Dwarf Puffer Rescue!

HI everybody,

Today I rescued a small dwarf puffer from my LFS, the tank was around 10 litres with 2 dead plants and 1 other dead puffer sucked against the filter and no lights, no snail even though there were loads in the plants below the poor thing... I had to take it and rehome it with 4 other dwarf puffers I got 2 weeks ago (I bought these from a seller on eBay as they were hard to source near me... or so I thought because I never saw this poor little guy).

My worry is that it is so skinny! it looks like a tadpole with big eyes whilst I was acclimating it I put a few bladder snails in the bag with it and they got destroyed instantly, I then fed it some bloodworms when I released it and it took them without hesitation, it’s now been hunting around the tank all day eating anything it can (there is a HUGE amount of snails in the tank). Do you think he will improve or could it have parasites? My other 4 haven’t been treated but they are perfectly round with no signs or parasites, they refuse to take bloodworms but I think they prefer the ‘hunt’.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks

 

I’ve never seen a fish so obviously determined to eat All the Shelled Things.
Give him a little while. Do you have him isolated from your other dwarf puffers?

 

I quickly realised how chunky my other little guys are. It doesn’t seem weak and is happily swimming and hunting, it’s also has a little snooze in the plants, it had to have been there for at least 1-2 months without food or a water change.

Unfortunately It’s in the same tank with the puffers as it’s the only cycled tank I have, I just acted on impulse and wanted to help it, hopefully it doesn’t backfire. It seems to have boosted the other puffers confidence with having him and 4 cherry shrimp I added, before they would just hide in the plants but now they seem to be happily swimming in the open.

 

So it isn’t looking very promising today. He seems to be on his side in a plant looking extremely weak. He isn’t dead... yet, I held a light near him and it wriggled with a little movement.

I feel so sad that I can’t help this poor little guy I have rand the LFS and expressed how disgusted I am and I plan to go and talk to the owner as this just isn’t right, the person on the phone wasn’t even aware of the puffers but didn’t seem to care either!

Any advice is appreciated, thanks

 

Did you try to worm him? General cure does most parasites. He’s wasting away from photos. You did try to save him.

 

aww poor guy, when I got mine the sadly they weren't being kept in great conditions either.

 

Sadly he didn’t make it, my guess is he had so much food too quickly and either didn’t have chance to digest or just couldn’t. It’s sad that it even got to this point the LFS asked if I wanted some more ordered in, no thanks, I’ll go elsewhere!

Thanks for all of your concern

 

Sadly he didn’t make it, my guess is he had so much food too quickly and either didn’t have chance to digest or just couldn’t. It’s sad that it even got to this point the LFS asked if I wanted some more ordered in, no thanks, I’ll go elsewhere!

Thanks for all of your concern

I don’t think the food killed him. I think he was just too far gone when you rescued him. Think of it this way, after who knows how long swimming in misery, you gave him his final days in clean water and with a wonderfully full belly to sleep on.