Porcupine pufferfish question!

AydenLincoln · Feb 11, 2023

To those of you who have puffers or experience keeping them. How long after you got it did it take them to eat? And were they obsessed with chasing and looking at their reflection? I’m going to get some colored contact paper or vinyl to get rid of the shadow and hopefully stop the little guy from staring and chasing his reflection. I know he could still be getting used to the tank too…I’ve only had him for three days. One other question do they eat live mysis shrimp or do you think my little guy may enjoy them?

KrisReef · Feb 11, 2023

Get him some fresh clams, chopped and fed on the 1/2 shell. I’m pretty sure that it will eat the shell too?

Most importantly; have a straight talk with your fish. Tell it that you rescued it from the people at the lfs who pulled it out of the sea. You plan on providing an ever home and you hope that your fish will forgive the people that pulled it from the wild.
Let the fish know that you are not planning on eating it for dinner, but are only concerned for it’s well being and comfort. Also, it’s in qt, but the DT is much bigger and it will have other fish to be with once it has been treated for parasites, cavities, and bloating issues should they occur. Tell the fish that you love it and plan on feeding it good food going forward.

The fish will listen and if you follow through it will learn to trust you and relax in the new home, unless it is unable to adapt to fish tank life, but let it know that is not a good option, please thrive.

I have never had a fish not thrive once it decided too. Talk about it today. If the fish spits water after you are done, then feed it and remember; It’s a puffer. It may want a smoke?

lion king · Feb 11, 2023

You have to figure there is always an acclimation to captive living, so yeah the reflection thing is going to throw him. Porcs sometimes, maybe even many times, need live food to get an initial feeding response, I recommend live ghost shrimp. Once they get started they usually will take a variety of meaty foods. It's important to him eating right away to make sure they are healthy, puffers many times come in with internal parasites, and not eating is an indicator.

AydenLincoln · Feb 11, 2023

lion king said:
You have to figure there is always an acclimation to captive living, so yeah the reflection thing is going to throw him. Porcs sometimes, maybe even many times, need live food to get an initial feeding response, I recommend live ghost shrimp. Once they get started they usually will take a variety of meaty foods. It's important to him eating right away to make sure they are healthy, puffers many times come in with internal parasites, and not eating is an indicator.

Problem solved! He’s swimming in the front now and all over the tank! :star-struck:

AydenLincoln · Feb 18, 2023

KrisReef said:
Get him some fresh clams, chopped and fed on the 1/2 shell. I’m pretty sure that it will eat the shell too?

Most importantly; have a straight talk with your fish. Tell it that you rescued it from the people at the lfs who pulled it out of the sea. You plan on providing an ever home and you hope that your fish will forgive the people that pulled it from the wild.
Let the fish know that you are not planning on eating it for dinner, but are only concerned for it’s well being and comfort. Also, it’s in qt, but the DT is much bigger and it will have other fish to be with once it has been treated for parasites, cavities, and bloating issues should they occur. Tell the fish that you love it and plan on feeding it good food going forward.

The fish will listen and if you follow through it will learn to trust you and relax in the new home, unless it is unable to adapt to fish tank life, but let it know that is not a good option, please thrive.

I have never had a fish not thrive once it decided too. Talk about it today. If the fish spits water after you are done, then feed it and remember; It’s a puffer. It may want a smoke?

I got him to eat a live crab! Woohoo!