What is my puffer doing???

[mike030987]

Hi there, so I've been having trouble getting my puffer to eat and today I saw him doing this.




He like lodges himself in there, and now and again comes out and about. I e just never seen him do this. Anyone have any insight? TIA

 

[Tcancel]

Hey Mike, my dogface puffer (seen above) has had the same behavior for over a year now. Of what i have researched puffers scare easily. They tend to be shy with lots of activity around the tank. But in the other hand, my other puffers don't have this same behavior.

I would check that he is not getting picked on. In my case, one of the things i believed caused this was the addition of a one spot toby puffer. He was extremely aggressive. Killed 2 fish and ate all the fins of my humu trigger, and i mean, ALL before i realized what was going on and removed him. Poor fish was about an inch long at the time, and could hardly swim. Luckly i was able to nurse him back to health and he grew his fins back and now is about 4". But, anyways, my point is that i believe the toby was picking at him too, so he found himself a cave to hide. But even after i removed the Toby, his behavior has stayed the same. He partially inflates himself to wedge himselfs in between two rocks. He comes out to swim when the outside of the tank is quiet, but when it starts getting busy, he hides again. He will come out for food though.

Not much of a definite answer, but that has been my experience.

 

[mike030987]

I appreciate your experience. I truly don't believe he is being picked on because for the month and a half I have had him he has been out and about. Just today I have seen him do this. It's kinda out in the open but in between two rocks do if he was being picked on he still could be there but again I don't believe that is the case (although as we all know you only see a percentage of what truly goes on in a tank lol). He hasn't really eaten either so I'm wondering if it has something to do with that. Just a little worried about him.

 

[acrofragger]

it has to do with the same reason other fish hide ...............they are unhappy
could be plenty of things ......first of check your water then go down the line ...what have you changed temp boucning ect ect


ohh and from what i can see they both have the mouths open like they are gasping ..how are they breathing ?

flukes or ich....

 

[mike030987]

I plan on doing an entire tank check tonight, but as of a week ago all params were in good standing. Temp is a steady 79 the last few days. The second pic is not of my tank but of someone else's. Also I didn't notice any heavy breathing and I can't seem to see his mouth in my pic there anyways lol. all my 5 other fish are happy and healthy as well. Anyone else have any experience with odd puffer behavior?? Or any other thoughts?

 

[mike030987]

Also I noticed this mark in the top if him. Not sure what it could be but from what I've researched it seems as if it could be some sort of infection due to malnutrition in which makes sense to be seeing as he won't eat.




I apologize about the dual threads on this guy as well. Just trying to sort him out.

 

[Tcancel]

it has to do with the same reason other fish hide ...............they are unhappy
could be plenty of things ......first of check your water then go down the line ...what have you changed temp boucning ect ect


ohh and from what i can see they both have the mouths open like they are gasping ..how are they breathing ?

flukes or ich....

He is good, he just likes to show his ever growing tusk sometimes!