blue spotted puffer

[dwint]

I received a four inch puffer in the mail and it is eating mysis but not clams or mussels.I had a porcupine puffer that died from not eating the right foods.I don't want this to happen so while it is young i want to start doing it right but how if he won't chew on hard stuff.I bought a hunk of rock from pet store but not interested.Also how long should i keep food out before it spikes my nitrates.I just did a huge water change and it's perfect.

 

[Sharkbait19]

How did the porcupine die? Not eating hard shelled foods won’t outright kill it, but would cause the beak to overgrow and keep the fish from eating.
You can try crushing up the clams to entice the puffer to eat and get used to them.

 

[dwint]

How did the porcupine die? Not eating hard shelled foods won’t outright kill it, but would cause the beak to overgrow and keep the fish from eating.
You can try crushing up the clams to entice the puffer to eat and get used to them.

i didn't know any better and only fed it mysis shrimp so he couldn't eat.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Would he not eat it or did the beak overgrow?

 

[dwint]

Would he not eat it or did the beak overgrow?

It was 10 years ago and the beak over grown.This one is eating clams but doesn't touch the shell.Atleast with the porcupine puffer they go to the top and eat shelled shrimp and everything i give it.I have two tanks and these two are seperated.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Gotcha - the smaller puffer may not be as willing to go for clams. I would try snails and frozen shrimp and see if it goes for them.

 

[dwint]

Gotcha - the smaller puffer may not be as willing to go for clams. I would try snails and frozen shrimp and see if it goes for them.

It's hard feeding this tank with the darn huma huma trigger.I was surprised that he didn't try to bully the other fish.Wellhe did and the foxface raised it's fins.Been trying everything ,if i could just get him to the top.Porcupines train easy compared to this fish.It's a pretty fish though.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Have you tried target feeding with tongs?

 

[dwint]

Have you tried target feeding with tongs?

not yet but that's how i feed my scorpion.Works good.

 

[Sharkbait19]

They are timid feeders at first so I would definitely try target feeding. As it becomes more accustomed to feeding you can try getting it to broadcast feed.