I have a guineafowl puffer that has been in my tank for about a year. He's housed with a 3" clown trigger and a 4" powder blue tang. The tank is 125 gallons. I usually feed the fish once a day and vary the meal from clams to krill to other shrimp (I alternate one of the three). I would supplement that 3-4 times a week with marine algae (seaweed selects). The puffer is really overweight and I decided to cut back on the amount that I was feeding the fish. Now, the puffer has become aggressive and is often chasing after the trigger trying to eat him. He chases and lunges with his mouth open. I've seen the rear fins on the trigger a little shorter lately and it's becoming more frequent now. It was just happening when I fed them, now it is at random. Before I cut down his meals, they all lived in harmony and I had no problems. I am most worried about the puffer getting too fat (he looks like a baseball with eyes and fins), water quality and the trigger becoming a meal someday. Any suggestions?
Puffer Gone Mad
- Thread starter dough01
- Start date
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A fat fish is not necessarily a properly fed fish, nor does it mean the fish is healthy.
Getting a fish to loose weight is not a matter of withholding food from it, but by providing foods it should be eating, with the proper combinations and balance of the primary constituents.
Withholding food now makes the fish think that the once plentiful resources are limited. To increase its share of resources, it simply must eliminate the competition. Mother Nature is very clear on such scenarios. If the fish has gotten noticeably larger in your care, then add to this scenario the perspective that the limited resources is not allowing the fish to continue to grow. If the fish has not put on at least 2" in length (if young) or 1" in length (if older & over 12 inches) since you acquired it, then for sure the fish is not being nourished properly.
This particular Puffer (Arothron meleagris) grows to over 20" in captivity. You didn't mention if it was in its yellow or polka-dot stage, however this fish needs space, BIG time. They are a very heavy, thick-bodied kind of fish.
I believe the fish may be offered (food) too little and/or too frequently. These kinds of fish (if older) should be fed two or three times a week, fairly large meals of a greater variety than you have listed. For all tense and purposes, the krill and shrimp are equivalent, so this fish is getting two kinds of food. You also did not mention providing any vitamin and fat supplements. With this diet, I'm unsure the fish is being properly nourished.
Are the clams keeping its teeth ground down? or are you additionally giving it or prepared to give it some help with that?
Getting a fish to loose weight is not a matter of withholding food from it, but by providing foods it should be eating, with the proper combinations and balance of the primary constituents.
Withholding food now makes the fish think that the once plentiful resources are limited. To increase its share of resources, it simply must eliminate the competition. Mother Nature is very clear on such scenarios. If the fish has gotten noticeably larger in your care, then add to this scenario the perspective that the limited resources is not allowing the fish to continue to grow. If the fish has not put on at least 2" in length (if young) or 1" in length (if older & over 12 inches) since you acquired it, then for sure the fish is not being nourished properly.
This particular Puffer (Arothron meleagris) grows to over 20" in captivity. You didn't mention if it was in its yellow or polka-dot stage, however this fish needs space, BIG time. They are a very heavy, thick-bodied kind of fish.
I believe the fish may be offered (food) too little and/or too frequently. These kinds of fish (if older) should be fed two or three times a week, fairly large meals of a greater variety than you have listed. For all tense and purposes, the krill and shrimp are equivalent, so this fish is getting two kinds of food. You also did not mention providing any vitamin and fat supplements. With this diet, I'm unsure the fish is being properly nourished.
Are the clams keeping its teeth ground down? or are you additionally giving it or prepared to give it some help with that?
