need advice on this new fish (pic)

S

Steve L

Member
I had a couple box fish and a few puffers over the years and even the most stubborn eater couldn't resist live ghost shrimp. Buy a dozen from anyplace you can find them locally and just let them crawl around on the bottom. They're freshwater shrimp but should be able to live a few hours in the tank. If you can't find ghost shrimp bite the bullet and buy a couple peppermint or even a pistol shrimp. Once he gets eating again he should gradually eat frozen foods.

Also be aware that these fish are prone to internal parasites so you might look into some meds to treat them. Some show no other symptoms than loss of appetite.

Good luck, beautiful fish.
 
kyle4201

kyle4201

Active Member
Well, he ate nothing diped in garlic, didnt touch ghost shrimp and didnt eat the live brine. Any thing else? Im worried hes just going to die & poison the dwarf lion. Lfs wont take him back. Should I just pull him in a couple days if he still wont eat? Water change tonight btw.
 
S

Steve L

Member
Boxfish and puffers carry a lot of body fat and can go a long time without eating much of anything. The last time my dogfaced puffer (same general family as your boxfish) wouldn't eat and started losing weight, I treated him with a product called Prazipro which is for internal parasites. Within a couple days he was eating normally.

It sounds like you're out of options and need to do something pretty fast. If you don't have anything like feather dusters or inverts in the tank, you can treat it there instead of using a hospital tank. It doesn't hurt the live rock & sand.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Buy some guppies and snails, toss both in the tank, and try offering whole/opened shellfish. If the boxfish doesn't go for them, the lion sure will. They also like to graze on algae.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
They also like to eat polycheate worms, got any of them in your tank rocks? Place some of those rocks in the QT w/the boxfish, it will hunt them down. The problem is, you wouldn't know if it found and ate any, unless you see it happen, but it will keep the fish alive until you can get it to eat something else.

You should have access to plenty of raw oysters around FL, get some and pry them open, it may take a couple of tries/days, but don't give up yet. Pull it out after a hour, you don't want to foul the water.
 
kyle4201

kyle4201

Active Member
Steve L said:
Boxfish and puffers carry a lot of body fat and can go a long time without eating much of anything. The last time my dogfaced puffer (same general family as your boxfish) wouldn't eat and started losing weight, I treated him with a product called Prazipro which is for internal parasites. Within a couple days he was eating normally.


It sounds like you're out of options and need to do something pretty fast. If you don't have anything like feather dusters or inverts in the tank, you can treat it there instead of using a hospital tank. It doesn't hurt the live rock & sand.
Click to expand...

I put Prazipro in tonight,, tomorrow water change and 2 more days of trying and I have to pull him. Hoping it works. !!!!!
 
kyle4201

kyle4201

Active Member
Ive tried open clams and oysters,, left them in there for about 3 hours b4 I pulled them. didnt touch them.

I read about parasites making them not eat, hence my Prazipro treatment. but he was eating im assuming when they got him (sides wer flat) so if he didnt have a parasite then, would he have it now? like the stress made it affect him more? I really want to save him but dont want to nuke my QT if he goes belly up. :(

 
kyle4201

kyle4201

Active Member
Mike Johnson said:
Either way, Kyle, I'm proud of you for giving the fish a chance and going way out of your way to try and save it.
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Thx Mike, that means alot. I know im no where near the level some of the people on here are, namely u & bear Johnson (who I text with & talk to often) as well as the people who BLOW MY MIND with their tanks, but I like to think that ive come a long way in a short time. I was thinking he had a better chance with me than them. Im still hoping he pulls through. I am recoiling at the notion I might have to put him down in a few days. I got upset throwing away 1/2 a bag of live brine today. Lol. ( I couldn't see myself putting the water they came with in my reef tank, ich has me WAY nervous! !)
 
puffermike

puffermike

Active Member
You could try raw table shrimp. I have never seen any fish that was a carnivore deny it. Get some 50lb test fishing line and a clear rod of some sort. I used some plastic corner guard stuff from lowes that I cut in a strip. Took a piece of scotch tape and taped a 6 inch piece of fishing line on it. I've tried krill and various sorts of meats for lots of fish but for some reason.. they can't resist table shrimp. I cut the shrimp in a thin piece and thread it ever so lightly onto the line and wiggle it around. If he doesn't go for it right away, try dragging it across the sand bed like a bottom dwelling shrimp. I've got the pickiest eaters to eat doing that tactic alone. The idea with the fishing line and clear rod is to make it look real.

freeze7.jpg


Obviously this is a ghost shrimp... Just raw shrimp from the market usually works cut thin enough he can swallow.

I hope this helps you! Let me know how the poor guy does. Maybe you'll have to force feed him to keep him alive. Stressful but it'll keep em alive.
 
S

Steve L

Member
kyle4201 said:
I put Prazipro in tonight,, tomorrow water change and 2 more days of trying and I have to pull him. Hoping it works. !!!!!
Click to expand...


As I recall you aren't supposed to do a water change with Prazipro for at least a few days, but if you need to in order to save your lion by all means go for it.

I also commend you for giving it a try. Most people wouldn't have bothered. Great job!
 
Mr.Reeefer

Mr.Reeefer

Member
Whether this fish makes it or not, great job by all, too have someone like Kyle do a good deed and then have the support from the great members of RS! This is what this hobby is about!!

this thread has made me smile :)

And if the fish pulls through I'll even do a :pBJ:
 
kyle4201

kyle4201

Active Member
im sorry to report that Ringo didnt make it. :( rip Ringo. :( Thanks for every1s help. I really app it and knowing that this place is so awesome makes me believe in myself a little more and I thank all of you.


So I got the fish I passed up to try to take are of Ringo.. Meet Tiberius
HumaHumatriggerfish_zps7ed27137.jpg
 
S

Steve L

Member
That's sad news Kyle but I applaud your effort.

Tiberius is a beauty. I bought one just like him last year and he just loves chewing the rock. Strange but amazing fish.
 
S

Steve L

Member
I would expect he'll eventually get in the 8-10 inch range. If you have him in your 90 you should have at least 2-3 years before he out-grows it. They're also quite agressive toward other fish so choose any new critters carefully.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Tiberius, good name. I had one back in the 90s for about 5 years, tripled in size in that time, went from 1.5 to 4.5 inches. Great fish. Lots of personality. Will pick at everything and carry rocks around the tank. I eventually had to give it back to the lfs, had to move out of state. Was very sorry to let it go. One of my all time favs.

Sorry to hear about Ringo, excellent attempt.
 
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