Mbu Puffer not eating

[Odo]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

0

If yes, what is your nitrate?

0-20

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

21-30%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every week

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I got an mbu puffer approximately 5” a couple of weeks back and I’ve noticed that he really doesn’t seem to eat the food I’ve offered.. water perimeters are spot on and he takes an interest in everything I’ve put in the tank from clams, mussels, shrimp etc (save for crayfish from Walmart) but he just tears the food apart without swallowing much. I got a bottle of prazipro and am going to dose the tank today. If anyone has an idea of what may be going on or if he’s still settling in please advise

Thank you

 

[Caveden]

Just settling in. Why dose prazi pro for?

 

[Odo]

Thank you. I’ve been keeping fish for a long time but this is the first puffer. I don’t really know what’s normal. I was worried he might have worms or some sort of internal parasite

 

[Deadeye]

Honestly with puffs being wild caught and not disease hardy, it wouldn’t hurt to dose prazi pro.
Sounds like it is still adjusting though, give it some time.

 

[Caveden]

Honestly with puffs being wild caught and not disease hardy, it wouldn’t hurt to dose prazi pro.
Sounds like it is still adjusting though, give it some time.

Puffers are wild caught?

 

[phreeflow]

Levamisole works best on my puffers and if you can’t get them to eat, try live crabs, snails, or crayfish to get them going.

 

[Deadeye]

Puffers are wild caught?

Most species. Some of the easy to breed ones are, but most species are hard/expensive to breed and are wild caught. I believe mbu is in that category.

 

[AaronKWolfe]

Most species. Some of the easy to breed ones are, but most species are hard/expensive to breed and are wild caught. I believe mbu is in that category.

I don't think I've ever heard of any puffer fish being bred in a large enough quantity to sustain the aquarium hobby. It's happened here and there, but it just seems like it's something that just happens.

 

[twentyleagues]

I got an mbu puffer approximately 5” a couple of weeks back and I’ve noticed that he really doesn’t seem to eat the food I’ve offered.. water perimeters are spot on and he takes an interest in everything I’ve put in the tank from clams, mussels, shrimp etc (save for crayfish from Walmart) but he just tears the food apart without swallowing much. I got a bottle of prazipro and am going to dose the tank today. If anyone has an idea of what may be going on or if he’s still settling in please advise

Thank you

Do you know what it was they fed it where you got it from? You can try earth worms to get it to eat. Did it eat the crayfish?

I don't think I've ever heard of any puffer fish being bred in a large enough quantity to sustain the aquarium hobby. It's happened here and there, but it just seems like it's something that just happens.

My fahaka is captive bred. There are others captive bred too. But you're kinda right most are wild caught.

 

[Deadeye]

I don't think I've ever heard of any puffer fish being bred in a large enough quantity to sustain the aquarium hobby. It's happened here and there, but it just seems like it's something that just happens.

It’s interesting. Some are easy to breed too, like dwarves and schoutodini, and yet they are persisted to be wild caught...and expensive for the latter.
Then the opposite side of the spectrum is amazons, where their biology makes it near impossible to breed in aquariums.