Juvenile Porcupine Puffer Help

[Leanna2992]

I just got a young puffer (he is roughly 3 inches long), and I am having a rough time getting him to eat. The LFS said they were feeding him clams (I found it a little hard to believe since his mouth is so tiny).

I tried numerous different things: clams, crab, crawfish, and squid. All regular and soaked in garlic.

Overall he is doing fine currently, but I want to get ahead of the issue before it’s too late.

 

[tzabor10]

Acclimation can be a struggle. Who are the tank mates?

 

[guppygoliath]

Krill is like crack to them. Only to get started. Not a long term solution.

 

[littlefoxx]

Tank size? Tank mates? @AydenLincoln is good with PPs

 

[AydenLincoln]

It’s not unusual for them to stop eating/revert back to eating only live foods when they are stressed and moved to a new environment. I recommend feeding live foods to get a feeding response such as live ghost shrimp, small crabs, etc. if that doesn’t work then I would treat for a parasitic infection especially if they are super skinny.

 

[Leanna2992]

Acclimation can be a struggle. Who are the tank mates

Two juvenile tangs (hippo and purple) (they are very mellow and stay just in their rock area, Diamond goby, engineer goby, and a long nose butterfly.

 

[Leanna2992]

Two juvenile tangs (hippo and purple) (they are very mellow and stay just in their rock area, Diamond goby, engineer goby, and a long nose butterfly.

In this tank all his mates are very reserved, my most active is my Diamond.

 

[littlefoxx]

I recently got a baby PP and he was scared of my tangs at first but when he got confident he started going after food

 

[LPS Bum]

You might need to try some live ghost shrimp to elicit a feeding response. I’ve never had a Porc not go for them.

After he starts eating you can feed small pieces of raw shrimp. My Porc also loves nori.

 

[Leanna2992]

It’s not unusual for them to stop eating/revert back to eating only live foods when they are stressed and moved to a new environment. I recommend feeding live foods to get a feeding response such as live ghost shrimp, small crabs, etc. if that doesn’t work then I would treat for a parasitic infection especially if they are super skinny.

I am treating just incase. I am struggling finding ghost shrimp or small crabs (things similar to that) online. Where I live we don’t have stores that carry those things readily.

Looking online the only sites I am coming across are ones I am not familiar with at all. Any suggestions of who to buy from?

 

[AydenLincoln]

I am treating just incase. I am struggling finding ghost shrimp or small crabs (things similar to that) online. Where I live we don’t have stores that carry those things readily.

Looking online the only sites I am coming across are ones I am not familiar with at all. Any suggestions of who to buy from?

Do you have a Petco near you with a fish section? You should be able to find ghost shrimp or crawfish even if freshwater that’s okay to get a feeding response. If they have a saltwater section they usually sell small emerald or fiddler crabs as well. You can also do brine shrimp they will be small but if culture your own you can let them grow. Salty Bottom Reef Co. or eBay. Also you can go to a freshwater fish store or Petsmart for the ghost shrimp. Although they are a different species they can eat them.

 

[Tabitha20634]

I just got a young puffer (he is roughly 3 inches long), and I am having a rough time getting him to eat. The LFS said they were feeding him clams (I found it a little hard to believe since his mouth is so tiny).

I tried numerous different things: clams, crab, crawfish, and squid. All regular and soaked in garlic.

Overall he is doing fine currently, but I want to get ahead of the issue before it’s too late.

mine hates garlic and krill try mysis mine is about your size and he loves it the guy at WWC told me to throw them in frozen so he can get that crunch until big enough for the clams

 

[Naekuh]

I am treating just incase. I am struggling finding ghost shrimp or small crabs (things similar to that) online. Where I live we don’t have stores that carry those things readily.

Looking online the only sites I am coming across are ones I am not familiar with at all. Any suggestions of who to buy from?

ghost shrimp is sold at almost any lfs....
Its typically freshwater shrimp, that live long enough in salt water to get eaten.
Try calling around LFS and see who has them in stock.
It doesn't need to be a salt water store, freshwater stores also stock ghost shrimp.