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  #1  
Old 01/06/2008, 11:59 PM
wmu2007 wmu2007 is offline
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puffer feeding question

I picked up a 4" map puffer about 10 days ago and he has yet to eat or even act interested in food when I feed the tank. I have even been able to get a piece of shrimp in front of him when he was behind a rock so that he would have no competition in eating and he has not shown any interest. I know puffers can go a while without eating but do you have any ideas on how to spark his appetite?
  #2  
Old 01/07/2008, 12:35 AM
tank o tang tank o tang is offline
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Prawn soaked in garlic or try throwing in a couple hermits and snails, clam
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  #3  
Old 01/07/2008, 12:46 AM
justinpsmith justinpsmith is offline
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No QT? One of the many reasons for QT is that it is easier to feed them. Try the garlic and try it with many types of food. Did you see him eat in the store?
  #4  
Old 01/07/2008, 12:48 AM
wmu2007 wmu2007 is offline
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No I did not see him eat in the store but I have not had any trouble getting puffers to eat before. I have not tried the garlic yet. That is next on the list.
  #5  
Old 01/07/2008, 12:54 AM
justinpsmith justinpsmith is offline
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Its not as common as say Butterflies but it can sometimes be hard to get some puffers to eat. I usually will ask my LFS to feed any fish I am interested in before I buy it just to make sure.

My porc took a while to start eating once I brought him home even though he had eaten in the LFS. I basically had to put the prawn on a feeding stick and rub it on his mouth. At first he would try to swim away but if I kept doing it, he would bite it out of frustration and quickly realized it tasted good! I had to do this for just a day or two and then everytime he saw the stick, he would go nuts. Maybe worth a try.
  #6  
Old 01/07/2008, 01:23 AM
limitedslip limitedslip is offline
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you could try other foods, such as silversides, cubes, clams, squid, or such. My porc ate while I was acclimating it , but my stars and stripes refused to eat shrimp for the first few weeks (my porcs favorite), but when I starting offering a more varied selection, the stars and stripes quickly warmed up.
  #7  
Old 01/07/2008, 04:12 PM
wmu2007 wmu2007 is offline
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I think I found the problem. My 5" Guinea Fowl chases the Map from time to time into hiding, even more so around feeding time. I have since moved the Map puffer to my 29 gallon with 2 clown fish, one damsel, and one six line wrasse, all 1-2". I am going to get rid of one of the two puffers: either the map or guinea fowl. Its a tough decision.
  #8  
Old 01/07/2008, 05:00 PM
FishyMel FishyMel is offline
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Is your guinea fowl golden?

I'd probably keep the guinea fowl, if it is working don't mess. The mappa isn't eating, and the guinea fowl is. Also there is a hierarchy that is established currently, that might be messed up if you exchange.
  #9  
Old 01/07/2008, 07:14 PM
tank o tang tank o tang is offline
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reaquascape it may help with aggression
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  #10  
Old 01/07/2008, 10:39 PM
reefergeorge reefergeorge is offline
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My five inch porc took down two 1.5 inch clowns. So be careful.
  #11  
Old 01/07/2008, 10:52 PM
crazedpuffer crazedpuffer is offline
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My old 5 inch porc took down 10 half inch damsels, and got beat up by 2 1 inch damsels.
  #12  
Old 01/07/2008, 11:56 PM
wmu2007 wmu2007 is offline
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As far as the 29 gallon tank the map is in now, I really don't care much about the clowns or damsel. I was gonna put a small queen trigger in there anyways. But the puffer seems more content in the 29 gallon as he is actively swimming around. The Guinea Fowl I have is, I believe, a black guinea fowl.
  #13  
Old 01/09/2008, 08:09 AM
Puffer Queen Puffer Queen is offline
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If you can't move the mappa to a QT - then try separating/segregating the tank with a plastic lighting grate (home depot, Lowe's etc).

You can also try live gut loaded ghost shrimp.
  #14  
Old 01/09/2008, 08:45 AM
Absint Reefer Absint Reefer is offline
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my Guinea Fowl is very aggressive toward any puffer before I had him I guess he mauled a dogface at the lfs
 


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