I am going to KILL my porcupine puffer...

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I am contemplating getting a fiddler crab to try to get him to eat... I have him in with two Blue damsels and a rustic angel in a 55 and all the other fish have been eating really well especially since they get the goodies that the puffer doesnt eat. I used to have a spotted puffer back in high school 8 yrs ago that was a ferocious eater, no food ever hit the bottom of the fish tank....it would bite my fingers if I put them in the water...
 
Kinda stupid but I have heard some fish find the smell of bananas irresistable. Maybe since you have tried everything else you could try that. Use a very small piece and if he doesnt eat it make sure to pull it back out.
 
I just tried a worm and that didnt even phase him not one bit... god I dont know what the deal is he looks very healthy except for the lack of a gut... i just want him to be fat...maybe ill try a peice of banana tomorrow...BTW thanks for everyones help.....
 
HOLY S**T!!! Imagine my reaction when I get to my room to finally go to bed and just out of curiosity check to see hpw the ol bastard is doing and I find him munching on the mussel I cracked open for him yesterday...The puffer has been playing games with me the whole time!!! Apparently im the village idiot....who knew??? BTW thanks for the help yall my stress has been relieved and I can now sleep
 
Good deal! Generally i try and give new fish like a puffer a few days to adjust, especially a pork in a 55g as he's pry feeling like he's a prisoner. I wouldn't suggest feeding worms either as many have internal parasites taht are harmful to aquarium fish. Glad he's eating! Once they start they don't stop!
 
What about feeding crabs or those glass shrimp from the tide pools around Puget Sound? Those lil shrimp lived for about 3 days when I fed my mantis.
 
yeah ive thought about that for sure...i know a place online where you can get marsh crabs for like a dollar a peice i just havent ordered any yet...
 
The rock crabs from Alki did fine for a week in my window sill during the winter. The temp got up to about 60 and dropped to 50ish but all lived long enough to be fed to the shrimp ( a week and a half).

I had a dog face puffer for 5 yrs during college and that thing ate mostly thawed shrimp. Sometimes he feasted on cod/rock fish/ugly fish pieces from the sound. We didn't really know what we were doing though.
 
well I may have spoke too soon since the last time I caught him eating he has since not eaten again and I am beginning to worry since I have literally tried everything...I now have two live crabs burried somewhere in the substrate thank god its not a reef tank...when I dropped them in right in front of him he just looked but no eating...ive tried krill, silversides,clams, mussels,earthworms,live crabs,...nothing seems to work for him...I dont know what to do I got a niger trigger to try to spark a feeding frenzy but I havent had him for long so i guess ill play the waiting game...
 
hmm are you sure all your parameters are fine? MAYBE he was exposed to copper (just an idea for a last ditch effort...)

is there anything else as far as inverts living in there?
 
the tank is full of sponges and feather dusters are growing like weeds....I also have a bunch of hermit crabs and snails and like 4 heads of aptaisia that ned tending to when I set it up I only had one head...so the inverts arent struggling at all wich should mean the paramiters are good right???
 
Feeding

My puffer ate when he was in the store, got him home and he wouldnt eat what they gave him so i researched and went and bought shrimp in the store the none cooked stuff and i cut little pieces off and wiggle it in front of him and boom he is a Pig now hope this helps
 
is there a possibility that your puffer may have been collected using cyanide? may be the reason it's not eating. :cry:..just a thought...
 
i have no idea as far as now i will attempt to keep feeding him but no promises....even when I dangle food in front of him its like he is more afraid of me than he is interested in the food
 
Hey Artman....Pm me and I will give you a recipie for a Gel Based food that can get just about any finicky fish to eat.....aloha Les @ WPH
 
he is more afraid of me than he is interested in the food
Click to expand...

My spiny box puffer is the same way with my hand, but with a feeding stick he will eat readily. Deffinently worth a try if you haven't already.

-augustus
 
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