The Puffer Forum

Sounds like possible camallanus worms. I'd definitely treat with Levamisole or Prazi-Pro. If your fish is not eating, I'd consider treating the water column...but first check his teeth to make sure they're not too long and that's why he's not eating.

Eric

I'm curious, like pombe apparently is, in how much stress/fear must be necessary to get them to puff. Let me stress, I have never, and will never, try to get my dear Hoover to puff, but when cleaning his tank, or doing something truly evil like rearranging tank furniture, he'll be obviously upset, s...

Well, my puffer bit at the gold molly twice when I was feeding the mollies some flakes...but once he figured out they were not eating something he would like he went on about his merry way. I have a good LFS who'll take them back if things look dicey, and only time will tell. They are munching away ...

I picked up two lyretail mollies (I know, long tails probably not a good idea...but they were too cute) - one golden colored and one dalmation. The golden one is hanging out with my puffer.

Eric

I think I'll try a couple of males (since I know they're smaller). So far, the 30 gallon is on day 3 with no leaks...but I'm going to be a bit paranoid and keep it up for a full week before using it.

I'll try to hunt down some smaller mollies today.

Eric

Lisa - the Prazi Pro worked as well as discomed IMHO. It has praziquantel (or something close to that - I'm too lazy to look it up - which like levamisole is a real anti-parasitic).

Eric

I've used Prazi Pro with no problems on puffers.

Check feed and tack stores for levamisole - many farmers and ranchers use it (especially for sheep).

Eric

So maybe I will try a few mollies (not sailfins - but either black or one of the non-sailfinned ones that seem to come in a myriad of colors). Would either 2 females or 2 males be OK? Or would 2 males fight? I've not kept any live bearers other than endlers and variatus platys (several years ago), s...

I'll probaly just stick with the algae magnet...my LFS had flagfish and I'm too lazy to actually have to hunt down any tankmates for my Figure 8.

Thanks for letting my know they're true FW.

Eric

Are florida flagfish really FW? I've seen everything from soft water to hard water to brackish (Fishbase lists FW and BW, but I do realize the limitations of Fishbase). I'm an algae magnet wizard...but when soaking and scrubbing silk plants the other day it struck me that flag fish might like this a...

Just curious if anyone has ever tried keeping figure 8s with Florida flag fish? I thought they might do a little clean up on messy bits of what the puffer was eating, and also might munch on some algae.

Eric

Congratulations on your new puffer! I have my figure 8 in a 20 long - I think it's just about the ideal size for a singleton.

BTW - I'm glad it was a bad test kit...I think many of us have had that happen.

Eric

Aragonite should raise your pH - maybe it'll take more time. However, if Corallife salt is marine saltwater mix - it should have buffered your water and increased the pH, too.

How old is your test kit? Just wondering if maybe it's too old and not working right.

Eric

Aragonite will buffer more than crushed coral. What kind of filter are you running? I've had luck filling a filter media bag (or old hose tied up) with aragonite and putting it in my AC's filter area - the water running over may be just thing for you.

Eric

My figure 8 is full of personality, and I moved up from DPs, too, because I wanted such a cool fish but in a slightly larger size.

I've not kept SAPs or GSPs.

Eric