Do puffers die withing weeks of getting them?

[Ron]

I've been searching on soem sites and they make it sound as if all pufes die in a matter of weeks after you get them . And now I am overly paranoid , I don't get sleep because I am contanly checking on 'Puff'. One site said that he would eat a ton. He only ate a tail and a head of a guppy . I'm going to get him snails, earth worms, and maybe someother things I can round up at the LFS, see if they help his appitite. Anyways. The site also told me that Green Spotted Puffers get a 'neon' spot on teh top of their head. I saw that spot very clear last night, and its hard, but I can still see it today. That means he's doing really well, right? I'm a freak right now , sucking up all the info I can get my hands onto. Is there any other signs that I shoudl look for...liek stress or death is coming signs ? Or maybe happy signs ? And if that site was right, that most puffer die withing teh first weeks, is there any specific way you can stop this from happening? HELP!!!
Ron

 

[Alien Anna]

Ron, what you've got to remember is that most sites assume the newbie will not have a properly cycled (aka "matured") tank. Presumably puffers don't cope well with cycling - 10 weeks would be the duration of the cycling process if you did it with a puffer.

I don't know if your tank was cycled before you got your puffer, but if not, follow the advice in my article (link in my sig) for what to do if you find yourself cycling with fish. Be diligent about keeping the water as pristine as possible and you should be OK, even with a delicate puffer.

 

[Ron]

Thanks Anna, its cycled.
Ron

 

[Pufferpack]

Hi Ron

Anna is right on the nose, most puffers don't survive cycling and that is a big reason why people lose them in the first couple weeks. Others are wrong water conditions, GSP's are BW but a lot of stores sell them as fresh; internal parasites, most puffers are wild caught and some of the lfs don't quatintine them long enough to detect it. If their bellies start to look shrunken even though they are eating, or if they are constsntly grey, that is a big sign that something is wrong. Other than that as long as they are eating the proper foods and being supplied with "crunchy" foods (snails, cockles, muscles etc.) they should live past the 15 year mark. I would advise against using feeder fish, they are not usually the healthiest, and most puffers only tear them up and leave them to rot in the tank. You would be better to try bloodworms, shrimp, and other "seafoods".
For advise from people a whole lot more experienced with BW puffers than I am try Puffer Forum

 

[Ron]

None of teh bad signs are happening yet. He eats blood worms, snails, brine shrimp and live ghosdt shrimp is this good, or shoudl i get nore stuff? thansk of rthe Forum, looks great. he's real plump right nwo because I fed him jus a lil extra then normal, cuz he was a toothpick when I bout him. Thanks again,
Ron

 

[Pufferpack]

Sounds like a good diet to me I hear that they may ignore bloodworms when they get full groun, but you shouldn't have to worry about that for a couple years

 

[Ron]

This is probably a stupid quetion, but how much are hydrometers? I need one asap. Yes, he loves blood worms, and he eats aerth worms like spagetti!! Thanks,
Ron

 

[Alien Anna]

Yes, he loves blood worms, and he eats aerth worms like spagetti!! Thanks,
Ron

Ewugh! TMI!

 

[Ron]

LOL, sorry Anna, didin't mean to say it with such 'detail'. Sorry,
Ron

 

[Pufferpack]

Good to hear . Hydrometers run between $6 and $15 in the lfs around here.