The Puffer Forum

Do the peas need to be cooked? Or just thawed? Do I feed him peas for several days?

-minerva.

Ok, maybe a stupid question... but how do I skin peas for him?? I don't think it would hurt and it might help, right? I am going to get more water today to do a larger water change too. I did not know that scaleless fish were more susceptible to poor water quality, thanks for that tip.

-minerva

He is getting better each day I think... yesterday he wasn't lying flat on the sand anymore. He was still tucked away in a corner but at least he was floating about a centimetre above instead of just giving up and lying down. He even swam to the top to wait for food again. He is still not acting 100...

4 small fish in a 90 gallon tank. I am really thinking something is wrong with HIM since all the other fish are fine and the water chemistry is decent. I am going to do the water change anyway, though, to be on the safe side. He still looks a bit bulgy towards the tail end. Could he have an air bubb...

Nitrite is 0.1 mg/L. He is looking somewhat better today. I haven't seen him puffed up or spinning in circles. He is still lying on the sand in the corner and looks like he's breathing slowly. HOWEVER - when I fed the clowns this morning (flakes, because he hates those and I didn't want him to eat i...

Floss - new as of last night, but will change it out again
Salt - I use Instant Ocean
pH buffers - have never used before


He got up off the sand and swam a tiny bit before lying down flat on the sand bed again. He has not puffed up or spun in circles since I've come home from work.

-minerva

Thanks guys. I got home and started testing right away. Keep in mind I have Nutrafin test kits (by Hagen) so they are not the most accurate things in the world. Salinity: 1.020 Nitrate: 0 or 5 mg/L Ammonia: 0 or 0.1 mg/L pH: 8.3 or 8.5 The pH seems to be a bit high but matching the test tube to the ...

My tank is 90 gallons. I didn't have a chance to check nitrates before I left for work but I'm going to as soon as I get home. Would you use a product designed to bring nitrates down quickly? Or just a plain old water change? I got someone to check on him and he's still alive but lying on the sand a...

I am so upset - my puffer looks horribly sick today. I went to feed the fish before leaving for work and normally he keeps watch for me and sails out of his 'cave' to be fed. Today I couldn't see him anywhere at first, and then noticed him lying on the sand in a corner. His breathing seems to be slo...

Thank you for replying to my question! The only snails I have actually seen him eat, shell and all, are those little half-shell snails. Vermetid, I think? If it's a normal snail in a full shell, he seems to somehow eat the snail body while he is rolling it around in this mouth and leave the shell be...

I've heard / read conflicting information about whether porcupine puffers have the eternally growing tooth issue ... or not. I have grown very attached to my little puffer during the months that I've had him and would hate to develop any problems in the future! I thought of this issue again after he...