3rd day with porcupine puffer, still not eating!

drake94

drake94

Member
HELP! I do not know what to do. I got my porcupine puffer 3 days ago and he still is not eating and deathly afraid if any walks by the tank. In the middle of the night with the lights off he will swim freely, make grunting noises like he's hungry, and swim to the surface to look for food. I hear all these great stories about porcupine puffer and how active and lively they are, however mine won't eat, lays in the bottom corner of the tank, and is deathly afraid of anyone. All I have with him is a domino damsel, so it's not like he's being harassed by any other tank mates. I just need to know when this whole not eating issue should become a REAL problem. Again today is the third day and he wont eat and is SUPER shy! HELP....S.O.S.! Please reply.
Drake
 
v-lioness

v-lioness

Member
If your fish is active with lights out than try feeding when the lights are out, you can try chunks of scallops, raw shrimp, maybe a crab leg clipped in a nori clip and try greens such as nori. It will settle in eventually, just take baby steps with it.
Was it eating at the LFS?
Kaye
 
drake94

drake94

Member
Yes it was eating at the local fish store. I have been feeding him Krill. Its not that he doesn't enjoy Krill its just that he has absolutely no interest in food at all! When should I get worried?
 
thoroughbred

thoroughbred

Member
Get a couple of ghost shrimp. Live food should entice him alot more than dead stuff. If your parameters are all ok then he should eat so I'm thinking ghost shrimp is the best bet.
 
rslinger

rslinger

Member
Feed him in the middle of the night when it is completly dark. i had to do this with my new stars and stripes and after a couple weeks he got used to the lights.
 
drake94

drake94

Member
Originally Posted by Rslinger
Feed him in the middle of the night when it is completly dark. i had to do this with my new stars and stripes and after a couple weeks he got used to the lights.
I really think that might work. Because anytime I turn the light off he goes nuts. And they never had lights on the tank he was in at the LFS. So maybe its the lights. I just turned off the light and kept a dim light and shut the door in the room. I will try to feed him in an hour. Thanks Rslinger. I'll let you know if it works.
 
B

bkneeland

Guest
my porc took several days to eat, i tried brine and freeze dried krill. Finally after about 5 days, i saw him eat some brine, not much, but a little. I then put a piece of krill in the tank, it floated for a while and caught his attention and he ate it. After a few more days he was eating from my hand and after a few days of that, he wouldnt eat anything unless i was holding it and fed it to him.....just give him time, they are a great fish and loads of fun.
 
drake94

drake94

Member
Thank you guys so much. I was REALLY stressing. I know I couldn't fast for 3+ days. HAHA. I haven't tried feeding him yet but I'll try tonight. I'll either post tonight or tommorrow, so come back and see if he ate or not. Thanks again!
Drake
 
drake94

drake94

Member
Just tried to feed him with the whole "dark" method and no luck again. The food floated past him at least 3 times and he just let it go by. I've never seen such a picky fish! It's about to drive me nuts!
 
rslinger

rslinger

Member
does his stomach seem to be deflated at all, like sunken in. my star's a stripes got like that, he didn't eat for a few day either and i got him straight out the bag at a lfs. so who knows the last meal was before shipping there. Try the garlic and i would try right when i turn the lights off. or try some snails
 
rslinger

rslinger

Member
sorry but i think he will eat when he is used to his new area. if he goes a week i would try something live guppies gutloaded with something or another. Good luck don't give up and don't worry yourself to hard.
 
drake94

drake94

Member
I talked to my LFS and they said to come in tommorrow and get some live guppies to feed him. Is this a good idea?
 
dina12

dina12

Member
Please do not feed him guppies.....last resort only. My Porc. was very picky in the beginning too....is there anything in your tank that he may be eating when you aren't looking???
My Porc. is not very active during the day - he seems to hate the lights. At night - he is all over the tank. Just keep trying - he will eat. Maybe try a feeder stick - they like to "catch" thier food.
Good luck - they are the best fish
 
drake94

drake94

Member
I want to thank all of you for your help and input, however "Bob" the puffer passed this morning. I came in contact with the LFS that sold it to me. The guy told me a unknowledgeable guy that is the owners nephew works sundays, I pick up bob sunday. The puffer was sick, not eaten 4 days before I got him, and had ich. He was in a quartine tank I was unaware of and so was the unknowledgeable guy. So, I am dealing with the ich in my tank at the momment and starting over.
 
drake94

drake94

Member
I KNOW! I was very angry this morning. I felt like it was my fault and I did something wrong. I have been pretty distrot
 
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