Long Spine Pufferfish (Tragulichthys jaculiferus) Afraid of light

[Lil Puff]

My pufferfish hides all day long in his pipe and only ever comes out when the lights are on. He doesn't eat much, not even a whole shrimp a day just a third of one. If I put any more in he just leaves it there. I thought puffers are supposed to be really active with lots of personality and all ways beg for food. why is mine always hiding?

 

[blaxsun]

He comes out when the lights are on? How long have you had him, and did you acclimate the lights when you first introduces him to the tank?

 

[Lil Puff]

He comes out when the lights are on? How long have you had him, and did you acclimate the lights when you first introduces him to the tank?

Sorry, I meant off. I have had him for nearly 2 months and I acclimated him to the lights.

 

[lion king]

Him not eating much has concern, after 2 months he should have developed a strong feeding response. Fish can live live a while with internal parasites and this fish does have a reputation of coming in with them. They can also be difficult to get feeding initially. I would offer him some live ghost shrimp to see if that peaks his interest, if not, I would immediately treat for internal parasites. Is there anyone in the tank that may be bullying him.

 

[Lil Puff]

Him not eating much has concern, after 2 months he should have developed a strong feeding response. Fish can live live a while with internal parasites and this fish does have a reputation of coming in with them. They can also be difficult to get feeding initially. I would offer him some live ghost shrimp to see if that peaks his interest, if not, I would immediately treat for internal parasites. Is there anyone in the tank that may be bullying him.

Yes, there is a fish that is bullying him occasionally it is his only tank mate a 3 inch lunare wrasse. The puffer is 5-6 inches and the lunare wrasse is not even scared of him. It is not often that I see this happen, only at feeding time. When the wrasse bites the pufferfish the pufferfish rapidly changes colours to black and dark colours. Would live shrimp give him more of an appetite of the 1/3 of a frozen shrimp that I give him every morning as he doesn't eat any more than that. Would a picture help diagnose what is wrong with him? How often do fish survive internal parasites?

 

[lion king]

Yes, there is a fish that is bullying him occasionally it is his only tank mate a 3 inch lunare wrasse. The puffer is 5-6 inches and the lunare wrasse is not even scared of him. It is not often that I see this happen, only at feeding time. When the wrasse bites the pufferfish the pufferfish rapidly changes colours to black and dark colours. Would live shrimp give him more of an appetite of the 1/3 of a frozen shrimp that I give him every morning as he doesn't eat any more than that. Would a picture help diagnose what is wrong with him? How often do fish survive internal parasites?

If he has internal parasites they will eventually lead to death. A 5-6" puffer could easily eat as much as 2 full med/large size shrimp daily. He will not survive much longer by only eating that little. The live food offering will trigger a feeding response and some species need that to get accustomed to captive living. This puffer is one that does sometimes need live food to get started. At that size a large fiddler crab could also be offered. You may have maneuver the ghost shrimp past the wrasse, but the wrasse will likely not bother a fiddler crab. If the puffer doesn't respond to live food then I would immediately treat with general cure or fritz paracleanse. If he starts eating the live food with gusto, continue feeding until he gets fatten up, start mixing in other foods like clams or scallops on the half shell.

 

[Lil Puff]

If he has internal parasites they will eventually lead to death. A 5-6" puffer could easily eat as much as 2 full med/large size shrimp daily. He will not survive much longer by only eating that little. The live food offering will trigger a feeding response and some species need that to get accustomed to captive living. This puffer is one that does sometimes need live food to get started. At that size a large fiddler crab could also be offered. You may have maneuver the ghost shrimp past the wrasse, but the wrasse will likely not bother a fiddler crab. If the puffer doesn't respond to live food then I would immediately treat with general cure or fritz paracleanse. If he starts eating the live food with gusto, continue feeding until he gets fatten up, start mixing in other foods like clams or scallops on the half shell.

Could I try feeding him a freshwater yabby. My lfs doesn't sell fiddler crabs.

 

[DaddyFish]

Are his eyes cloudy at all? Do you see any lesions that look like bubbles in them?

 

[ReefHog]

If the wrasse is harassing and biting the puffer, I would separate them. Either in separate tanks for a while or make a divider for the tank.

 

[lion king]

freshwater yabby

Are you in Australia, I think that would work just fine, just make sure it is not too big, Do you guys get ghost shrimp. There could be other things going on but the first order of business in getting him eating. If he is not interested in live food, using the treatments I suggested is a good option, If it ends up being flukes that treatment works for that as well, but with flukes they would tend to be more to the surface or near water movement like a power head or return. This action usually works more times than not,

 

[Lil Puff]

 

[Lil Puff]

This is what he looks like I will post a better photo when I get home.

 

[Lil Puff]

Are you in Australia, I think that would work just fine, just make sure it is not too big, Do you guys get ghost shrimp. There could be other things going on but the first order of business in getting him eating. If he is not interested in live food, using the treatments I suggested is a good option, If it ends up being flukes that treatment works for that as well, but with flukes they would tend to be more to the surface or near water movement like a power head or return. This action usually works more times than not,

Yes I am in Australia

 

[Lil Puff]

Are you in Australia, I think that would work just fine, just make sure it is not too big, Do you guys get ghost shrimp. There could be other things going on but the first order of business in getting him eating. If he is not interested in live food, using the treatments I suggested is a good option, If it ends up being flukes that treatment works for that as well, but with flukes they would tend to be more to the surface or near water movement like a power head or return. This action usually works more times than not,

I think he has a loss of appetite as when he is hungry he will take it out of my hand. Is there any parasite or disease that causes loss of appetite?

 

[Lil Puff]

Are his eyes cloudy at all? Do you see any lesions that look like bubbles in them?

 

[lion king]

His eyes appear fine, it just could be rhe difficulty of feeding this species. As I said earlier this sprcies is known to carry internal parasites alot, it's because of the conditions of their transport, so they are feeding on dying or fresh dead that may be carrying disease. So there's always a concern there.

But they also can have a hard time acclimating to captive living and eating dead food. It usually doesn't take long after offering something live and start mixing in other chopped up dead seafood for him to take to it. Here in the States I usually recommend ghost shrimp or a fiddler crab but you can use what you have available. Salt water crustaens arebfine also if you are willing to pay the price. I used to get bags of peppermint shrimp for my lions.

 

[Lil Puff]

His eyes appear fine, it just could be rhe difficulty of feeding this species. As I said earlier this sprcies is known to carry internal parasites alot, it's because of the conditions of their transport, so they are feeding on dying or fresh dead that may be carrying disease. So there's always a concern there.

But they also can have a hard time acclimating to captive living and eating dead food. It usually doesn't take long after offering something live and start mixing in other chopped up dead seafood for him to take to it. Here in the States I usually recommend ghost shrimp or a fiddler crab but you can use what you have available. Salt water crustaens arebfine also if you are willing to pay the price. I used to get bags of peppermint shrimp for my lions.

I fed him a live yabby and he ate the whole thing!