Stressed GSP?

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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Cinder
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Stressed GSP?

Post by Cinder »

At feeding time, I noticed that Hobart's belly is black, his spines are out (although he is not puffed up) and he won't eat. He seems grumpy and not his usual self. The only thing that has change in his tank is the addition of some Astraea Conehead Snails (in an attempt to control the algae) on Sunday. Could he be stressed, or is he sick?
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by Pufferpunk »

We need exact answers to the questions above please.
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!"
Cinder
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Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by Cinder »

pH is 8.0
Ammonia is 0
Nitrite is 0
Nitrate is 20ppm
salinity is 27PPT
SG is 1.020
29 gallon aquarium
1 GSP and 2 Astraea Conehead Snails
Feeding raw shrimp, mussels, occasional frozen brineshrimp.
I do 20% water change weekly. I only use Instant Ocean and Prime.
No changes to the aquarium, except the addition of the snails on Sunday.
The aquarium has been set up since November 2013.
One week fishless cycle, added filter media and one molly from existing tank for one week before getting my GSP.
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Pufferpunk
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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: Stressed GSP?

Post by Pufferpunk »

What kind of filtration? Any live rock?
Is he eating/swimming normally?
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!"
Cinder
Puffer Fry
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:42 pm
Location (country): Ohio, USA

Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by Cinder »

HOB Penguin filter. No live rock. He seemed to be swimming normally.
He has passed away. No idea why.
RIP dear Hobart.
Cinder
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Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by Cinder »

So sad right now............
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sgtmyers88
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Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by sgtmyers88 »

Sorry for your sudden loss. :(

It might have been parasites or a sudden injury perhaps? Where did you buy the puffer?
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
Cinder
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Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by Cinder »

I had purchased him at Broadway Aquatics in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He had always been healthy, happy and friendly, until this week. Not sure what happened, could have been something in the water.
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Re: Stressed GSP?

Post by bertie 83 »

Sorry for your loss, always sad to loose a loved pet
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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