new puffer won't eat anything but nips @ all plastics in qt

ddc0715

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
640
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
ok replacement 3-4" PORCUPINE puffer been in qt two days under a Praziquantel Treatment got to get this figured out or he won't last much longer. looks hungry acts very hungry but does not eat anything i give him? i see hes flopping around at the surface when i come in, i see him trying to eat my white plastic temp probe and my black wavemaker cage, but will not touch any food ive tried here's the list

mussel on the half shell
claim on the half shell
fresh shrimp
fresh squid
iqf pro salt clam strips
iqf frozen crab clusters
jumbo mysis

i mean he's telling me to feed him cause when i do not give him something he PUFFS UP but dang dude i do not speak puffer

what do i feed him he looked straved at the fish store so im being to understand why an suggestions?
 
Last edited:

Hermie

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
Messages
2,444
Reaction score
2,613
Location
Georgia OTP
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
try a nori sheet just because you haven't yet (according to the list); it might be enough to get it back to eating meaty foods. Some puffers do eat nori.
 
OP
OP
ddc0715

ddc0715

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
640
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
3-4" Porcupine puffer HES SO HUNGRY his belly is very concaved/ sunken. going to try nori now.
 
OP
OP
ddc0715

ddc0715

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
640
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nori was a fail. been in qt two days under a Praziquantel Treatment
20210402_065552.jpg

20210402_065522.jpg
 

smlarson72

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 11, 2020
Messages
269
Reaction score
487
Location
Princeton, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Mine started out that small and he would eat the Hikari Seaweed Extreme floating pellets. Maybe try those.
 

garbled

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 10, 2018
Messages
772
Reaction score
1,044
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Maybe throw 1-2 live astrea snails in there? Or would the medications you are running just kill them outright? Does he make the attempt at food, or just ignore it completely? When he nips at plastic, are his jaws moving properly, like does he actually make the bite, or is it possible he has lockjaw and isn't able to open his mouth?
 
OP
OP
ddc0715

ddc0715

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
640
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I tried a snail as well no luck, I tried nori NADA, I have some veggie discs ill try next, when I feed him he swims to it smells it (I assume) then ignores it, as for the plastics he makes the bite. I'm getting ready to go buy some krill and perform a water change
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Try live ghost shrimp, sometimes these guys need something live to get them started. All the food you've offered would normally happily be accepted by these guys. If you can't find ghosties, a small fiddler crab. It usually only takes a couple of live feedings to get thesd guys going.

If the other tank mates permit, some even include fiddler crabs as part of their normal diet.
 
OP
OP
ddc0715

ddc0715

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
640
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well I got him to eat a few small SMALL pieces of mussle and one krill. I mean he made a heck of a mess so not sure how much he really ate.Only because I placed it directly into his mouth. So very odd.. I mean is he blind? Anyone else every force feed before. I'm going to pick up some ghost shrimp shortly. I bought some frozen and dried krill no luck. This maynot be a right food issue. Cause I have about went thru every average food type we can name.. I treat a combination of api GC, EM an ich x, I was out of GC so I fell back on prazi pro with ich x. I have changed the water just now so I'm going to go get some GC shortly. Another odd point is his water turns cloudy quick. I've never seen that before in a qt.. my qt is always running and clear.
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
While it is not uncommon for porc's to be difficult to feed occasionally, and needing something live to start them off. They are also susceptible to reacts toward meds. Prazi is usually fine, and gc contains prazi and metro: so there is usually no issues there. Ick x contains formaldehyde which I would never expose to my fish. I don't know EL is, puffers are one species where treatments hzve to be carefully considered.
 

Justin_Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Messages
118
Reaction score
92
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve had to force feed them in the past. I find foods like chunks of tiger prawn or squid good because it’s a little less messy. I’d basically rub it in their lips and gently push into their mouth until they bite. It can be a lot of work but eventually they’ll eat and never stop eating lol
 

garbled

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 10, 2018
Messages
772
Reaction score
1,044
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've had to forcefeed a porcupine with lockjaw. Basically I would use a syringe to blast the ground up food in past his teeth. I think I was just using mysis at that point.
 

ReefHog

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
Messages
868
Reaction score
636
Location
Chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’d hold off on the GC for now. Keep an eye on ammonia with all that uneaten food in the tank. I’d vacuum all that uneaten food. I would use tweezers to entice him to eat krill, shrimp or squid. When he bites it shake it and don’t let go right away. This is the best way to feed them and way less messy. If he doesn’t eat then pull the food and try again in a few hours.
 

groydollar

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 14, 2021
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Bluffton SC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
mine devours frozen krill. I just defrost it for 5 minutes and drop them in one at a time. He eats 2 or 3 twice a day.
 

lion king

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
6,797
Reaction score
8,649
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
mine devours frozen krill. I just defrost it for 5 minutes and drop them in one at a time. He eats 2 or 3 twice a day.

Just a heads up, krill contains a large amount of thiaminese, which binds vit B1. Puffers seem to be susceptible at developing lockjaw after a year or two if krill is a dominant part of their diet.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 38 47.5%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 42 52.5%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 16 20.0%
  • None.

    Votes: 21 26.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 8 10.0%
Back
Top