Guineafowl Puffer on Hunger Strike

[44santababy]

hello all, i purchased a guineafowl puffer 11 days ago to accompany my golden puffer. They get along perfectly. Problem is the guineafowl has not eaten since his arrival. The golden is a PIG. How long until i should be concerned? He swims and behaves totally normal, just rejects all the different kinds of food im trying. Stomach still looks normal...thanks

 

[marrone]

What was it eating before you purchased it and what are you feeding it? You may want to also check the mouth, as it's possible something could be stuck in it.

 

[44santababy]

hey marrone, i purchased from blue zoo aquatics so i dont have evidence of it ever eating. Ive tried crab legs, raw clams, krill, shrimp, scallops and squid. No luck. His body looks great and mouth is clear and beak is short. Just being stubborn.

 

[marrone]

Puffers are funny, some eat like crazy others just crew up the food and spit it out. Outside of fish/silversides you have pretty much covered everything you can feed it. Maybe put some mussels or clams on the shell in the tank, otherwise I would just give it some more time.

The other thing is that it could be feeling intimidated by the other fish, maybe move it to a separate tank by itself and see if it will then start to eat.

 

[44santababy]

just an update for pufferfish owners: after one and half months of fasting my guineafowl puffer is now eating clams and oysters on the halfshell. He still will not accept food from me directly but during hunting he'll now eat a clam that i provide constantly for food. Im so relieved!! Its a start...:division: