Fahaka Not Eating
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Fahaka Not Eating
Thanks for the great shot. He definitely has some sort of a severe infection in his mouth. I'd start by getting a good liquid test kit & check his water. Then do a 50% WC today & tomorrow. Add 1 tbsp salt/10g & Melafix I Pimafix to the water. Be sure to replace these, after you do the WC.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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cfl1974
- Puffer Fry
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- My Puffers: 1 Fahaka - Sriracha
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Re: Fahaka Not Eating
OK. Have followed all advice. Including switching to Prime. After first day of 50% water change he seemed rejuvenated enough that I actually tried feeding him. No dice. He ignored it. Much more swimming instead of laying on the substrate though. Mouth still a weird texture, but not as puffy looking.
Did another 50% change yesterday + salt, melafix and pimafix. He immediately seemed really stressed: laying on the bottom & very dark in color. His back looking mottled instead of stripey.
Tested nitrates a moment ago. They are ~ 5 ppm.
So, where do I go from here? Do I do a 7 day course of treatment, as is recommended on the Mela/Pima fix bottles, or are puffers delicate enough that I need to ease off? He has been swimming around today, but then when he stops to rest on the substrate he gets all dark & blotchy again.
Did another 50% change yesterday + salt, melafix and pimafix. He immediately seemed really stressed: laying on the bottom & very dark in color. His back looking mottled instead of stripey.
Tested nitrates a moment ago. They are ~ 5 ppm.
So, where do I go from here? Do I do a 7 day course of treatment, as is recommended on the Mela/Pima fix bottles, or are puffers delicate enough that I need to ease off? He has been swimming around today, but then when he stops to rest on the substrate he gets all dark & blotchy again.
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puffykid
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 537
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 3:16 pm
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- Location (country): Madison, WI
Re: Fahaka Not Eating
I wouldn't worry to much about feeding him at the moment since he isn't feeling well. What may have caused the stress was that pimafix and melafix cause the dissolved oxygen level inside the water to drop, if you can add in an airstone for him it'll probably help. Continue on in the treatment until the spot looks normal and healthy.
1 M. Turgidus - 29 gallon
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bertie 83
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Re: Fahaka Not Eating
Whilst sitting still they try to blend in, this is probably the change of colour you are seeing
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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cfl1974
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 2:52 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 1 Fahaka - Sriracha
- Location (country): Waxhaw, NC USA
Re: Fahaka Not Eating
Update:
He is doing fine! After more a week of treatment & several water changes, he still wasn't eating & appeared to be wasting away. My husband & I were ready to euthanize, because I could not bear watching him starve to death.
As a last resort, before taking the final step, my husband hand fed him - basically shoving the shrimp into his mouth. It energized Sriracha, and he's been going strong and eating on his own ever since.
It was recommended that I mix up his diet a bit, and to that end I picked up some live foods at Petsmart today. Some snails that need to quarantine for a bit, but I also got superworms. I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought this was just a fancy sales name for night crawlers, but it's giant meal worms. If my husband or I can bring ourselves to touch them, is this OK to feed?
Also, they had some little live crabs at a reasonable price for food, BUT I would not be able to rip off their little claws. Hubby says the guy in his fish club who has a fahaka takes off claws before feeding live foods to prevent injuries. Is this really necessary? The claws on these guys were teeny....
Thanks for your help!
He is doing fine! After more a week of treatment & several water changes, he still wasn't eating & appeared to be wasting away. My husband & I were ready to euthanize, because I could not bear watching him starve to death.
As a last resort, before taking the final step, my husband hand fed him - basically shoving the shrimp into his mouth. It energized Sriracha, and he's been going strong and eating on his own ever since.
It was recommended that I mix up his diet a bit, and to that end I picked up some live foods at Petsmart today. Some snails that need to quarantine for a bit, but I also got superworms. I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought this was just a fancy sales name for night crawlers, but it's giant meal worms. If my husband or I can bring ourselves to touch them, is this OK to feed?
Also, they had some little live crabs at a reasonable price for food, BUT I would not be able to rip off their little claws. Hubby says the guy in his fish club who has a fahaka takes off claws before feeding live foods to prevent injuries. Is this really necessary? The claws on these guys were teeny....
Thanks for your help!
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bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: Fahaka Not Eating
That's great news. I never remove the claws, no crabs really hurt him but they have pinched
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Fahaka Not Eating
Careful with those Superworms. They are extremely fatty (probably a good thing, considering he was starving) but their outer shell (chiton), is difficult for them to digest. They do have those nice big Canadian night crawlers at Walmart.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"