new porcupine won't eat

phillsy4 · 05-13-2008, 01:05 AM

Hey guys i just got a new porcupine puffer yesterday and he shows no sign of interest in any food ive tried to give him I see no sign of parasites and he seems to be in good health. i have tried silversides and Krill so far nothing. Any good tips on what to start a porcupine on in a new tank would be great.

cracker · 05-13-2008, 01:58 AM

Same thing happened to me, took a while before it decided to eat (4 or 5 days). Offer a good size silverside or shrimp. I bet it will eat in a few days.
Once it starts watch out for your fingers ! LOL

lcstorc · 05-13-2008, 07:19 AM

Try soaking the food in garlic and moving it around a bit so it looks like it is alive. I recomment using tongs to geed the fish instead of fingers particularly when the fish is new. It will soon learn that with the tongs come food.

Stacef · 05-13-2008, 08:35 AM

With my porc I had the same issues. I know this isn't the best nutrition, but I gave him just cocktail shrimp cut up, (I tried everything else) now he is eating anything that hits the tank! Try him on cocktail shrimp, if he's a small guy, maybe he's used to LFS giving him rather small pieces. Mine didnt' realize puffers like bigger chunks. Just a thought that worked for me!

Gina · 05-13-2008, 09:03 AM

Try Lynn's suggestion.
I've heard of several others who have scewered the silverslide or shrimp and made it appear to be swimming in the water.

Triggerjay · 05-13-2008, 10:01 AM

I started our old valentini on live foods.. stomatellas.. once I could hand feed him these, he would eat anything from my hand..

Jason

phillsy4 · 05-13-2008, 10:10 AM

All right i'll just be patient and pick up some tongs, maybe part of my problem is my bird wrasse is super fast and eats food pretty quickly so the feeding tongs could be a great idea

Gina · 05-13-2008, 10:37 AM

Let us know how it works out for you!

rmlevasseur · 05-13-2008, 11:14 PM

If he is in a qt tank, you can add some fructose to the water. I don't know why more people don't do this with ailing fish that won't eat. All fish drink and the fructose may provide enough energy to get over the hump. DO NOT add it to your main tank though.

phillsy4 · 05-14-2008, 02:49 AM

I got my porcupine eating woo hoo. He finally took some krill, guess i just had to be patient he seems to have a good apetite now thanks for your help every body

Stacef · 05-14-2008, 10:55 AM

Yay!!!!! Glad to hear that. How about some pics?? How big is he? Who are his tank mates?

rmlevasseur · 05-14-2008, 08:06 PM

Outstanding! Nothing like the feeling when a hold-out finally starts eating! Its right up there with potty training!

doomax · 05-14-2008, 10:17 PM

It took mine almost a week to eat. One day I held some seaweed in, and he sucked it up like a vacuum, and he is worse than my Jack Russell Terriers, wanting to eat, eat, eat--wow, what personalities these guys have!

He is the blurry spot in the front, and his mates are all around (blue spot puffer, maroon clown, and marine betta.

ThePuffLife · 06-12-2008, 02:20 PM

strange... when i got my porc, the tank was really unkept, lots of krill on the sand (ive done better since getting him) and as soon as he was released from his bag he began eating the krill...

ThePuffLife · 06-12-2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doomax

It took mine almost a week to eat. One day I held some seaweed in, and he sucked it up like a vacuum, and he is worse than my Jack Russell Terriers, wanting to eat, eat, eat--wow, what personalities these guys have!

He is the blurry spot in the front, and his mates are all around (blue spot puffer, maroon clown, and marine betta.

wat size tank is that? Looks nice

05-13-2008, 01:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
phillsy4 Bryozoan Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lakeland Florida Posts: 45 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	new porcupine won't eat Hey guys i just got a new porcupine puffer yesterday and he shows no sign of interest in any food ive tried to give him I see no sign of parasites and he seems to be in good health. i have tried silversides and Krill so far nothing. Any good tips on what to start a porcupine on in a new tank would be great.

05-13-2008, 01:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
cracker Acropora Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: North East Florida Posts: 1,717 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat Same thing happened to me, took a while before it decided to eat (4 or 5 days). Offer a good size silverside or shrimp. I bet it will eat in a few days. Once it starts watch out for your fingers ! LOL

05-13-2008, 07:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,528 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: new porcupine won't eat Try soaking the food in garlic and moving it around a bit so it looks like it is alive. I recomment using tongs to geed the fish instead of fingers particularly when the fish is new. It will soon learn that with the tongs come food. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

05-13-2008, 08:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
Stacef Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubuque Posts: 1,427 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat With my porc I had the same issues. I know this isn't the best nutrition, but I gave him just cocktail shrimp cut up, (I tried everything else) now he is eating anything that hits the tank! Try him on cocktail shrimp, if he's a small guy, maybe he's used to LFS giving him rather small pieces. Mine didnt' realize puffers like bigger chunks. Just a thought that worked for me! __________________ Stace My 20g Build

05-13-2008, 09:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,823 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat Try Lynn's suggestion. I've heard of several others who have scewered the silverslide or shrimp and made it appear to be swimming in the water. __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

05-13-2008, 10:01 AM	#6 (permalink)
Triggerjay Acropora Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield MO Posts: 1,989 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: new porcupine won't eat I started our old valentini on live foods.. stomatellas.. once I could hand feed him these, he would eat anything from my hand.. Jason __________________ The start of my journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...xperience.html My current journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ld-thread.html My clownfish breeding log: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ne-fishes.html

05-13-2008, 10:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
phillsy4 Bryozoan Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lakeland Florida Posts: 45 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: new porcupine won't eat All right i'll just be patient and pick up some tongs, maybe part of my problem is my bird wrasse is super fast and eats food pretty quickly so the feeding tongs could be a great idea

05-13-2008, 10:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,823 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat Let us know how it works out for you! __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

05-13-2008, 11:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 929 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: new porcupine won't eat If he is in a qt tank, you can add some fructose to the water. I don't know why more people don't do this with ailing fish that won't eat. All fish drink and the fructose may provide enough energy to get over the hump. DO NOT add it to your main tank though. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

05-14-2008, 02:49 AM	#10 (permalink)
phillsy4 Bryozoan Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lakeland Florida Posts: 45 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: new porcupine won't eat I got my porcupine eating woo hoo. He finally took some krill, guess i just had to be patient he seems to have a good apetite now thanks for your help every body

05-14-2008, 10:55 AM	#11 (permalink)
Stacef Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubuque Posts: 1,427 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat Yay!!!!! Glad to hear that. How about some pics?? How big is he? Who are his tank mates? __________________ Stace My 20g Build

05-14-2008, 08:06 PM	#12 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 929 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: new porcupine won't eat Outstanding! Nothing like the feeling when a hold-out finally starts eating! Its right up there with potty training! __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

05-14-2008, 10:17 PM	#13 (permalink)
doomax Tunicate Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 14 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat It took mine almost a week to eat. One day I held some seaweed in, and he sucked it up like a vacuum, and he is worse than my Jack Russell Terriers, wanting to eat, eat, eat--wow, what personalities these guys have! He is the blurry spot in the front, and his mates are all around (blue spot puffer, maroon clown, and marine betta.

06-12-2008, 02:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
ThePuffLife Serpent Star Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: My secret place, your'e not invited Posts: 205 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: new porcupine won't eat strange... when i got my porc, the tank was really unkept, lots of krill on the sand (ive done better since getting him) and as soon as he was released from his bag he began eating the krill...

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