puffer feeding question

cdubbs

cdubbs

Member
I just got my 7inch black dogface yestarday and tried to feed him some silversides today but he wanted nothing to do with it. I know its nothing to be worried about since he is still getting use to the tank but i was just wondering how long it should take before i should get worried. I have had a porc puffer die on me because it was stressed out in my tank and wouldnt eat so im hoping the more agressive and larger dogface doesnt have this problem. Any words of advice? Thanks
 
jbillens

jbillens

Member
Mine didnt eat for about a week. Finally I got him to eat freeze dried krill...And i have heard that raw shrimp from the seafood store works well. I feel your pain as he will not eat. It scared the crap out of me.
 
cdubbs

cdubbs

Member
ok thanks jb. i tried silversides again today but he swims away from them when i put them on the feeding stick. i got some krill so ill try that too and if not ill get some raw shrimp. ill keep u updated
 
aw2

aw2

Active Member
Switch to krill or shell on shrimp, from the grocery store (but make sure they're wild caught).
Silversides are really not nutritious and should mostly be avoided.
It's not uncommon for Puffers not to eat for a few days to a week, after being introduced into a new tank. If he's 7", he can go a while without eating and he'll come around.
Good luck with him!
 
aw2

aw2

Active Member
Once he becomes acclimated to eating, you can also switch it up and feed octo and squid.
The shell on shrimp is good as the shell will help wear down their beak, which is ever growing.
Depending on where you live, you can also find saltwater crabs and toss those in, every once in a whilev.
 
aw2

aw2

Active Member
Originally Posted by CDubbs
yeah i see he bites at the LR alot, thats for his beak right?

That's right.
 
G

gtdarock

Guest
Hi. I just bought a black dogface too, in BKLYN,NY. But he is not eating, any suggestions-?
 
rumrunner

rumrunner

Member
From what I understand dogface puffers are not piscavores (fish eating) typically. They eat primarily crustaceans and also some algae.
 
jhov2324

jhov2324

Member
I've been feeding my dogface puffer Prawn, Silversides, Krill, and Mysis Shrimp, they will not eat for about a week, all mine did was surf the powerhead, at first I used to feed him minows, but FW fish aren't good for SW fish and it also makes them aggresive, hey GTDARock, i'm from BK too, what's good you know of any good lfs around the way
 
G

gtdarock

Guest
The only good LFS I know in BK IS 1000 ISLAND AQUARIUM located on Utica ave. My puffer is about 7 in, and he didn't eat anything for about a week, should I be worried-?
 
cdubbs

cdubbs

Member
i get most of my stuff from 1000 islands..there are a few more that i use as well..if u want to know some others let me know and ill mmake a list of a few i use
 
G

gtdarock

Guest
Ok great, i'll take the other locations. My black puffer from 1000 Islands is still not eating. I got him last Tuesday,and he still not eating. Did yours eat at the pet shop-? Or did it take a little time-? If so what is he eating-? He wasn't eating at 1000 Island, but the guy told me to take him, so he might adjust better in my tank. So I took him and tried blood worms,mysis shrimp,krill and brine shrimp, but he didn't eating anything.Then two days after I got him, he came down with a fungus in his mouth, causing him to keep his mouth closed, while I was treating him with medications, and he is recovering little by little. So do you think he will come around-? Or maybe I can feed him whatever you are feeding him. i am very worried, cuz its been a week already, and I don't want him to die on me, cuz I paid a lot f or him. Any help would be great, thanx a lot.
 
victoria

victoria

Member
I got mine (a banded) because I fell in love with him, I have a reef tank so not the best idea...So far I've been lucky...
He wouldn't eat at all for a while when I got him, I went to a bait shop and got 5 small live shrimp (still very large for him) and strapped them down to a rock with a rubberband. My puffer went nuts, he loved it, the larger of those shrimp are still living in my tank, too big for my little puffer to handle. After I got him eating I went to a local aquarium store and bought the small live fresh water shrimp, that was a pain because they died so quickly...
It was worth it though because within a week he was completely happy with large frozen Mysis shrimp with his tank mate and has ate well since.
Hope this helps..
 
jhov2324

jhov2324

Member
Well I think the lfs sold you a sick puffer, have you tried feeding it with a stick, put a piece of silver side or prawn on it, wiggle it in front of him he should eat it, after a week he should be hungry already, some people get clams from the fish store, and feed their puffers that, but if he's not going for silversides I don't know if he'll waist energy getting into a clam, try it if you want, you should just take him back if it's giving you all these problems, are your water levels ok, Here's mine Deogy. This pic is about two months old, he's a little bigger,
 
G

gtdarock

Guest
I guess the reason my puffer isn't eating, is because he is still sick. He still has that white cotton-stringy stuff coming out of his mouth. I am using PIMAFIX to help him.
 
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