Valentini Puffer Problem - 07/03/09 WWM Crew: I have a valentini puffer named Stanley. He is roughly 4 years old. He is normally a very happy, social fish but this morning he is acting a little strange. He is swimming in a vertical position. He is literally swimming around the tank with his nose pointed toward the sky. In addition, he has a gray swelling on his ventral side, just anterior to his anal fin. (Looks like he is constipated???) <Hmm... no, not as such; rather, looks simply very underweight. He looks a prime candidate for the quarantine tank, where I'd be fattening him up on a rich diversity of seafood: squid, prawn, cockle, scallop, even small bits of white fish. Most anything from the Sushi bar will do, but do remember not to overdo things rich in thiaminase, as these can cause long term problems: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/thiaminase.htm So while prawns and mussels are good sources of protein, balance them out with seafood that doesn't contain thiaminase, such as cockles and squid. Since you've had him a while, an obvious couple of questions to ask is how much he's been eating, and what have you been giving him?> As he swims around the tank his posterior end bumps into things. Also he seems to be sitting on rocks. Granted, I have seen him sleep before, but he never rests on rocks in the middle of the day. Maybe it could even be considered rubbing. He has what looks like gray spots on the right and left side of his beak. From my reading, that seems to be stress lines. <Colour looks about right, he's just rather "bony", so underlying structures like muscles may be more obvious.> Stanley was just transferred into the tank two weeks ago. No problems, mushrooms and other fish doing fine. I have a goby and a bulldozer shrimp in the tank with him (they get along okay, and the other fish appear to be fine, although i don't see them very often.) The tank dined on bloodworms last night. <Bloodworms aren't really the ideal thing for Canthigaster puffers, though they like them, and really do need a richer, more marine-based diet. I'd be looking more towards krill, mysids, chopped cockle, minced squid, and other such frozen marine foods. Conversely, brine shrimp, though widely offered, contain virtually no useful nutrition, being almost entirely "fibre". Puffers also need some greens, whether Sushi Nori, blanched lettuce, or even cooked peas and algae wafers (puffers generally enjoy these last two items). Puffers that don't "get their greens" may well be prone to vitamin deficiency, and at the very least, we know they can't synthesise the toxins for which they're famous. I know Bob recommends the use of vitamin additives to meaty foods (brands such as Selcon) and that may be as good a way as any to ensure an optimal diet for those opportunistic, omnivorous fish we call Puffers.> Stanley is pretty awesome, hate to have anything happen to him. What do you think is up, and can i do anything to help him? Thank you! Amy <Do read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tobyfdgfaqs.htm Cheers, Neale.> Re: Valentini Puffer Problem - 07/03/09 Thanks for the help... <My pleasure.> I knew at one time that he was larger in the belly, but was told that I was overfeeding him. <Puffers generally are "big eaters" that thrive best when given "a little, but often". Their mode of swimming isn't very efficient, and they are rather active, so I guess they use up those calories faster than many other fish of similar size.> I will go buy him some seafood today. Won't be too hard as I am in south Louisiana. <Indeed.> I don't have a quarantine tank, would it be okay to leave him with the goby and bulldozer shrimp? or does he present a clear and present danger to them? <He'll likely ignore the goby, assuming the goby spends most of its time hidden. As for the shrimp, it's always a gamble with puffers; shrimps are dinner, but the larger species may be robust enough not to be viewed as edible. If he hasn't bothered the shrimp thus far, you're probably fine. Conversely, it's hard to imagine the goby or the shrimp competing too strongly against the puffer at feeding time.> Thanks again for the advice. I doubt I would have any fish without the help of your website. Amy <Good luck, Neale.>

