The Puffer Forum

I have 3 dwarf puffers, I've had them for about 2-3 weeks now. They're tiny and cute

BUT

One of them hasn't eaten AT ALL and it doesn't have a belly it looks flat...and dark. And it hides and it doesn't swim around with the other two.
We have a 10 gallon tank with a decent amount of plants and decorations...we will put more plants and stuff in there next payday!!
We feed them snails and worms....the other 2 eat perfectly, and seem happy.

But the "sick" one barely even has yellow...just looks brownish yellow....and it looks like someone picked him up and squished him!!
Most of the time he'll just sit on a plant....and sits there

I need help, I don't know why it won't eat. The other two are happy.

Any suggestions????

Welcome. I moved this to the hospital forum.

What are your water parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates)? How long has the tank been set up? How did you cycle it? Are there any other tankmates besides the DPs? Have you noticed any interactions between them?

I know this is bad, but it's best to be honest.

haven't had a chance to test the water...I know it' very important to test it, but we are waiting for payday...to buy a testing kit.

It's just the 3 DP's in there.

The other two swim round with eachother ....they come chase my finger when I'm near...and sometimes they'll chase eachother.

The "sick" one doesn't take part in any of this. Right now, he's hiding under a rock on the bottom.

We cycled the water before putting them in the tank, and we've changed about 40% of the water about 4 or 5 days ago.

The "sick" one has been acting like this ever since day 1.....but gradually he's less and less active.

The thing that worries me the most is that he will not eat. He hasn't ever eaten that I'm aware of. I'm wondering if I should put him in his own tank and try to get him to eat?

I DO understand the importance of the quality of the water....I'm just wondering if there's anything else that would cause my poor little fish to seem so......unhealthy.

The other two are great!!!

Ok, when you say you "cycled the water," what exactly do you mean by that? This is what we mean when we talk about cycling a tank:
http://aquariumboard.com/forums/articles/26.htm

Take a sample of the water to your pet/fish store and they will test it for you for free. Tell them you need precise numbers, not "fine" or "good." You need ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings.

Its possible he was sick before you got him, possibly with intestinal parasites. If you can't get him to eat, you can't treat him for it unfortunately. However, putting him in another uncycled tank is not a good idea.

Try using a turkey baster or pipette to target feed him. You can try soaking the food in garlic slices, which is an appetite stimulant.