need some help with my MBU

[kido]

guys need some help and advise on my mbu puffer..

this guy has been with me for about 9 months now and is currently about 6" tip to tip feeding on shrimp with shell, raw mussels (i open it up since he can't break it yet if they are closed) and boiled mussels removed from shell.. tankmates are 3 moba frontosas and a couple of freshwater eels..

everything was fine until about a month ago he suddenly stopped eating, doesn't color up and beg for food (just stays on the bottom of the tank lying in the sand). before when i get home and turn on the lights he would color up and beg for food now he stays pale and on the bottom of the tank.. it looks like he's banging on some of the decor rocks and the tank wall on occasion so there are times when i wonder if he's gotten blind but i couldn't confirm this since when i turn on the lights he seems to know it and shy away.. i tried putting food on his face but he just ignores it..

I've researched on what possible causes it could be and some have said internal parasites so i treated with tetra tabs (previously jungle tabs) but no change in its behavior.. could it be that his beak has over grown? it doesn't seem like it since i couldn't see his beak other then when he yawns, so i don't think that's the case..

I also thinking of trying to treat with epson salt but he doesn't look bloated so i'm having second thoughts about it..

need help guys, he's really getting thin now not having eaten for the past 3-4 weeks

any idea and suggestions on what to do?

 

[Jenerik]

Frotosas bullying him?

 

[kido]

Nope, he's the king of the tank.. they all let him eat first before they do and I've never seen any agression towards him from any of tankmates...

 

[quasar]

How big is the tank? Has anything changed in terms of chem? My puffers have diff reactions if balance is lost. My avocado goes absolutely crazy if the ph gets low (swims up n down left right really really fast), and my humpback puffers eyes get cloudy if water chem is off

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[IRONWOOD]

G/L...hope it works out

 

[follen]

He should be much bigger if you have had him for that long. Maybe he always had an issue as mbus are all wild caught maybe he has some sort of natural disease


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[kido]

How big is the tank? Has anything changed in terms of chem? My puffers have diff reactions if balance is lost. My avocado goes absolutely crazy if the ph gets low (swims up n down left right really really fast), and my humpback puffers eyes get cloudy if water chem is off

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

The tank is 100 gals.. I've check water parameters on occasion and it has always shown good results: ammonia - 0 ; nitrites - 0; nitrates - 40; PH - 7 to 7.2 .. I usually check after 1 week when I'm about to do my water change.. I'll try to check again later..

G/L...hope it works out

Thanks..

 

[kido]

He should be much bigger if you have had him for that long. Maybe he always had an issue as mbus are all wild caught maybe he has some sort of natural disease


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been wondering about that.. i bought him at about 4.75" tip to tip so growth has only been 1.25 or maybe 2" since its just a guestimate at 6" might be about 7" ... i usually feed 3 times a week, feeds well not pigging out but eats until his stomach looks full, maybe one to 2 cooked large mussels (meat only) / 3 to 4 non-cooked mussels / 1 to 2 shrimps with shell (no head).. he stops eating and moves away when i put in more food so the other fish usually just eat whats left.. i'm not really sure if he has any natural disease but i've treated with tetra tabs (previously jungle tabs) already, no change on his behaviour, still sulks in a corner on the sand..

I placed a mussel on his face and left for about a minute and i saw a bite so hopefully that was him a not the other fish there

 

[PufferGhoti]

MBU's are quite expressive in their coloration, is (s)he sedentary or swimming against the flow etc.. as you know from other boards cooked mussel is not a good idea. Raw Langoustine tails are the absolute ..(insert ++++ +ve food term here).. for our MBU and most bigger puffers... if you dont have an active power head add one to provide counterflow stimulus, these guys are guiley so need stimulus.

The growth rate seems odd, do you have pictures over a time period something does not sound right for how long you have has the fish, ours is around 16 inches now, moody but healthy and growing well...