The Puffer Forum

So i have had my little MBU for a few weeks, and I am still waiting for him to settle in. I offer him every day either shrimp, scallops, frozen krill, clams, cockles or ramshorn snails when I can find a few big enough in my breeder tank. He seemed to eat well when I first brought him home, but now he is not much interested in it. The only thing he really goes after is snails, but I have not been able to order any for him since they are not available right now at work. He also has two new friends, because he decided not to eat the crayfish I got for him ( they do a good job of cleaning his mess though!) I am not sure if maybe he was not being fed very much at the store and that is why he ate so well in the beginning, or if there is something stressing him. I put a big Blue Gourami and he still has his Angelfish friend in there. He still has a good belly, not too round, not too thin, I am just worried about how I can build some kind of relationship with him if he doesn't accept the food I am offering him. He is very timid and usually only swims around after I turn the light off. Do you guys think it could be the flora sun bulb I put in there, maybe I will switch back to the other one. I have a large peice of Mopani Wood in the center and several live plants throughout the tank with plenty of swimming room. He is not interested in using a cave for cover, but he does sit on the bottom most of the time. I have some crushed coral in there and the combination of that and the Mopani sets the PH around 7.2-4. The tank was fully cycled with Biospira and I am doing 25% weekly water changes. Perhaps I am jumping the gun and he just needs more time.

BTW, my boss knows someone who can get me an acrylic for dirt cheap and he is going to help me get set up. I can't wait!

The bigger a puffer is, the less often it needs to eat, if this guy is over 5", he probably only needs food every other day tops, even as a growing boy.

Just to be sure, was the Gourami QT'd first?

I agree with Nick that if he is larger he won't need as much food. As long as his belly is slightly rounded I wouldn't be worried. As far as his shyness, give him some time and he should warm up to you.

He was just transferred from another tank, he is almost as big as the puff is. I guess I will try feeding every other day and see if he is more interested in eating then. It is hard to feed all my other puffs and not him. I am just a worrier when it comes to my fish, especially my 170 dollar one.

I also have not named the little guy. Any ideas?

Is the tank planted? I ask because Clooney became more active when I added more planting, he still slepps under the broad leaf of a sword plant. I think at the size yours is I wouldn't worry about feeding given time ho will become your best freind