How Do I Get a Blind Puffer to Eat?
- Thread starter Lorelei
- Start date
ziggy
Active Member
Well, my puffer is pretty handsome. Haha. He's doing much better today, swimming around the tank. I haven't fed him yet, but he seems to be avoiding most things before he bumps into them, but he still won't focus on anything. But improvement it good! I'll take what I can get.
Glad to here it
ziggy
Active Member
Thank you all for your assistance and advice! I just wanted to update one last time to say my puffer is eating on his own now and seems to have regained most of his sight. I think it's all down hill from here.
Thanks again, everyone! You guys are great!
Out of curiosity, what would you say did it for you to get him to turn around and start eating?
bgfrank213
New Member
How did their sight return? What did you do? I grab my puffer, and feed him dried shrimp or other frozen food. If hes hungry he will eat it otherwise he spits it out. He/She, I dont know its a he or a she, never puffs up when I grab him. It seems like he expects me to grab to feed him since he is blind. Any advice you have I would appreciate it.
bgfrank213
New Member
Thanks for the quick reply Paul. I have used Melafix and Herbtana for 2 weeks and although he seems in better spirits he still cant see. I have thrown live guppies which he would normally devour in seconds but its pretty clear he is blind. Aside from feeding him clams is there anything else you recommend? Will he ever recuperate his vision again? People on my thread said my 30 gal tank is too small for him, is that the case, should I upgrade to a 50 to keep him healthy? I would appreciate any advice. I have been really bummed out that my Puffer "Gordo" isnt looking so chubby these days, nor does he come beg for food like he used to. He would have eaten the 3 crabs I have in the tank currently, instead the crabs seem to be growing, and my Gordo seems to be shrinking. Help me with some good advice.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
It is very common for puffers to go blind and I have had a few with that problem but they all recoperated. It is thought that too bright light causes this, I am not sure I believe that as they are coral reef fish and live in bright light. I would not give him medication, just meaty food like clams and worms if you can get them. Live, not freeze dried. I think if you give him clams for a week or two he will recover. Freeze a clam and scrape off thin slices, especially the dark parts as that is the clams gute where all the nutrition is. When you feed a shrimp from a grogery store you are just feeding muscle, there is very little nutrition in that, thats why I recommend clams as you are using the entire animal, guts and all. Thats what your fish needs as I think this comes about from a lack of the proper diet. Puffers have huge eyes and it takes a lot of nutrients to keep those eyes healthy.
bgfrank213
New Member
Thanks Paul. I will get him some clams and hand feed him like I have been doing. He doesn't puff up when I grab him so at least I'm not stressing him out when I feed him. Is there anything else you recommend? What type of worms? Should I buy clams from the store? Can I feed him mussels from the beach or snails from te beach? I live in Southern California and there are plenty of these available on the shore. I was wondering if it's this freeze dried and prepackaged food that is doing this.
bgfrank213
New Member
Would there be a problem if I grab snails and hermit crabs from the beach and put them in my tank. I have done this before and both the snails and hermit crabs have done just fine. My puffer would enjoy chewing on the tiny snails, spit them out and then go back and chew on them.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Crabs and snails are a puffers preferred diet but if he can't see, he won't find them. Until he eats get some fresh clams and freeze them, then shave off thin slices. I feed this to my fish every day along with live California Blackworms. If you are in Southern California can you find any live earthworms? That would be the best food for that fish now and easy to feed whole. If you can get some of those into him, his sight should return very shortly. Don't medicate him as that would make it worse, he is not sick, just lacking some nutrients as it is common with those fish. After his sight returns collect some snails and feed one at a time by slightly cracking the snail with a pliers. The puffer can crack small snails but you can di it easier with a pliers, but leave the shell on as it helps grind down their teeth or they keep growing.
bgfrank213
New Member
Yes I live in Southern California. I have earthworms in my garden, and read your thread on worms as well. Would earthworms from my garden be okay or do they specifically have to be blackworms that are purchased? I was wondering if I go to the beach and find small snails, break them open and feed him the snail would that be okay? Will putting snails and hermit crabs from the beach bring parasites to my tank?
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Frank, see this 5 gallon bucket of worms, amphipods, seaweed, clams etc. I dump this in my tank a few times a year. If you are the type of person who keeps a sterile tank and quarantines everything then you should not do that as your fish may not have any immunity it just about anything. But you can collect earthworms as they are one of the best foods and probably the best food for a puffer. I have had plenty of all sorts of puffers.
Just don't collect the earthworms where you used weed killer or bug spray. Hold the worm up to a faucet and run water over it's mouth. If you don't know which end it's mouth is on, do both ends. The mud inside it won't harm your fish anyway but some people will send me hate mail if I didn't mention that.
After it's sight comes back take snails from the beach, slightly crack them and feed them to your puffer. They really love small crabs like fiddler crabs and can deal with them alive.
Just don't collect the earthworms where you used weed killer or bug spray. Hold the worm up to a faucet and run water over it's mouth. If you don't know which end it's mouth is on, do both ends. The mud inside it won't harm your fish anyway but some people will send me hate mail if I didn't mention that.
After it's sight comes back take snails from the beach, slightly crack them and feed them to your puffer. They really love small crabs like fiddler crabs and can deal with them alive.
bgfrank213
New Member
Ill head down to the beach now and grab a few critters from the shoreline and some seaweed. The hermit crabs love the seaweed, and some tiny snails. Ill make sure to feed my puffer a few earthworms today. He only eats when I hand feed him.
