Green Spotted Puffer Fish Help!

I have 2 green spotted puffer fish. One has a dark belly which I have read can mean he is sick, although my other one has a white belly, but will not eat any food and is not very social. I’m not sure if his beak needs trimming or what. He just swims in one corner of the tank most of the time and he is completely uninterested in any kind of food. I’ve tried snails, blood worms, shrimp everything. He just seems to swim up and down the wall in one corner. They are both about 2inchs long and in a 50 gallon tank right now. Does anyone know what could be wrong?

 

How long have you had them?
Is the tank cycled?

 

I have 2 green spotted puffer fish. One has a dark belly which I have read can mean he is sick, although my other one has a white belly, but will not eat any food and is not very social. I’m not sure if his beak needs trimming or what. He just swims in one corner of the tank most of the time and he is completely uninterested in any kind of food. I’ve tried snails, blood worms, shrimp everything. He just seems to swim up and down the wall in one corner. They are both about 2inchs long and in a 50 gallon tank right now. Does anyone know what could be wrong?

What is the salinity level of your tank? GSPs can start fresh when young, but need to be in brackish water as they get older.

 

I've had several diffrent types of puffers. I never had success. They are wild caught so always have internal pests. Have you dewormed rhem? Did the store deworm them prior to purchase? Snails usually keep their beaks trimmed pretty well. Mine did eat snails on half shell. For the glass reflection I put a lot of plants against the walls so he would see his reflection. The glass surfing is a sign of stress.

I miss my puffers. Such interactive fish. Mine knew my footsteps and come to the glass and watch me. They would follow my finger. My GPS would eat from my hand. After he died I gave up on puffers. I got too attached to their personalities. Each had a different one.

Good luck. To get him to eat the half shell I did start by soaking in garlic. Don't get the garlic on your hands..you will smell awful for days. Use sparingly. A bottle will last forever.

 

If you use garlic (ie Kent's Marine Garlic), the best way to do it is to use a disposable plastic cup and fill it about half full of water (just enough to submerge the food in), stick the food under the water in the cup and then take just one or two drops of the Garlic and drop it in the water. Get some plastic seal wrap and cover it and stick it in the fridge for a few hours. It will completely marinate the food, keep it off your hands and keep your fridge from stinking. I've used this method many times with great success.

 

I've had several diffrent types of puffers. I never had success. They are wild caught so always have internal pests. Have you dewormed rhem? Did the store deworm them prior to purchase? Snails usually keep their beaks trimmed pretty well. Mine did eat snails on half shell. For the glass reflection I put a lot of plants against the walls so he would see his reflection. The glass surfing is a sign of stress.

I miss my puffers. Such interactive fish. Mine knew my footsteps and come to the glass and watch me. They would follow my finger. My GPS would eat from my hand. After he died I gave up on puffers. I got too attached to their personalities. Each had a different one.

Good luck. To get him to eat the half shell I did start by soaking in garlic. Don't get the garlic on your hands..you will smell awful for days. Use sparingly. A bottle will last forever.

Sorry meant clams on a half shell