The Puffer Forum

Thanks for your posts. I understand that my tank size is too small and there are plans to get a bigger tank, but I'm really worried about this being something other than behavior due to a small tank or a reaction to water quality. When I made yesterday's post I had just changed the water 50%! If the...

The Tank: 10.5 gallons with 2-3 cm light colored gravel at the bottom. (I know this is a small tank, space is limited for now) Fake plastic plants, a few shells, a toy mountain with hiding places, a toy barrel, heater, a filter. There are no live plants or coral. Tank was established about 1 1/2 mon...

If by water test you mean the salinity, pH, ammonia, and temperature parameters I put on my first post, then, well, they're there. I will buy a gravel vacuum. I use a handheld battery powered water siphon to siphon the water and filter the sediment right now, but it doesn't seem to be doing the tric...

The gravel is 3 cm at it's deepest. I washed it thoroughly when I started the tank. It looks just like a fine sediment of brown dust on the surface...easily kicked up when the gravel is agitated.

I changed the water this afternoon (50%) and things are looking fine for now except one puffer has black stress lines. Should I take the puffers out for water changes? The water in the tank gets awfully dusty with sediment when I do the changes... So it's gonna be water changes 50% each week and I'l...

When I change the water and stir up the gravel, it kicks up A LOT of sediment. The sediment always settles after a few hours. I have a handheld vacuum that I use to get up the feces, etc, but it doesn't do a very good job on the fine sediment in the gravel. Should I be worried about the sediment?

1) I forgot to mention...once a week I put a half of a bacteria tab in the water for "maintenance." I'm using tabs made by AquaPharm and they recommend 1 tab per 26 gallons each week. Is this what I should be doing? The tabs say "for saltwater use," but my tank is neither marine ...

Ahhh!
I read the test kit wrong. The color chart says .3 but I have to line it up with the pH to get the ammonia reading. So...the actual ammonia level is fine, close to zero. I will still do a water change, but what might be going on with the puffer?

OK, I'll do a water change right away. Is it weird, though, that the other puffers seem just fine? The ammonia is the likely culprit though as I have put the sick puffer in a clean hospital tank with just some sea salt for salinity and he's perked right up. I don't have a de-chlorinator. The tank is...

Good morning. I believe I have a sick puffer. It is exhibiting the following symptoms: -Generally sluggish: resting in the center of the tank on the gravel. He appears to be "panting" with his lateral fins clamped. Right now it looks like just one of the two gills on each side is moving. -...