starved

Jewel Puffer Trouble
Hi!
<Hello Bernie>
I got a Jewel Puffer
<A Toby, Canthigaster solandri I'll assume>
about 5 days ago from a friend of mine with 3 other fish that it lived with for about a year. The puffer looked very happy in my tank that has a lot of established live rock and water conditions that are also good and
tested.
I fed it Newlife Spectrum 1mm sinking pellets and it would eat the most out of all the fishes in my tank. It looked very hungry.
<May need to be "weaned onto" this fine food... Such animals largely consume animal flesh in the wild>
3 days later I noticed that the stomach looked a bit funky in that it looked like there were irregular bulges around the stomach. 2 Days after that the stomach now looks like it's swollen but smooth but looks very
bloated. Hope this makes sense.
<Mmm... could you send along images?>
Today the puffer started hanging out at the bottom of my tank under a side of a rock and just stayed there like it was trying to relax with very little movement. I thought it was dying so I would try to get it to move
and then as it swims out it looks totally normal(it's behavior) but then goes back to finding a place where it can settle and not be disturbed.
Right now it's resting his large swollen belly on a rock and just chilling in the same spot. What should I do?
<Try other meaty foods, perhaps laced/soaked in appetite/vitamin et al. supplement (e.g. Selcon)>
I read the many questions you answered on the FAQs but didn't want to stress out my puffer(using the methods to expel air out of his body) if that wasn't the case. Did he just eat too much?
<Maybe this or something that just didn't "agree with her/him"... from the live rock could have come a myriad of indigestible to toxic materials>
Thanks for your help!
Bernie
<The meaty foods... Mixed in time with more and more Spectrum. Bob Fenner>  

Valentini puffer food  06/04/09
Hi Guys,
<And gals Nat>
Thanks for all your help in the past, your advice is invaluable.
I have scoured through the site and also have bought Bob Fenner's book but I haven't been able to find the answer to my question.
We have a valentini puffer and he has a really good appetite, with really distinctive (and effective) begging behaviour. The only foods however that he eats are defrosted brine shrimp and krill which I usually soak in
Lipovit. We have tried feeding him new era marine pellets which he largely ignores and now recently some formula 1 flakes which he totally ignores.
<Mmm, yes... Canthigasterines really only eat/get nourishment from meaty foods generally>
Is his current diet of 'live' foods balanced enough for his needs?
<I'd add a bit of fish flesh... perhaps frozen/defrosted silversides>
Also the other thing is that we would like to start him on the formula 1 flakes because it would be easier to feed it to him when we go on holiday as opposed to live foods which would require someone to come in every other day and feed it to him, which is a bit difficult (we have 1 of those holiday feeders which runs on a timer).
<Mmm, best here to make labeled (by the date) pre-measured frozen food packets for the "baby sitter's" use>
We don't really know what to do because he is not interested in the flakes at all. My partner says that we should hold off on feeding him the brine shrimp and krill and continue with the flakes, hopefully he will get so
hungry that he will have no choice but to try to the flakes.
<Not likely to work>
I feel slightly bad doing this though as he seems so hungry. Also there is the concern that if we persist with the flakes he will start munching on the cleaner and fire shrimp and double his attack on the coralline.
<Much more likely>
What do you suggest?
<To expand the diet as stated>
Many thanks for your help.
Natalie
<Certainly welcome. Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Proper feeding of Canthigaster solandri   9/19/06
Hi, Crew.  
<Dan>
I'm getting conflicting answers from the FAQs and from my LFS (Aquatic Warehouse in San Diego)
<Ah, yes... know the store... some fine folks there>
regarding feeding my new baby puffer (named "Toby" -- I know, not very original...).
<Heee>
Anyways, I know he is an omnivore, and feeds with gusto on the Mysis, macroalgae, Nori, and other mixed marine foods that we provide.  He also spends a fair amount of time picking at the live rock.  So far so good.
<Yes>
The LFS claims that he will not require additional "tooth grinding" food, as the live-rock-picking will keep his chompers happy.
<Likely so>
From the FAQs, however, it would appear that weekly hard-shelled things would be Very Good.  Can I get some clarifications on this?
Thanks much,
Dan
<More tooth-wearing material might help, though as stated, with your live rock material, not likely necessary. Bob Fenner>

Feeding Sharpnose puffers    4/14/06
Hi WWM crew:
<Alex>
I recently purchased two sharpnose puffers. One is Canthigaster valentini and the other is Canthigaster solandri. I have always been told that they told be fed clams and mussels still in the shell or raw shrimp or crab with their exoskeleton still attached in order to wear down their teeth.
<Can, yes>
My question is, do they have to be fed with those item all the time? Or just once in a while? Can frozen Mysis shrimp help wear down their teeth too?
Thanks
<Once in a while (weekly let's say) is fine. Mysids don't have much of a hard exoskeleton. And lastly, I would not place two Tobies (unless they were a "pair") in the same system, unless it was very large (hundreds of gallons), just in case you're doing this, or others reading here might not know. Bob Fenner>

