blue spotted puffer

[clowntriggerfis]

I got a blue spotted puffer on Wednesday and my pcs told me he was eating mysis shrimp and he ate them the first to times I fed him then just started showing no interest in them. What should I try to get him to eat with? Last night he was in the corner of my tank and was not mwoving and when I got up this morning he was in the same spot. Is this a problem or is he just doing it because he feels like it. He is alive he looks around still but does not move from the spot. Thanks

 

[clowntriggerfis]

Ironic right after I post this I look back at him and he is swimming around.

 

[rssjsb]

Is this a toby or a meleagris? I've seen both referred to as "blue spotted" puffers.

Puffers can sulk when acclimating, so I think the behavior you've seen is not unusual.

Every puffer I've ever had has eaten meaty foods like shrimp, squid, scallop, etc. as well as nori.

 

[fish042099]

Feed meaty foods, like clams and krill. Does he have any small white spots that look like sand, is he breathing heavily, scratching on the substrate, or does he have cloudy eyes? Puffers get ich easily, and those are all symptoms.

 

[fish042099]

I had a porcupine puffer who had ich. He just sat on the bottom of the tank and didn't move from that spot. The only reason I bring this up is because this is similar to your experience.

 

[rssjsb]

On the other hand, puffers just do this sometimes. I wouldn't be unduly alarmed if you don't see any of the other signs of disease.

 

[clowntriggerfis]

Thanks and I am pretty sure he is a tobly will post picks later.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have a Canthigaster papua, which I am guessing is the same one you are talking about. For the first couple of days (( even up to a week )) it acted like a little baby. It would hide if I came near the tank, and would only pick at the food that went behind the rocks.

Now, 3 months later, it is very bold, eats whatever I put in the tank, and even tries to eat my fingers -- my fault for hand feeding it.

Lastly, it still gets scared of the mag float -- whenever I use it, the fish will go to its hiding spot and get a molted color to blend in better to the rock work.

 

[clowntriggerfis]

Toddrtrex mine is a solandri not a papua.
I was wondering if it is possible to keep several dwarf puffers together because I would like to get more if possible. He does not look like he has any desises. Will clams on the half work? Can I use shrimp and other seafood from the grocery store work?

 

[clowntriggerfis]

I posted pics on my thread titled "My fowlr"

 

[Kin pla]

Try clams, shrimp, squid, crab bits... I have 3 puffers currently and they get moody every once in a while and won't eat for a few days... It's not uncommon for them to pick a spot and sit for hours at a time just looking around, I wouldn't worry to much

 

[Khemul]

Tobies generally do okay together in the same tank.

Papua and Solandri are rather similar. They sometimes even get mislabeled as each other.



The main thing with any puffer species is they have strong personalities and quite a range. Some personalities are simply more prone to tantrums then others. Some are more picky with eating then others. My Valentini will eat anything from flakes to mussels. My Hawaiian Spotted (got rid of when it moved on to coral eating, then ripped the fins off my Engineer Gobies) would only eat prawn or mussels. Whole prawn and mussels are usually universally accepted. Mysis I'd expect only for the less-picky personalities. The picky personalities prefer to bite off pieces of food, rather then eat it whole.


I have to wonder though. You said it stayed in one spot at night and was still there in the morning. Are you sure it wasn't sleeping? That is how tobies rest. They stick themselves to a rock and spend the night there. Their eyes will remain open and they'll take notice of things around them but they won't respond unless threatened.

 

[clowntriggerfis]

Yes it was sleeping figured that out after observing him at night some more.

 

[Khemul]

Yeah it can be quite weird at first. Especially if you get one that likes to sleep on the bottom of rocks, hanging upside down. :lmao:

 

[clowntriggerfis]

Mine is gettin close sleeping side ways on rocks.:lmao: