I have a sick puffer..

Dastins · Jun 4, 2016

Not eating, stays at the bottom. Water levels are fine. Could he have been stung by my long spine urchine on accident? If so will he recover. Three days ago he was fast and happy now he won't touch food and is starving to death. Help please.

cowboy · Jun 4, 2016

With my dog face he has his spells to where he will go 3-5 days without eating. And do you have any other pictures his coloration do sent look like he's stressed in the picture you provided.

Dastins · Jun 4, 2016

No other pictures right now, sorry. Does yours just stay along the bottom? Mine has a tendency to pout. That seemed to be what he was doing for the first couple of days but he is not eating at all.

cowboy · Jun 4, 2016

How long have you had him and what have you tried to feed him.

Dastins · Jun 4, 2016

Two months, he eats frozen misis.

Shep · Jun 4, 2016

[HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG]

cowboy · Jun 4, 2016

Have you fed him anything else at all clam on a half shell squid anything really.

Sabellafella · Jun 4, 2016

Aw that picture just made me sad lol. Yea they sometimes get a little upset for a few days, has he ben puffed up?

Dastins · Jun 4, 2016

I have hand feed him misis since I got him. He will literally wait for me to put a dropper in the tank and latch on it like a bottle. He's never puffed up. Other tank mates are a volitan lion fish, long spine black urchine and five mono fish.. and the usual cUc.

cowboy · Jun 4, 2016

@Sabellafella mentioned the pic does look like he's been puffed up that's why I was asking for another pic.

Untamedrose · Jun 4, 2016

Id try some other foods.... live ghost shrimp or frozen(thawed) chucks of shrimp..

Dastins · Jun 4, 2016

I've put ghost shrimp in on occasion for the lion fish, he's had a few.

cowboy · Jun 5, 2016

Now that picture looks a lot better he does look like he has puffed up. But I would recommend backing off of the shrimp or at least vitamin load it try switching up his food. I have dealt with triggers that have only been fed shrimp for month and the develop a vitamin deficiency. I haven't seen it in a puffer before but in the triggers they get lethargic and seems like lock jaw.

melypr1985 · Jun 5, 2016

I've gotten puffers that are on a food strike to eat by feeding gulf coast shrimp from the grocery store. I hold them in the tongs and wiggle it even after they start munching down. I've even played "tug of war" with a spiny box puffer which only fueled his eating response. Now he eats anything I put in the tank including our hands (well one person's finger which is fine now).

Dastins · Jun 5, 2016

He gives me kisses when I put my fingers in the tank then he will actually roll over until I pet his tummy. Quite the personality with this one.

Humblefish · Jun 5, 2016

I've got a Dogface in holding right now (Petco rescue fish) who will only eat PE Mysis and FW glass snails.

cowboy · Jun 6, 2016

Just curious how's the puffer doing hope all is well.

Dastins · Jun 6, 2016

Alas Bartelby went to the big fish tank in the sky today. Thanks for the advice and support. In the end he had a discolored spot on his side about the size of a quarter. I think he may have eaten something in the tank that made him sick.