more puffers for punky

[punkypuffer]

picked me up another mbu who is about 3", though he is so terribly skinny that the wholesaler sold him to us for 30 dollars, with a few days guarantee. i'm attempting to get him to eat something other than ghost shrimp.. but he's being a bit difficult. he also has little round puffer bite marks on his belly, they obviously had him with other puffers that were picking on him :/

also got me a fahaka.. a wee little one that is under an inch (looks almost like a dwarf puffer!). this one is extremely skinny as well, but is eating bloodworms.

i'm hoping everyone gets to eating and does well! *crosses fingers*

i might have to get some parasite meds if they don't fatten up soon... :(

[cich1]

sounds like you've got your work cut out for you,good luck punky:)

[bevoman]

Punky,
Use some garlic xtreme on the food.
How are you going to keep everything in your apartment as they grow? Do you have a plan? Just curious.

[punkypuffer]

heh, dunno quite yet. the mbu's will go together once the new one gets fat *crosses fingers*

the fahaka.... not sure yet. i mean, he's an inch long... itll be a while for him to grow out. hoping we'll be moved by the time that happens. i have room for a 55 behind the couch and i also have a cracked 55 that i can buy a replacement tank for the stand and throw out the cracked one (was hoping to put my boa in there sometime soon).

i think i'll pick up garlic extreme on friday :/ along with more ghost shrimp. anything you can think of in the meantime that i can do to get him to eat bloodworms or shrimp?

[bevoman]

Do you have any fresh garlic or garlic powder?
How about any frozen shrimp. You could cut off a small piece and try feeding it to them.
How is the bite mark looking on the mbu?
There is a store on I35 just south of New Braunfels right next to the Snake Farm that still has some old discomed. If you get a chance, you might want to try and get down there to get some.
I am coming to Austin Monday afternoon, so if you want me to stop and get some for you, let me know.
Ben
Oops, can't do that, I think they are closed on Mondays. Sorry.
Let me know though, I might still have a little left of my own that I could bring you.

[bevoman]

Sorry Punky,
I forgot to finish that garlic thing. If you do have fresh garlic or garlic powder, you could blend a very small amount with water and put that on the worms.

[punkypuffer]

i don't have any garlic, but i can gte some at dinner tonight for sure. i have been trying to feed him the fresh tiger shrimp that the other mbu totally loves. he tryed it the first night, but hasnt touched it since :/

he has several bite morks on his tummy... another puffer just totally hated him or something, there's at least 8 little rings on his tummy :/ they look about the same.

i'll see what kind of anti parasite we have at amazonia and let you know if i need the discomed. thank you so very much for all the suggestions. i really hope he pulls through

[bevoman]

Punky,
Cut the shrimp into small pieces if you haven't already. They don't hit their prey very hard when they are that little. Good luck.

[punkypuffer]

ok, i'll see what i can do, i'm gunna go try and get him to eat again.

btw- the teeny fahaka is doing great, he's eating a lot and swimming around, so i'm not really too worried about him compared to the mbu :/

[punkypuffer]

lost the mbu over the night :/

he hung on for so long.... it was very sad to see him go

[bevoman]

Sorry punky!

[punkypuffer]

i think i pretty much did all that i could. i took everyone's suggestions in getting him healthy. i think he was just too far gone once i got him :/

on a lighter note, the Fahaka is doing just great, and eating like a champ. i will still dose him with anti parasite though, cuz he eats and gets skinny pretty quickly.

[bevoman]

Punky,
Mine would eat and get skinny for about two weeks. After that, he was being fed well enough that he was keeping bulked up between feedings. Keep feeding him and watch him grow like a weed!

[punkypuffer]

hehehe, how big was yours when you got him? i'll try to take some pics of this little one, he's sooooo tiny!!!!!!

[bevoman]

mine was about 2.5 inches. He's about 6 now and I've had him 3.5 months.

[Seedy]

Sorry to hear punky...It's really tough getting a fish from the wholesaler/dealer in crappy shape that you've been wanting forever...It's almost impossible to refuse delivery (what you really should from a business POV). It's so frustrating to know that it was gone before ya got it...(thinking of the calvus)...the best you can hope for is the seller to "make it right"....good luck, kudos to you for trying!

[punkypuffer]

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2004-11-27/77100-001.jpg

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2004-11-27/77100-002.jpg

those are pics of the new little fahaka.. you can kinda relate to the size difference because he is right next to a regular old spnge filter, and behind the tank is a power strip... so tiny!

[punkypuffer]

more pics of my original mbu. he's getting bigger!

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2004-11-27/77101-001.jpg

http://www.cichlidforums.com/postimages/2004-11-27/77101-002.jpg

[bevoman]

That is really a cool looking guy. Your Fahaka is cool too. I can already see that impressive jaw line. Keep us posted on his growth. How big is that mbu now?

[punkypuffer]

he's maybe 4.5-5" with the tail :)

[barramundi]

For what it's worth, sorry for your loss mate. You definitely seem to have tried everything you could mate, full credit for trying mate! Hopefully your supplier will honour the effort you made with something towards a replacement.

That little Fahaka's a cute little bugger!