The Puffer Forum

Yesterday I brought home two new puffers. One c. salivator and one t. cochinchinensis (fully grown). The salivator is doing very well. He's attacking his shrimp and seems to be in a good mood - for a puffer, that is

But my Hufflepuff is not doing so fine. I first realized it while feeding today. According to the shop, he loves shrimps and attacks at once. But Hufflepuff only had a small nibble, and then turned his back on the food. He is also a lot more calm than he was yesterday. When checking a bit more closely, I saw some white slimelike thing on his back. This can come from irritation of the skin. He had a dramatic trip yesterday, though, as he was silly enough to bite through the plastic bag under transportation. The transportation lasted some hours, so he had little water for a long time. And the time I spent at introducing him to his new tank, was a bit too short because of the lack-of-water-problem.

Is this only caused by stress, and will pass by itself, or is there anything I can do for him. That white things on his back is bothering me. He was most certainly more lively yesterday. If there's anything I can give him, please tell me what it contains and what it's for, as we most certainly don't have the same medication in Norway.

It often takes puffers a couple of days, sometimes even a couple of weeks, to acclimate to their new homes and start feeling normal.

I'm a bit concerned about that white stuff on his back. Can it be skin irritation after the dramatic trip yesterday? Usually I wouldn't worry so much only one day after getting a new puffer, but after the lack-of-water problem and quick introducing, I don't feel certain that this is normal. I'm a bit jumpy I guess...

My guess, without actually seeing it or a photo, is a damaged slime coat, which will heal up on its own.

I never use aquasafe (water preparation - not necessary with the water here), but I know it can help on the slime coat. Would that be an idea to add to the water?

Don't add anything to cause more slime coat, seeing as the problem may be related to their being too much. Some people think these products cause the increase in slime coat by irritating the skin a bit, something else you want to pass on right now.

Nick wrote:Some people think these products cause the increase in slime coat by irritating the skin a bit, something else you want to pass on right now.

Actually it's the product that states that it is good for the slime cover. But I won't add it, then I'll just hope for him to get better. I will do a water change, though. Tiger also had small problems after moving here (a touch of fin rot), and a water change fixed it

Most products that increase slime coat claim to be good for it, but I have no idea if they are or not, and have never seen a fish that seemed to be suffering from lack of slime coat, so I've stopped using them since I noticed no special improvement if I did. Lots of high volume water changes are the closest thing to a panacea in fish keeping, so I'd probably do a 50-70% change myself in your shoes.

Sorry, I didn't understand the word "panacea". And my dictionary wouldn't translate it either. But I get the meaning, though

He seemed a bit better in the evening, after a water change. He became more lively again. I am curious about how he will be when I get home from work today.

Hufflepuff seems well now An active little (big) thing I will give him another try on the shrimp today. I'm looking forward to it. If he has the same amount of violence as my other puffers, it can be a pretty wild experience to watch him. He is my biggest puffer

WOW! That is the wildest feeding I've ever seen!
No problem with Hufflepuff taking his shrimp now! And, WOW, what big bites it takes! One bite split the shrimp in two. The next bite took an awful lot of the shrimp, and it seemed like most of it came out through the gills . I will never again give a shrimp to that fish, without a water change later the same day. And I will never, ever put my hand into the tank to take the shrimp out. Else he might take out a finger or two (well, not exactly, but he will most certainly do something unpleasant to my hand). I must say the same as I did after watching Tiger take a shrimp for the first time: What a wonderfully violent fish!

Discretion in sticking wiggly bits of protein (aka fingers) in puffer tanks I consider a positive survival trait for hobbyists.

Yes I can do it with my other puffers (so far), but none is so violent and so big as Hufflepuff. And of course I know that the man at the pet shop has experienced Hufflepuff's teeth, so I know he is capable of biting.
Actually I haven't been bitten by a puffer yet. Maybe I should try it, so I know what it's like? Or...eeer... maybe not...

I would very much recommend against it. Not only does it hurt like hell and open your body up to the possibility of a nasty infection, but the natural reaction is to jerk your hand away which can cause the puffer in question to fly across the room. I speak from experience.