So I picked up a small spiny box puffer after searching for one local for 5 months. It did not eat at the lfs and honestly the only reason I wound up buying it was because it has been a long search as I generally will not buy a fish without seeing it eat. So far I have tried mysis, clams, and krill but no luck. Anyone keep one of these and have suggestions on foods to try out? Thanks
Spiny box puffer feeding .
- Thread starter Hondatek
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AlexG
Valuable Member
Spiny box puffers can be a bit more difficult to get eating. These fish sometimes do not adapt well to aquarium life. I would try fresh clams served on the shell. An alternative is to buy a small crayfish and remove the claws or live ghost shrimp. I have found that in some cases the offer of a live crayfish or ghost shrimp can sometimes trigger a feeding response in stubborn predatory fish. If it is a really small puffer you could also try live brine shrimp just to try and get the puffer eating. If the puffer excepts live food then start mixing in frozen food during feedings. I hope you are able to get your puffer eating.
I tried both types. I tried the supermarket ones I feed my fish in the dt first then tried the ones from the pet shop both in the shell. Live brine is a great idea I didn't even think of that and will work better than ghost shrimp since it's small. Ill give it another shot tomorrow then try the live stuff. He at least eyeballed the food today.
Well this was totally dumb luck but the lights switched off in the qt for the night so I stuck my arm in there to toss the clam in the trash and it swam up on me really quick. Figure maybe he wants to eat in darkness so I toss 3 jumbo mysis in there (only tried the cubed before) and he starting eating a bit. Of course it is a puffer so he keeps eating and spitting it out and then eating again but I am counting it as a win for now. I am going to guess these guys are more active at night. Lets see what happens tomorrow.
I would start with live ghost shrimp and treat for internal parasites. If you get him taking dead food quickly I would use your preferred method of treatment mixed in food. if he is in a qt and not eating dead food I would treat with general cure in the water column. These guys can live 2-3 months with internal parasites, then just stop eating, then just die. So please don't overlook the reason so many of these guys don;t make it, is because of internal parasites.
Got him to sample some frozen squid and brine yesterday but he kept spitting it out. The live brine worked well and he ate his fair share . Either going to feed the live every other day or every third day until he makes the switch.
chriscarper_21
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Hi just curious if you have a update on how the spiny box puffer is doing. I just picked up a spiny box puffer a few days ago. I have it eating live brine shrimp. But will not eat anything else.
Doughnutdevin
New Member
SOAK FOOD IN GARLIC I HAD THE SAME ISSUE ATE WITHIN AN HOUR
Mystoryman.330
New Member
I had 1 that hadn't eaten in a couple days after purchase. I ended up soaking a frozen shrimp in cut up garlic clove to thaw. (Also tossed a clove in the tank)Dropped pieces in front of him and he started smashing it! The second the clove itself hit the water it was like a different fish.
