Porc Puffer hasnt eaten in a week.

[ballzee]

Ok, I am a little worried. My puffer hasn't eaten in a week. He still swims but mostly lounges around like he has no energy.
135 Gallon, 200 gallon Wet/Dry, UV Steralizer, 3 " Live sand.
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 60 - 70, I have been working on bringing this down with water changes and adding live sand slowly.
Aquarium has a miniatus grouper and 2 small damsels.
Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?
How long does a UV bulb last?

 

[fish boy]

did you just get the puffer or have you had him? what are you feeding him?

 

[musipilot]

Puffers are tempermental, and non-feeding is a sign of stress or poor health. Double check your water quality, and watch the tank for extended periods to make sure no one is picking on him. Also check his skin for signs of ich, and for white patches indicating a fungal infection. These are very hardy fish, and will probably come back from whatever is haunting him, but check for any abnormalities that you may be able to help with.

 

[ballzee]

There is nothing messing with him/it. I have been battling Nitrates for weeks now but all other parameters are normal.
I have had the fish for almost a year. He looks perfect. No spots or splotches.
I am just concerned about the not eating. How long can it go without food?

 

[grouperhead]

How big is he? A week is nothing for fish. I'm sure they can go much longer without food. Try all different types of food. Try krill, squid, shrimp, clam, prime reef, silversides, etc. Try feeding morning, noon, and night. Get a feeder stick and impale a piece of krill on it. Then gently place it by his face. If you think it is getting bad, try some live ghost shrimp. I have never seen a puffer (or trigger for that matter) refuse them. Hope he starts eating soon. Bo

 

[fish head7]

I seem to have exactly the same problem. My puffer has not eaten in at least 4 days, and maybe only a few bites at a time for the last couple of weeks. He does swim around, but not much. Mostly he is being lazy and just sits in the corner. He is about 6 years old, 10", and has a 55 all to himself. I've been battling ph problems for about the last year, but I've been adding ph stabilizer to keep it up to level. Everything else in the tank is fine.
I've been very worried about him, also. I feed him krill. It's the only food he will touch. Very spoiled! But now, he doesn't even want that anymore.
I'd greatly appreciate any more suggestions that anyone has.

 

[sistrmary]

I wish mine would stop eating lol It never fills up...it will eat until it can barely swim. (And no, I'm not an abusive fish owner, I'm just trying to get the other fish some food too lol)

 

[leopardshark]

ok one big problem about the nitrates is that when they are high the phosphates sky rocket. all puffers hate phosphates. what i would do is a 25 percent water change weekly but with reverse osmosis water. keep your salinity like at 1.020 that will allow more oxygen into his swim bladder and should start swimming more. are all of his fins out? puffers have the luxury of tucking in their fins but they usually do that when they are sick.anyways try putting ghost shrimp in the tank i think someone else mentioned that before another thing is try live brine shrimp only a little because brine shrimp is like us eating pure fat. hope you guys get them to start eating.