Getting pea puffer to eat?

[confusedfishmom]

I've got a new pea puffer. He's a solo fish in a 10g established tank. He's very tiny, maybe a 1/2". I put him in the tank and kept lights out and no food for 24 hours. I tried frozen blood worms after 24 hrs, no luck. I tried again at 48 hours and still no luck. Any tips to help? I fed it through a turkey baster but he wasn't a fan. Should I give it more time or try a new approach? Any help appreciated.

 

[TMaier]

Snails. You need live snails. Live worms.

 

[Polycomb71]

TMaier is so right. These guys love munching on small snails, and are notoriously messy eaters. They need to keep their fused teeth worn down, as the teeth grow continuously. Snail shells help there a lot. I have a couple of them, but they eat frozen bloodworms and frozen daphnia as well. Maybe I got lucky. Is it a planted tank? They like plant cover and feel comfortable in it. Very interesting fish these.

 

[confusedfishmom]

I added some snails. I hope this will work. He's super skittish right now.

 

[Reygan2]

When I had mine years ago I had long tongs used for planting and I'd pick up a few bloodworms and dangle them in the puffers face. They eventually started eating them. I had tons of little pond snails in the tank as well, which they enjoyed. They don't actually have the continuously growing tooth like other puffers and they don't crack the snails shell, but they do manage to get the snail out and eat them. Cute little guys.

 

[confusedfishmom]

He is such a cutie. Very scared of everything. I don't have enough plants so I'm going to add some more tonight to try to help him feel more secure and help with water quality. I tried a turkey baster but the blast of water freaked him out a bit. lol I think tongs is a much better idea. I need to find some that are long but small. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Brookster123]

Mine are all extremely outgoing and eagerly accept frozen mini blood worms and brine shrimp. Not sure about needing snails to file teeth?? Mine eat snails anyways.

 

[nirbhao]

Mine will eat frozen blood worms but not frozen daphnia. Yours might be the other way around.

See if you can get some small ramshorns. Tiny.

I love our pea puffers. They are so cute. Adorable little vicious killers.

 

[confusedfishmom]

I dumped about 30 snails in the tank last night (mostly tiny ones) and I can only find 2 today. I can't imagine he ate them all but I'm hoping he ate some. How often do you feed these guys snails if that's all they will eat?

 

[Polycomb71]

Most are probably hiding under the substrate. Will come out after the lights are out. The snails multiply quickly. You may consider raising snails in a nano tank, and feed the puffers as needed, otherwise the main tank will soon look like a ?ocalypse.

 

[nirbhao]

I give ours two snails each every other day. I drop them in the heavily planted area so the puffers can hunt.

 

[confusedfishmom]

Most are probably hiding under the substrate. Will come out after the lights are out. The snails multiply quickly. You may consider raising snails in a nano tank, and feed the puffers as needed, otherwise the main tank will soon look like a [emoji222]ocalypse.

That's my big fear! Hoping I don't regret dumping them all in.

 

[nirbhao]

I'd be more concerned about boatloads of snails with only a bite removed.