jaw.

If you don't have good test kits for nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia, you should get these so your levels can be monitored.