Dogface Puffer won't eat?

wooody_1

wooody_1

New Member
I have tried just about everything, Krill-squid-silver side-- I went today and bought some clam -- I am out of options ,,He seems healthy, just not as aggresive as when I first got him. He would eat out of my hands and loved squid & krill.... He maybe feeding at night , but I haven't seen any feeding from him in over a month???? Any suggestions???
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Check his teeth. They grow rapidly in the wild as they are constantly eating hard shelled foods. Once their teeth become overgrown, they can no longer eat.
If this is the case, you may have to perform puffer dentistry. Do a google search on puffer dentistry if you find this to be the case.
Normally a gradual eating decrease occurs to the point they stop eating totally.
I have posted the info on the dentistry here in the past so you may be able to pull it up doing a search on this site./boards
best of luck
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
You could be having a water quality issue as well. I would double check your pH, kH, nitrates, and specific gravity.
 
wooody_1

wooody_1

New Member
Tropleshied the Garlic, with no luck-- His teeth do not look any larger than when I 1st got him?? He used to show them to me constantly....... :help:
 
boozzbro

boozzbro

Member
mine porcupine wouldnt eat unitl i put some gut loaded ghost shrimp in the tank. after that hes been a pig.
so i agree live food works well
 
cgrant

cgrant

Active Member
my puffers are pigs, all they do is eat!
what are your params?
If the beak has grown too big for eating you will need to do the dentistry already mentioned, also put some dried hard coral in the tank, my puffers chew on the pieces i have in my tank all the time, my 9" golden puffer will even sometimes chew on my flatter pieces of LR
 
diane4

diane4

Member
My dogface and my GF puffers, are both finicky. They both love live crayfish, but they are out of season. My GF puffer will eat freeze dried kirll and my DF puffer will eat raw shrimp.
Try some mysis shrimp cubes.
My guys are VERY fussy.
 
swlover

swlover

Member
Originally Posted by boozzbro
mine porcupine wouldnt eat unitl i put some gut loaded ghost shrimp in the tank. after that hes been a pig.
so i agree live food works well
Sorry for Hijacking but I gotta know..What are gut loaded ghost shrimp?
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Gut-loaded ghost shrimp are shrimp that are fed something nutritious before being fed to the animal you are giving them to. This way, the animal you are feeding the shrimp to get this nutritious meal as well.
 
swlover

swlover

Member
Ok, cool..my LFS has ghost shrimp. Do other fish eat these? I was thinking of getting some for my jawfish and clowns, will they eat them?
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
The jawfish may eat them, the clowns probably will not (depending on the species). My maroon used to go after them, but false percs probably will not.
 
swlover

swlover

Member
Thanks..they'er cheap enough, $1.99 for a dozen so if they don't my FW angle & puffer will..they eat anything.
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Not to hijack, but you ought to post some pics in the aquarium forum of the freshwater tank. I always like seeing nice pics of freshwater angels and puffers.
 
wooody_1

wooody_1

New Member
Well still no luck on getting him to eat, he is really looking skinny, I am thinking about putting him a quar. Tank for a while . He has no signs of any problem besides not eating... I have checked into the live shrimp to let roam, but my local fish store does not carry.
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Originally Posted by wooody_1
Well still no luck on getting him to eat, he is really looking skinny, I am thinking about putting him a quar. Tank for a while . He has no signs of any problem besides not eating... I have checked into the live shrimp to let roam, but my local fish store does not carry.
Do a google serch on force feeding puffers. You will find instructions on another site.
 
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