SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
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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sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
I have had chubbs ( my green spotted puffer) for close to 2 years now. For the past 3 months he has gotten so skinny. I feed him everyday. At first I thought his beak was overgrown. I trimmed his teeth about 2 months ago. I used clove oil and cuticle nippers. I thought it would help him get back to normal again. But he looks at if he got worst. I have him in a 40g tank. He is about 2 inches long, which bothers me, shouldn't he be bigger by now? He hasn't grown much since I got him. So I thought he has internal parasites. I went to my lfs. I treated the tank with prazipro, and put in Vita Chem 2 days ago. I have just started feeding him some frozen food that has been soaked in vita chem and garlic guard. I really love him.I always done 45% water changes every week. I have marineland canister filter c-220 and I have a Penguin 150 Bio-Wheel by marineland. my parameters are pH 8.0 Ammonia 0.0 Nitrite 0.0 Nitrate 10ppm. There are no other fish. I really want to save him. Any suggestions on what else can I do? should I treat the every 3 to 5 days with prazipo like it says on the bottle? I took out the active carbon. How long should I treat him. how often should I do water changes and what percentage? should I soak his food in the parzipo took. if so would you dilute it?
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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Also kept:
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Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
You MUST soak his foods in the med to treat internal parasites:
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/
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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sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
Thank you so much! When I soak his food in prazipro do I have to dilute? Should I feed him the prazipro in food every day?
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dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
Read my thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34449
While I lost my Puffy, there is lots of good info about how to feed and treat for IP. I even force fed mine because he wouldn't eat. Good luck!
While I lost my Puffy, there is lots of good info about how to feed and treat for IP. I even force fed mine because he wouldn't eat. Good luck!
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sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
Thanks, I worry he is so unhealthy he looks really skinny, like you can see his spine a little, but he still stuffs him self when he eats the medicated food. i don't even know where it all goes. I'm sorry about your lost of your puffer. I hope mine improves. He always swims up to the glass and begs
for food when I come in the room, so thats normal. His belly is always white. I have no idea how is still looks to happy when he is so unhealthy.
for food when I come in the room, so thats normal. His belly is always white. I have no idea how is still looks to happy when he is so unhealthy.
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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: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
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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Welch4
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Location: Abington,MA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
The above links are great resources for treating IPs. I personally believe they have saved my GSP. In your initial post you give a run down of your tank but you do not mention salinity. Is your GSP in freshwater?
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
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sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
they are helpful, I read them before. My puffer was really being weird today. He was rubbing his body against some of the decorations. Is he itchy? from the prazipro? or you think he would have skin flukes?
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bertie 83
- Moderator
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Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
It's probably just one of those things, you are treating his food not the tank?
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
I am treating both. The tank and his food. I have another question. My gsp looks so anorexic but has a lump on the left side toward the tail a little past the anal fin, is that where the parasites are?
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dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
How's he doing today?
I've not heard of a "lump" like that. It's so frustrating when you don't know what is wrong. Mine randomly started darting or rubbing too. I immediately thought flukes but now I'm convinced that it was just strange behavior because of the IP's that he had. As long as he's eating you still have a chance. I would only feed him medicated food that you have soaked for several hours or even overnight just to be sure he's getting it.
I've not heard of a "lump" like that. It's so frustrating when you don't know what is wrong. Mine randomly started darting or rubbing too. I immediately thought flukes but now I'm convinced that it was just strange behavior because of the IP's that he had. As long as he's eating you still have a chance. I would only feed him medicated food that you have soaked for several hours or even overnight just to be sure he's getting it.
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sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
He is doing the same, still just swims round slow, still eats, still looks so skinny. I feed him a ton of treated food. I ordered levamisole hydrochloride powder, Because I don't think the prazipro is working on whatever he has. I think he has some kind of round worm.
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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: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
What's the SG of that tank?
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!"
-
sarahpuff
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2015 12:28 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer
- Location (country): United States, PA
Re: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
My SG is 1.019 and its too late now. Chubbs passed away a few hours ago. 
I he was a little fighter. He tried tilL the end..... I still thought it was odd his belly never got dark, or black
I he was a little fighter. He tried tilL the end..... I still thought it was odd his belly never got dark, or black-
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: SICK GREEN SPOTTED PUFFER HELP! skinny!
So sorry you lost him, you did what you could
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly