MAPPA Puffer not eating

[AquAttila]

I had purchased a MAPPA puffer from NY Aquatics 4 days ago. The puffer seems healthy, but has not interest in food. I am not that experienced with puffers, so not sure what is the best method to try and entice to eat. I was thinking of ghost shrimp next as I already tried clams on a half shell. This is also the first time I had ordered fish from NY aquatics and not sure how reputable they are ... I jumped on this puffer because it is smaller then most mappas I have seen and hard to come by small. They did tell me that it was there for 2 weeks and ate.

 

[vetteguy53081]

How did you acclimate it?
It generally takes them a couple of days to settle in. Some things you can try to get it to eat are:
Clam on 1/2 shell
Mysis shrimp
Krill
Plankton
Ghost shrimp

 

[AquAttila]

Thanks for the quick response. The puffer is in my 75gal QT. I acclimate all fish by drip line and also put small heater to bring temp to the same temp as tank. I did put very small amount of prime to detox water it came in for ammonia. I do think it is healthy, doesn't look too thin, so hopefully it just needs a bit more time. I will try ghost shrimp next.

 

[lion king]

Treat with general cure in the water column for internal parasites. I got a goldflake angel from the same place and listened to the whole give it time routine, by the time I treated it was too late.

Also did you check sg in the bag, my order arrived at 1.017 from that place. Raising sg too high too fast is a big problem. That usually ends badly within a day or two, so you probably weathered that one.

 

[AquAttila]

API general cure? I never used this product. Would this be the same as a replacement from Prazi? or general cure is external parasites? if you had success using general cure, I will give it a try. I agree, I think I should try to treat now. Although, I do like to see a fish eat before medicating ...

 

[lion king]

GC contains prazi and metro so it will cover a broader range of internal parasites as well as worms. Every once in a while a fish won't eat and they are just stressed or temperamental and they come around. I've found all healthy fish will eat within a day maybe 2 tops, when they don;t, 9 times out of 10 there's a problem. GC literally starts working within a day if the problem was internal parasites. Many times they start eating the next day after initial dose.

I used tom use prazi also and it works for me, but then I would always follow up with metro/focus in food, if they were eating. When not eating GC in the water column seems to be the better choice.

 

[AquAttila]

Thanks for the response and turning me onto GC. Honestly, based on what I have been reading it may actually be a better solution for me moving forward that Prazi. I picked GC up today and started treating the tank. I did manage to get some ghost shrimp and the puffer went for it right away - so that was a relief.

I meant to comment on the sg at 1.017. I completely forgot to test that when I got the fish delivered. It actually showed up late so my priority was to get the guy out and begin to drip acclimate. I did test the water temp and it was 68... not super low, but had to acclimate for the temp in the tank it was going into which is around 76. I do hate the fact that these guys keep the SG so low - same with divers den. I mean they know that most tanks run at around 1.025. Even drip acclimating for 2 hours would not be enough for a fish to go that high level in salinity so quick.

Sorry to hear about your goldflake! that sucks.

 

[lion king]

Thanks for the response and turning me onto GC. Honestly, based on what I have been reading it may actually be a better solution for me moving forward that Prazi. I picked GC up today and started treating the tank. I did manage to get some ghost shrimp and the puffer went for it right away - so that was a relief.

I meant to comment on the sg at 1.017. I completely forgot to test that when I got the fish delivered. It actually showed up late so my priority was to get the guy out and begin to drip acclimate. I did test the water temp and it was 68... not super low, but had to acclimate for the temp in the tank it was going into which is around 76. I do hate the fact that these guys keep the SG so low - same with divers den. I mean they know that most tanks run at around 1.025. Even drip acclimating for 2 hours would not be enough for a fish to go that high level in salinity so quick.

Sorry to hear about your goldflake! that sucks.

Sounds like he's going to fine, I should have suggested live ghost shrimp. Puffers can be difficult at 1st to get eating, and sometimes do need something like live ghosties. As soon as you mentioned where you got it from I immediately went to internal parasites. That was a $430 loss so I took it pretty hard. These days a gc treatment isn't a bad idea either way.