Valentini Puffer with a picky appetite   3/14/06
Greetings Crew,
<Eric>
Let me first start off by saying that your site is wonderful and has provided me with a great deal of information.  However, now I have sort of a
problem that I can't seem to find the answer for in the posts.  I have a 29 gallon fish only tank that I have had set up for about 5 months now. In it I
have a chocolate chip starfish, a clown, and two shrimp. About a month ago I purchased a Valentini Puffer and introduced him to the tank.
<Surprising that it has not "picked" on your shrimp and star...>
He is very small, only about 1"- 1.5", which is actually the reason why I got him.  I didn't want to crowd the tank.  Anyway, he was lively at the store and I
watched them feed him before purchase.  I noticed at first when I got him home that he was very lethargic and just laid around the tank a lot, but I learned from your site that this is normal activity.
<Yes, can be>
Lately he has perked up and started swimming around a lot more, especially when he sees me approaching the tank.
<Good. Food conditioned response>
His eyes are clear and he seems to be very healthy. But now I have another problem. I can only get him to eat brine shrimp.  He has a very large appetite and absolutely devours all brine I put in the tank, but he will not touch any other offerings.  I have tried frozen krill, dehydrated freeze dried mysis shrimp, and various types of flake foods.
<Do keep trying these... mixed in with less and less Artemia... this animal will not starve I assure you>
Even though the brine I feed him are encapsulated with multi-vitamins, I fear that he is not getting all the nutrients he needs.
From what I have learned from your site, brine should only be fed as a treat and do not hold a lot of nutritional value.
<Generally not in the longer haul>
I want to provide him with a variety of foods that will keep him healthy.  I was just wondering if you could recommend any other foods or feeding methods that may help me get him to eat a more varied diet.  Thanks in advance for the help!!
Eric
<Mixing the foods and "holding out" will win the day here. Do keep an eye out for the ultimate bite marks... Bob Fenner>

Diet for a small puffer 
Hello everyone, 
<Hi! Ananda here today...> 
Your FAQs page is one of the superb places I've seen on the net! Its been the creamer of my cappuccino during my coffee breaks. 
<Glad to hear it! ...make mine a double mocha...> 
The last info exchange I had was from Magnus. Its about my Valentini (Tamblot is the name) who murdered my clown. 
< :-( > 
Anyway, the heartaches of everyone at home are gone. And in fact, Tamblot has all their attention now. 
<Puffers are very, very good at doing that.> 
He is being fed alternately with Tetra Doro Marin and locally prepared fish pellets. He also have a weekly dose of liquid fish supplement. Right now, I am planning to introduce more varieties into his diet. 
<Sounds like a plan.> 
Fresh seafoods I should say. 
<Ah...be wary. They can harbor disease or parasites that could be transmitted to your puffer.> 
These are abundant around but I don't know how to prepare such. 
<Freeze them for a few days, first, to kill any hitchhiking nasties.> 
As what I've read from your FAQs, shrimps, shells, squids, and such others are good for him and for his teeth. 
<Yup.> 
But how could I make a 3-inch fresh and kicking shrimp be a food to my 1-inch Valentini? 
<Blink. A 1" puffer? No wonder he's become the darling of the tank!> 
Would I just quarantine the shrimp for a week or two and let it loose inside the main tank to let Tamblot do the slicing? 
<I think I'd keep Tamblot on already-dead food: much easier to keep a quantity on hand, that way, and easier to control the amount he can eat.> 
If that's the case, I'm afraid Tamblot would look like a broiled turkey on a saucepan 
for the shrimp. 
<Ah, you are giving me such odd mental images this morning....> 
We also have green shells and squids (I mean the sizes of these are good for, say a fried calamari topped with mayo). These are fresh from catch but then again how? 
<For the squid, once it's dead and cleaned, freeze it, then grate it into small shreds. I'm not familiar with green shells, but again, I would simply(?) kill, clean, freeze, and dice the meat before giving it to the puffer.> 
Hope you could suggest a few ways to prepare these stuff as a food for my Valentini. 
<Giving him the food while it's still hard-frozen can help keep his teeth worn down, too.> 
Thanx a lot and more power to your team.  regards, Joebel J. Sorioso 
<Thanks, and best of luck with you puffer. --Ananda>

