new porc puffer not eating

[purple lobster]

Hi, my new porc puffer is not eating. he seems to be ok since he does swim around but i've tried soaking silversides, and shrimp in garlic guard and he is just not interested. what can i do to get him to eat???

 

[drake94]

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...rcupine+puffer
I had this same problem. look at this it might help. However mine didn't turn out to well.

 

[purple lobster]

thanks drake,
I'll keep trying but do you think guppies are a good idea?
I use a nori clip but other fish get to it.

 

[jon321]

Ghost shrimp and mollies have worked for me in the past. As soon as it eats 'something' it should start eating anything. After just 2 mollies mine was basically jumping out of the water for food, so its not a long term food source by any means.
Jon

 

[purple lobster]

i'm guessing the mollies aren't live

 

[drake94]

I tried guppies but no luck. Puffers should really not eat freshwater fish unless its worst case scenario. The only bad part about the guppy thing is that sometimes once you feed a puffer a guppy thats the only thing it will eat(which will cause pre-mature death). If I were in this scenario again I would try every single food and use live fresh feeders LAST after you've done everything else. Was the porky eating while he was in the store?

 

[bkneeland]

mine wouldnt eat for a few days, finally got him to eat freeze dried krill. just let it float in the tank and he will find it or when he is at the top move it in front of him with your fingers.....soon he will be eating out of your hand

 

[purple lobster]

thanks for the tips, I hope he makes it. I bought him from swf.com

 

[drake94]

Hmm. Well thats a toss up. I personally have never bought any puffers from swf.com but when it comes to puffers I would go to a LFS to makes sure they're eating and such. People kept telling me be patient but keep trying! Good luck.

 

[kanicky]

Freshwater feeders will cause fatty liver disease in saltwater fish, so I agree that they should be your very last resort. Puffers can be SO picky, but just keep trying different things until you find something he/she likes.
I feed mine a mixture of mysis shrimp, Formula Two algae pellets, clams, raw shrimp, and freeze-dried krill. Puffers also like mussels, scallops, squid, etc., so try all of those first (I know, our fish eat better than we do!)
Also, try soaking the food in Garlic X-treme or something similar. Garlic can often entice picky eaters to eat.
Good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[jdecorse25]

If you see him blowing at the sand, that because he's looking for food. I would get some kind of mussel or something for him to find and pop open.

 

[kanicky]

I get half a dozen small-necked clams, put 'em in the freezer, and when it's time for a "treat," I'll thaw one out in warm water until it starts to open and you can see a little of the meat. Then I put the clam down on the sand in front of the tank and watch the feeding frenzy ensue.
Usually the crabs are the first to the clam, and as they start to pick at it, the fish get more curious by the second, and finally, they all join in on the feast.
Very cool sight to see!

 

[leftyblite]

My porc puffer didnt eat for several days when I first got him too. Finally I got him to eat some garlic soaked silversides and since then no problem. Every now and then he will go to where he refuses all food for a few days but then acts like a little pig again. Good luck.