Can a Puffer Eat Itself to Death?

[livinlifeinBKK]

Hi everyone, I have a small porcupine puffer who happens to be a picky eater...I feed him frozen, uncooked, unseasoned shrimp and he loves it. Yesterday though, when I was done feeding him I noticed his stomach was bulging and today he seems really sluggish with a still bulging stomach. Will he be ok? I'll definitely be limiting how much I feed him in the future. BTW, he also ate one of the shrimp's tails. Do you think that could harm his digestive tract in any way?
Thanks!

 

[Staghorn]

I don’t think the shrimp tail should hurt him I know someone that has a puffer that will only eat live crabs and even though he misses a lot of parts a lot of those shells go down

 

[BeltedCoyote]

I’m no expert. So take this worth a grain of salt.

my guess is your puffer is just stuffed. In the wild just about every animal, terrestrial or aquatic, is used to a famine feast sort of feeding schedule. In other words some food here or there, maybe. The occasional feast and then time without a huge meal. I’m guessing your guy just needs time to digest.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I’m no expert. So take this worth a grain of salt.

my guess is your puffer is just stuffed. In the wild just about every animal, terrestrial or aquatic, is used to a famine feast sort of feeding schedule. In other words some food here or there, maybe. The occasional feast and then time without a huge meal. I’m guessing your guy just needs time to digest

I’m no expert. So take this worth a grain of salt.

my guess is your puffer is just stuffed. In the wild just about every animal, terrestrial or aquatic, is used to a famine feast sort of feeding schedule. In other words some food here or there, maybe. The occasional feast and then time without a huge meal. I’m guessing your guy just needs time to digest.

He didn't eat anything the day before and he just started eating (he's new to the tank) several days ago

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Un seasond shrimp

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I don’t think the shrimp tail should hurt him I know someone that has a puffer that will only eat live crabs and even though he misses a lot of parts a lot of those shells go down

I wouldn't think so either because he would probably be eating the whole shrimp in nature

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Still going to say, your puffer stuffed himself since he hadn’t eaten. He needs time to digest the meal. In the future smaller meals might be better, not that you did anything wrong. Nonetheless he ate, observe him for a few days. He had a big meal. He’s gotta have time to process it

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Still going to say, your puffer stuffed himself since he hadn’t eaten. He needs time to digest the meal. In the future smaller meals might be better, not that you did anything wrong. Nonetheless he ate, observe him for a few days. He had a big meal. He’s gotta have time to process it

Good idea

 

[Staghorn]

Any other fish or inverts missing?