Toby feeding questions
I've had a valentini puffer in QT for 4 weeks now, over 3 weeks ich-free.
I'm planning on introducing the puffer in the 90 gal. display tank this week
(which also houses a flame angel, neon goby and inverts).
When I first got him, he was a really fussy eater (he was sick after all). Now
he eats almost anything.
I recently stocked my tank with various macro algae-Ulva, Sargassum and
Gracilaria to provide greenery, get rid of diatom algae, as well as providing
food for my fish.
I am now wondering if the puffer will gorge himself on the algae in the display
tank. He gobbles up the bits that I have been placing in the QT.
<Perhaps>
Do these little guys know when to stop eating? I don't want to inadvertently be
overfeeding him by keeping the plants in the main tank. I do however, want him
well-fed so he won't be as tempted to nibble on my inverts (turbo snails,
Strombus grazers, micro-hermits, bristle worms). I know they might get eaten
(I'm sad about this but I love my puffer more). I'm trying to be careful about
over-feeding him. I usually feed him twice a day (a shrimp tail or ghost
shrimp/Mysis or piece of clam in the morning), then some greens at night. Is
this too much food? Lately, he's seems to have a larger appetite and is always
begging for more food.
<Your Sharpnose Puffer will not likely eat itself to death... or even to illness>
Maybe I'll wind up taking the algae out of the main tank (I don't have a
refugium, but I could put them in the QT once the puffer's out). As it is, the
flame angel doesn't really eat any of them, but the snails seem too! Now I know
why I never see SW tanks with live plants...
thanks much
-Angela
<Keep looking. Bob Fenner>

I have an orange tailed Fiji Puffer. 
<That common name isn't seen much in the pet trade, but typically this name is given to Canthigaster solandri, sometimes called spotted Sharpnose puffer.>
He hasn’t eaten in 2 weeks and seems lethargic.  I’ve read other postings but haven’t found any similar to mine because my tank has never experienced infestations.
  His tank mates are a Picasso Trigger and an Assorted Puffer.  Both fish are eating and responding normally in the 50 gallon tank.
<Hard to tell what "Assorted Puffers" might be, if it's another Sharpnose puffer then it isn't good cause two Sharpnose variety of puffers in the same tank can be bad.  One will be more dominant, and the submissive one will eat less, and not be as outgoing.  Also, Triggers can be aggressive.  My Picasso wasn't bad, but a friend had one what would pick on tankmates constantly.   My biggest concern is that a 50 gallon tank is not large enough for these fish.   The bare minimum for a single Picasso (Huma Huma) trigger is 75, and with that and other messy fish such as puffers you run the risk of problems with such a small tank.>  
Tank conditions are ideal, 78 degrees, salinity 1.023 – 1.025, Zero or minimal nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia.  All fish enjoy eating a varied diet of freeze dried krill, frozen brine shrimp, and live minnows. 
<You should offer these fish other foods besides this.   Freeze dried Krill is good, my puffers love it, but it's not as nutritious as offering them fresh seafood.  I purchase shrimp, octopus, squid and clams and offer my puffers it to them once or twice a week.   You can purchase bags of seafood mixes at your local grocery story (food for people).  Plus you get to snack on it as well.   Frozen Brine Shrimp doesn't offer much of anything in the way of nutrition.  And Live minnows aren't a good source, since these are freshwater fish, they don't have the same nutrients and fats found in marine fish.  Plus, live fish still offer a way to bring parasites to the tank.>
25% of tank water and filters are change every 4 weeks or so.
<This should be smaller water changes more frequently, and make sure that you premix the water a day or two before adding it to the tank.>  
I’ve had the Fiji for almost 3 months.  The Fiji’s behavior began to change after the last tank change.  I did move the live rock that he normally sleeps on.
<"Tank Change" meaning that you literally changed the tank around, or that you changed the water in the tank.  If it was after a water change, then it could be that the new water might have had a difference in it's chemistry compared to what was in the tank.  I check alkalinity and other levels in my mixes before adding them to the tank.   If you changed the fish to a new tank, then it could be difficult for it to adjust.  Make sure that there is enough territory for these fish, that they all can claim a spot of the tank as their own.>  
The fish get along.  The trigger nips once and a while at both fish but never breaks the skin or continues for a period of time. 
<Chances are high that it might nip when you aren't around as well.  The fish doesn't have to break the skin to disturb the other fish enough to not eat.>
Any thoughts on what could’ve caused the puffer to stop eating and become less responsive? 
<Sounds as though he's being bullied.  I had a small dogface puffer that did the same thing, it turned out that one of the clown fish that shared a tank with it was constantly pestering it.  Once I removed the aggressor, all was fine.  I suggest you start setting up a quarantine tank and let it get ready just in case you need to move this puffer out.  perhaps once he is out he will start eating.. or you can move the aggressor there and see if the puffer improves.>
He is relieving himself on a regular basis so I was thinking he might be eating something else. 
<puffers pick at stuff on the live rock.  Mine love to eat almost everything possible.>
He also does seem a bit more bloated but he does not have any spots or change in color that would indicate parasites, disease, or injury.
Thanks!
<My guess is he is being picked on by something. that is what it sounds like to me.   Separate them if you can and see if it improves.   Also another trick is to buy some live snails from your local reef shop and feed them some live foods.  I've "cured" many a depressed puffer by feeding them that. it's like giving chocolate to a 6 year old.  Good luck. -Magnus>

