FW puffer won't eat

[cowfish7]

Looking for advice on what to do about my dwarf puffer. I have 3 that are eating well. But the 4th one is very emaciated - I have not seen him eat for weeks. Since the other puffers are more agressive (but they don't pick on each other), they get most of the food. The 4th one...he just looks at the food in a lackluster way, and doesn't even try to eat it. I have tried feeding different foods and put him in a container with his own food - he is just not interested.
I was wondering about his teeth. Since these little guys are *so* tiny, it's really hard to tell what they look like. Unfortunately, they have not had any snails for weeks (I'm trying to breed some), but the other puffers are eating OK. It seems like I can see into his mouth, so I don't think the teeth are overgrown. (I'm *so* not ready to try the clove oil, either!! I wonder, though, if I can use tiny scissors instead of clippers?)

Actually, it is interesting because 2 of the puffers enjoy eating and stuff themselves like crazy. The 3rd one spends all day inspecting the gravel for snails, but will eventually eat the worms I give them. Then the 4th one looks at the food and swims away

cowfish7

 

[tkos]

The Dwarf Puffers don't have the same beak problems that the larger puffers do so you don't have to worry about it growing over. However, if he is really skinny and not eating chances are that he will die soon. That is the way mine got near the end. After not eating for awhiel the benificial bacteria that lives in their gut starts to die off and even if they start eating they can't fully take advantage of the food. Anyway that is what I read, but in my experience the really skinny ones seldom make it.

 

[cowfish7]

Wow, that'd be great if I don't have to trim their teeth.
I did get my little fellow to eat some live brine shrimp today (I forgot what to use to gut load them; does anybody know ?), but that is interesting about the bacteria....I hope it's not too late.

cowfish7

 

[TankGirl]

I had one like that and it had to do with aggression from the other puffers, and he was totally last on the totem pole. I got him to eat with live adult brine shrimp. That is not a nutritious regular diet, but it jump-started mine, and after that he accepted the bloodworms and snails like the others.

Good luck!

 

[Pufferpunk]

What makes you think these puffers beaks won't over grow w/improper diet like any other puffer would? That is wrong. Too get a good look at it's teeth, use a bright light to see better. If they are overgrown, you must hand clip them or it will starve to death. I prefer cuticle nippers, they are extremely sharp & pointy. You need something like that to make a quick, exact cut, that won't shatter/crack the teeth.

It could have come in w/internal parasites & now it is probably a little late to treat since it stopped eating. You can try Hex-a-Mit, but I think it may be too late. Little fish need to eat every day (skipping a day a week). I never would have waited 3 weeks to start finding out what was wrong with my fish.

 

[madasafish]

This sort of reaction from a puffer might mean that it is intimidated by the other inhabitants. Just one possible issue... Thought I'd mention it... This can always be an issue with DPs!

I'd advise cordoning him off for a few days and seeing whether he'll (she'll) eat live worms/brine shrimp when he's not in a tank with others. In order to facilitate the process, you might consider putting him/her in a separate tank with the regular tank's water, and with no substrate. This way, if he/she starts to take an interest later, the worms/brine shrimp are still in plain sight.

Oh, and rockin use of vocab, Cowfish. Nice 8)

 

[Pufferpunk]

I gut-load ghost shrimp w/algae wafers, so my puffers get their veggies.