Porcupine puffer lost appetite

[Oliverw17]

Had my porcupine puffer since September last year and has been really gutsy eating a lot, now we are into longer daylight and warmer temperatures it seems as though he isn’t eating as much? And it’s been a couple days since he had a good feed? Any ideas? TIA

 

[Miller535]

Had my porcupine puffer since September last year and has been really gutsy eating a lot, now we are into longer daylight and warmer temperatures it seems as though he isn’t eating as much? And it’s been a couple days since he had a good feed? Any ideas? TIA

Does the puffer visibly look ok still? Also what have you been feeding it?

 

[Oliverw17]

Does the puffer visibly look ok still? Also what have you been feeding it?

Yes he visibly looks fine, he looks longer, don’t know if he is growing? I feed him a mix of food but mainly frozen shrimp, but sometimes mysis or flake

 

[Miller535]

Yes he visibly looks fine, he looks longer, don’t know if he is growing? I feed him a mix of food but mainly frozen shrimp, but sometimes mysis or flake

That could be at least part of your problem, while they will eat anything meaty, they should be eating hard things with shells. Like clams on a half shell. They have a beak that keeps growing and never stops. They need to wear the beak down or it will actually start harming them.

 

[Oliverw17]

That could be at least part of your problem, while they will eat anything meaty, they should be eating hard things with shells. Like clams on a half shell. They have a beak that keeps growing and never stops. They need to wear the beak down or it will actually start harming them.

I have tried cockles, he won’t touch them, whether on a shell or not. His beak looks fine, I am very aware of there beaks continually growing so I make an effort to get shelled shrimp and I’ve seen him biting the rock so, I don’t think his beak is a problem. Any other ideas? he has also had courses of prazi in the last 3 month and had copper treatment when he had ich when I first got him. So I believe he is parasite free? TIA

 

[Miller535]

I have tried cockles, he won’t touch them, whether on a shell or not. His beak looks fine, I am very aware of there beaks continually growing so I make an effort to get shelled shrimp and I’ve seen him biting the rock so, I don’t think his beak is a problem. Any other ideas? he has also had courses of prazi in the last 3 month and had copper treatment when he had ich when I first got him. So I believe he is parasite free? TIA

Shelled shrimp is not nearly hard enough. I have not had puffers for a while, but when I did, some took some enticing to eat things from shells. Sometimes you have to crack their shells a little.

As far as meds I really do not know. My understanding was that puffers in general do not handle meds well. @Big G would probably be able to answer that better then me though.

 

[Oliverw17]

Shelled shrimp is not nearly hard enough. I have not had puffers for a while, but when I did, some took some enticing to eat things from shells. Sometimes you have to crack their shells a little.

As far as meds I really do not know. My understanding was that puffers in general do not handle meds well. @Big G would probably be able to answer that better then me though.

Yeah I have tried multiple different ways to get him to eat cockles with no luck. How long would you leave a cockle in for cause I don’t like leaving food in for to long cause of nitrates

 

[Big G]

Mine always loved the frozen Hikari clams on the half shell. It was hilarious. It would run off with the clams paddling "puffer like" all around the tank trying to keep the other fish away from its prize. LOL

 

[Miller535]

Yeah I have tried multiple different ways to get him to eat cockles with no luck. How long would you leave a cockle in for cause I don’t like leaving food in for to long cause of nitrates

If they don't eat it within maybe 10 mins they are probably not going to. You may need to look for something else he likes

 

[lion king]

Let's hope there has been no damage caused by the copper treatment. So many times I see fish, especially certain species, and puffers being one of them, not handle exposure to copper well. Even when the fish seemingly handle the treatment well, they decline and stop eating after a while, sometimes as much as a year later. If this is the case there is nothing you can do.

Another cause could be a change in tank dynamics, any angst with another mate.

Clearing parasites from these guys is also a difficult task, being since last September I wouldn't lean that way. But that could also explain the loss of appetite. As far a treatment goes, prazi alone is not good enough. There needs to be metro in the treatment as well, general cure contains both prazi and metro.

 

[Oliverw17]

Let's hope there has been no damage caused by the copper treatment. So many times I see fish, especially certain species, and puffers being one of them, not handle exposure to copper well. Even when the fish seemingly handle the treatment well, they decline and stop eating after a while, sometimes as much as a year later. If this is the case there is nothing you can do.

Another cause could be a change in tank dynamics, any angst with another mate.

Clearing parasites from these guys is also a difficult task, being since last September I wouldn't lean that way. But that could also explain the loss of appetite. As far a treatment goes, prazi alone is not good enough. There needs to be metro in the treatment as well, general cure contains both prazi and metro.

he is the only fish in the tank So no aggravation there we did have a kole tang which died and since he has died his behaviour did change but not drastically. I work in the store we got him from and they did all the necessary quarantine on him in store, so I believe he is parasite free. I have ordered live brackish shrimp which he loves, they come tomorrow so hoping it may kickstart his appetite again? I am also trying to get squid or mussels but don’t know if I’ll have much luck. He doesn’t seem interested in feeding.

 

[Oliverw17]

If they don't eat it within maybe 10 mins they are probably not going to. You may need to look for something else he likes

Have you had any success with squid or mussels?

 

[Big G]

mussels

Yep. Loved mussels too.

 

[Miller535]

Have you had any success with squid or mussels?

Mussles yes, never tried squid.

 

[Miller535]

he is the only fish in the tank So no aggravation there we did have a kole tang which died and since he has died his behaviour did change but not drastically. I work in the store we got him from and they did all the necessary quarantine on him in store, so I believe he is parasite free. I have ordered live brackish shrimp which he loves, they come tomorrow so hoping it may kickstart his appetite again? I am also trying to get squid or mussels but don’t know if I’ll have much luck. He doesn’t seem interested in feeding.

Any idea what the tang died from? Maybe you are dealing with a disease.

 

[Oliverw17]

Any idea what the tang died from? Maybe you are dealing with a disease.

I believe it was tang disease. That was what my store diagnosed it as. That is why I had prazipro’d the tank and theirfore the puffer as well

 

[Oliverw17]

Any idea what the tang died from? Maybe you are dealing with a disease.

the puffer has recently done some arratic quick swims spontaneously so I don’t know what that is?

 

[lion king]

Live ghost shrimp to excite a feeding response is a good idea, but that may not address an underlying issue.

 

[Oliverw17]

Live ghost shrimp to excite a feeding response is a good idea, but that may not address an underlying issue.

So what do you suggest as a long term solution

 

[SandJ]

I believe it was tang disease. That was what my store diagnosed it as. That is why I had prazipro’d the tank and theirfore the puffer as well

What is tang disease?