Valentini Puffer Long in the Tooth 1/9/05
Hi!
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I've got a quick question about my Valentini Puffer.  I've had him for nearly one year in my 44 gal FOWLR.  His tank mates include a blue devil damsel, a longnose hawkfish, a false percula and then two inverts: a coral-banded shrimp and a cleaner shrimp.  Recently I've noticed that my puffer has had trouble eating.  I associate this problem to his fused beak forming an 'over-bite' of sorts making it difficult for him to open his mouth wide enough to swallow most food pellets.  The puffer is approx. two inches in length and I feed him once a day alternating between 'Formula Two Marine Pellets' and frozen cubes of 'Hikari Mega-Marine Cubes' (too many ingredients in cubes to list).  I do not believe this to be a matter of 'lock-jaw' as I've read about on your site, just big teeth.  What do you suggest that can be fed to him to file down the beak, keep in mind his mouth can't open very wide.  I've read about people feeding clams and prawn (what's this by the way) to their puffers, if this would be an appropriate food to reduce his beak, would I just feed him the tender meat inside of the shell?  Thanks in advance for all your help!  Peace and Puffer Grease
<Once your puffer's teeth are overgrown, no amount of crunchy foods will help.  Here's an article on proper feeding of puffers & trimming their teeth: http://puffer.proboards2.com/index.cgi?board=hospital&action=display&num=1085932782  I hope this helps!  ~PP>
-David

Valentini puffer and coralline algae 19 Jan 2005
Hello,  <Hi Paul, MacL here with you.>
I recently added a Valentini Sharpnose Puffer to my 125 gallon FOWLR. Since introduction a few days ago this little guy has done a number on my coralline algae. He is constantly nipping at the live rock, and has cleared off a good portion of the algae. I have attempted to feed krill, Mysis shrimp, and Formula One, but nothing seems to appease him like the beautiful algae. <I think you need to get him some algae based foods, like Nori or formula Two that is algae based. Hopefully that will get him started on something else besides your coralline. Unfortunately once they start it is very very hard to get them to stop.> I was wondering if he was going to continue in this manner until all coralline is gone, or do you know of some other foods to try? <Look for foods with Spirulina, perhaps some flake with it in it. Let me know if it works. MacL>
Thank you for your time Paul,<Thank you Paul>

Toby (puffer) benthic feeding habits 2/9/05
I have a Canthigaster valentini that on occasion will pick at/eat sand. Is this natural?
<Quite natural... they even rasp the mucous off the base of polyps and anemones>
All water parameters/maintenance in perfect condition. No disease. No stress from other fish.
<No worries>
He eats well otherwise. Regards, Mike Rivera
<Keep observing/enjoying my friend. Anthony>