need advice asap...puffer

[loopy]

I was not home most of the day, but the rainbow puffer wasn't swimming much last night, none this morning, and not at all tonight. He's hiding behind a rock and refusing food. No heavy breathing, just sitting at the bottom of the tank.
All perms are good as well as salinity and temp.
I don't know what to do......move him to 10 gallon hospital tank? Treat him with what? Any help will be greatly greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[dmc888]

Have you tried feeding it krill or shrimp.
I had to feed my valentini krill on a stick for a while.

 

[farslayer]

Puffers do this, they lay around, even wedging themselves between the glass and rocks or between rocks. I have a porcupine and a saddle and they're both goofy acting, had them for years. Watch him when the lights go out, see if he starts to move around at night. Otherwise, just give him some time, he'll probably come around.

 

[loopy]

Thanks for the advice.....I tried target feeding him tonight...think he may be eating a lot of the rock. I dunno. He is always 'hugging' that rock.........would be nice to see him now and then...lol, man, he cost enough....and he hides. I am guessing he's okay and will just keep an eye on him,
thanks again.

 

[farslayer]

Puffers can be very shy, don't worry about him though, he'll eat when he wants to. Just be calm and wait for him to start showing himself more often. My porcupine, Fluffy, took about a week before he would come out, now I see him all of the time. He hides when I'm not around, but when I come in the room and he sees me, he pops up and starts swimming around. I know it's just cause he associates me with food, but I like to think he really cares

 

[mbrands]

Loopy - how long has he been in your tank? My puffer hid and wouldn't come out to eat for at least a few days. Now he "comes running" as soon as I put food in the tank.

 

[ophiura]

I would still love to have an idea of what kind of puffer this is - I know it is a "rainbow" but I am not sure what that is - is it like a big one (dogface, porky) or a toby (valentini). Big puffers tend to behave very differently (indeed sitting around a lot) than tobies.

 

[loopy]

All I know is rainbow...I'll have to do a little research O.
I came home from work and he was swimming around...I target fed him and he gobbled it up. He is all over the tank now, not hugging 'his' rock..lol. I panicked too quickly, we got him monday night....I was afraid he was biting the dust. He seems very content now and is acting like a fish instead of a door stop!!!
Thank you everyone!!!!!!!! (Isn't it nice to have me gone all day and not posting alla the time???? lol)

 

[mbrands]

Loopy,
I know how you feel. I was positive that despite drip acclimating for 3 hours and putting him in the tank with the lights off that I killed my puffer. My wife had to help calm me down.

 

[loopy]

God created puffers to check our panic modes!