HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

In his stomach

He's been fine all day, I raised the temp, he's in a massive 3ft tank with all water parameters at 0 and a Ph of 7.6.

He's upside down, and I can see a 'bubble' in the middle of his stomach. He's kind of yellowish underneath.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

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!"
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

Boy am I glad to see you.

Spud is lethargic, lying on the bottom, he was fairly light coloured with a yellow stomach - it's been white up until now.

I've tried burping him, with no luck. A TINY bubble came out. The 'bubble' seems flaccid and is about the size of a grape but not as fat.

He's now very dark coloured and looks massively pissed off at me. He is, however, the right way up now.

Am I worrying over nothing? Is he merely sleeping, or simply doing his best to scare what little wits I have left?
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

I have turned the aquarium lights off btw. The water temp is up to what you suggested, and I tested the water mid afternoon, and it was still stable.

He did expel what looked like a half digested bit of prawn shell.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

Is he better now? You massaged his tummy?
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!"
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

I held him vertically underwater, face up, and sort of massaged his tummy towards his mouth. The bubble is sort of flaccid, and a tiny, tiny bubble of air came out.

He is now sulking heavily in the bottom of the tank, hidden in a plant. He is dark coloured, but at least he's the right way up now.

Is a yellow stomach normal? And lying on his side? He's been relatively active today, swimming up to the glass if he sees us. I'm finding so hard to find information specific to him, as he's not the Congo I thought I was getting. I've not fed him, I know he was fed yesterday, before I got him, but I don't know how many, if any, of the ghost shrimp he ate overnight. I only found around 8 bodies, but I have had a REALLY good look and can't find any more.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

Sulking or I've killed him :(
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

I think the yellow may just be his darker coloration.
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!"
Stratters
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

I'm going to leave him alone. I think he's dead though, I can't see any signs of movement at all. :(
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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2 T biocellatus
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

No gill movement?
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!"
Stratters
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Posts: 423
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:21 pm
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

YES! I can see his gills moving. He's in his Spud Cave, I think I'll turn the kitchen lights out, and let him be.

Thank you for all your help, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
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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
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

WE LOVE SPUD!!! :smitten:
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!"
Stratters
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Posts: 423
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Stratters »

Sadly, I've just gone to check on him, and he has died.

I'm gutted, I really loved the little man. And I don't know what I did wrong, I've just checked the water and all the parameters are spot on, and the temp is 78 :(

RIP darling Spud.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. RTR
User avatar
Pufferpunk
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Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
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2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
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Re: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :cry:
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!"
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32776
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: HELP!! Spud is lying upside down and has a bubble in

Post by Pufferpunk »

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :cry:
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!"
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