Feeding advise for a finicky Guinea Fowl Puffer

[diane4]

I have a 10" FG puffer that seems to have eaten almost anything at the pet shop and with me, he is finicky.
I have offered him crayfish, silversides, scallops and raw shrimp. He tastes them and doesn't seem to interested. The only thing he seems to want to eat are dried krill.
He is in a 120 gallon tank with a picasso trigger. The trigger eats anyting that hits the water. And when I feed them, I make sure that the puffer has an ample chance to take food.
My other tank that has a dog face puffer - he will only eat raw shrimp.
Am I making my fish neurotic or is it just them.
I only have the GF puffer and trigger about 3 weeks. The trigger, as I mentioned eats anything greedily. And the GF puffer ate well at first and now he doesn't seem to eat much. He always appears to be hungry. But doesn't eat much.
Do you have any ideas? Water params are good and I do bi-weekly water changes, tank is cycled.
What do you think. I am concerned because the krill is light weight and doesn't have much staying power in his tummy and I also want him to work his teeth.
I have put rinsed off cockles in his tank. I think the trigger is eating the meat out of them when they open, I don't think the puffer is eating them.
Is it possible that his teeth are too long and are bothering him? His teeth are longer than my DF puffers teeth.
I would appreciate your advise.

 

[promisetbg]

Is it possible he is getting harassed by the trigger or is intimidated by him? I have found that if I snap a small hole in the edge of the clam as I feed it, it helps to get them interested in it. If I just put it in whole, it just burrows into the sand. It is possible that he has intestinal parasites. I would read up on it. Alot of puffers do come in with them. What are the water parameters...saying they are good does not help. Include PO4 and alkalinity.

 

[diane4]

Wow promisetbg - never thought of a possible intestinal parasite. How would I know if he has one and if so, how can I treat it?
It is also possible that they are developing a case of ich. I don't see it, but they are scratching themselves a little.
I know all about the hypo treatment for ich, have done it sucessfully before, thanks to Beth and this forum of friends.
But, never encountered intestinal parasites. He does look like his anus is pushing out a little and I believe you might be on the money in being correct.
How would I treat him for belly parasites. How do they get intestinal parasites and I wonder why they come in with them? Is it possible that freshwater ich or parasite existed on a freshwater cray fish I fed him?
I didn't find much information on this site about intestinal parasites, can you please help me with more info? Thanks a bunch.

 

[promisetbg]

I looked into it when I had a sick cowfish. It's been awhile back. Let me do some research on it and I will get back to you. Can you add your e-mail address in so I can hook you with some articles as I find them? I will let you know when I getthe e-mail add..then come back and delete it so it's not left posted on the net.

 

[diane4]

Thank you promisetbg. I appreciate it.
I think on top of whatever he has troubling him on the inside, he also looks like he has the beginnings of ick. I have ordered a new membrane for my R/O machine - I have burnt it out from use and the flow rate is slow. For now, I put in a dose of kick ich and I will try that every other day until I can get a membrane replacement to begin making up R/O water to begin lowering the salt to get into hypo.
Also, when he was pooping tonight, it looked like the dried krill he does eat is coming back out the same color and texture of how it goes in. Just not in the same shape. I wonder if that is normal or is he getting the nutrient from the krill.
I think he has very early ich because I see a couple white spots on his eye.
Would the hyposalinity treatment kill off any internal parasites if he has any? And if a fish does have ich, is ich only an iritant to the fish on the outside or does it bother them on the inside too?
Sorry for so many questions, but I love my guy and I want to do what is best for him. I only have him about 3 weeks now.
Hyposalinity is a chore, but it is a sure thing that works.
Thanks again for your help promisetbg - I would appreciate any info you have. My email is darend44@comcast.net. Thanks.

 

[diane4]

bump

 

[promisetbg]

Ok..got the e-mail. I did'nt realize you had just gotten him. Kick-ich does'nt have copper in it does it? What makes you think he has ich..is he scratching? This year there has been a high number of flukes coming in on fish..this would be another possibility. I will contact you. Oh duh..I see it now,you said you only had him three weeks.