Anorexic Figure 8 Puffer. Help!

[mattscheck4]

I have three Figure 8 puffers in my tank, and two have these big, round bellies, which is healthy for them. The third had one a while ago, but he's SO scrawny now! I've fed him flake food, blood worms (live and frozen), black worms, pellet food, etc.--I've tried a lot of different types of foods. His behavior seems unstressed aside from the whole "not eating" thing. Any suggestions?

 

[freakinfishgeek]

I went through something similar with my green spotted puffer a few months ago. I'm not familiar with the figure 8's but if they are anything like the GSP snails were what ended up helping him. But I acctually had to trim his beak. Once I did that and added tons of pest snails be went nuts. During his recoup I also bought shell on shrimp at the grecoery store and gave him chunks of that which he loved. Like I said I don't know much about your species of puffers but if he could need him beak trimmed I have an easy ish method that won't stress him or you too much! Let me know! Good Luck!

 

[mattscheck4]

Got some of those pesky snails that cling onto plants from the LFS. He LOVES them! Thanks so much.

 

[freakinfishgeek]

Got some of those pesky snails that cling onto plants from the LFS. He LOVES them! Thanks so much.

Wow I feel so happy to have acctually helped! I'm always the one getting help on here Hope he continues to fatten up for you. They will help keep his beak trim too. But is he ever has a hard time eating agin he may need his beak trimmed. What I did was put him in a one gallon hospital tank with a little clove oil. That knocks them out really fast then I used a brand new set of baby nail trimers and snipped off the extra on the top and bottom. Put him into a fresh water hospital tank and perked right up. You will need to recrute a helper if you ever do it thoguh cause they are slippery! Good luck!!!! Glad I helped!

 

[WhiteDevil]

I sell MTS as food, PM me if interested.

I got quite a few happy loaches and puffers out there now.