puffer needs help !!!!

[peasly1]

I've kept this porq puffer for the last 2 yrs, acted and ate well.4-5 weeks ago it stopped eating but acted like it wanted to,after a few days of watching this I noticed when it tried to open its mouth it couldnt then it would open but the puff looked like it was freakin out like going into convulsions then would stop,then it started breathing heavy and lyin on bottom of the tank, 2 weeks later i treated (in a quarintine tank)w/ something from lfs ..(srry i cant remember what threw the pack out) for 6 days..the puff started to look a little better but still wont eat.. so a couple days ago i started treating w/ copper safe.. I dont know what to do and puff hasnt eaten in a long time.. water is all fine ....?

 

[peasly1]

any ideas.....?

 

[beth]

What have you been feeding him? How are his teeth? Are they adequately filed down?

 

[peasly1]

krill,clams and silversides, as for its teeth,im a little confused at the ? or how to know if they werent..

 

[beth]

Well, basically, puffers need a diet of hard-shelled foods in order to keep their peaky teeth filed down. Otherwise, the teeth grow to large and interfere with eating.
Clams that have been shelled I presume? Any hard shelled food items offered? How does his teeth look?

 

[peasly1]

i guess i cant really see its teeth, but i would hold the puff in my hand and try to force food in its mouth but it just wont open its mouth..

 

[beth]

Don't handle him! If he puffs you could do some real damage.
Can you post a picture up?

 

[peasly1]

puff is fine to be held, i know about them puffing up and i know that is bad, this fish has always let me (pet or hold it).. i will try to post a pic soon, ty

 

[beth]

Yes, see if you can get a pic of the teeth. Also, I'll copy this over to the Agressive Forum to see if you can get input from members who have specific exp with puffers.

 

[nickfish]

PUFFERS ARE NOT TO BE HANDLED! There skin contains a toxic substance even more toxic than cyanide! DO NOT TOUCH FOR YOUR LIFES SAKE!

 

[liontamer]

What you just said right there PROVES that you have no idea wat u r talking about. A puffers skin contains a very toxic posion that, wen INGESTED, can kill you. Do you know HOW this toxic poison is created? It certainly isnt just transmitted into you if you touch one, and the pines are out...those are actually quite soft. Did you KNOW that the toxin in the pufferfish is actually only found in certain regions of the body, and did you KNOW that this is actually a virus that the fish is not born with, but is actually something that they inherit through a development in their organs, and through evolution the puffers are bron with the immune systems to fight off and become immune to this toxin? OR, are you just going out on a whim and infroming somebody that you are POSITIVE that they will die when they tough this creature, because you know EXACTLY what you are talking about, cuz you are so well versed in the ways of this hobby. In the future, if you do not want an informational insult like this to happen to you again, dont answer a question or make a comment unless you are sure, in yer mind, that you are right, or else not only will u be embarassing yerself, but you may also be wrongly ifluencing and or informing new hobbyists to the wrong information.

 

[peasly1]

hhhmmm...ahhh,, well I've held this fish (in the water of course) for the last few yrs and well I'm still ok...I've always heard a puffer has toxin in its skin and can only be harmful if swallowed..?

 

[lilstrup]

unless ur fish took a bite out of the dead fish i don't no