Tank 30 US gallons ( 125 litres) established 7 years Ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10, no changes to tank since set up.
I have a very much loved Muirus puffer who we have now had for just over seven hyears, he was about 2'' when we got him and is now about 5''. He has always eaten well, usually raw shrimp and mussells about 3 times a week but he has gradually in the last couple of months been going off his food, he has now not eaten at all for about 2 weeks . I have seen no evidence of poop for ages and am wondering if he is constipated.He is still swiiming but has stopped digging in the past frw days and looks a bit agitated although no other signs of illness, he doesn't even really look particually thin. I have bought epsom salt but just wanted to check before adding it to the tank. I have calculated that I need 6 tablespoons for his tank. Presumably I predissolve it in tank water before adding it? Is this likely to affect the bacteria in the tank, I realy don't want to crash the tank to add to his problems.
Thank you for your help, I do love this guy very much and really want to help him.
Epsom salt dosing
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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susiejames101
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sevenyearnight
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Epsom salt dosing
Let us know how this works for him.
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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susiejames101
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Re: Epsom salt dosing
He really doesn't look very well now 
he is normally a sandy colour and is now quite dark bless him and he is panting. I have turned his light off and will leave him in peace, have a feeling he won't be with us for very much longer . I do hope I am wrong, he really is a very important member of our family
he is normally a sandy colour and is now quite dark bless him and he is panting. I have turned his light off and will leave him in peace, have a feeling he won't be with us for very much longer . I do hope I am wrong, he really is a very important member of our family -
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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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
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Re: Epsom salt dosing
I'm not sure of their life expectancy but I think 7 years might be pretty good. Any other changes or just stopped eating?
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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susiejames101
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 3:44 pm
- Location: uk
Re: Epsom salt dosing
No other changes at all, he has just gradually eaten less and less over the past couple of months. I think it is probably his time sadly. Will sure miss him
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susiejames101
- Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Epsom salt dosing
Poor old Spud passed away this morning, a very sad day but I think he had a good life, enjoy fishy heaven Spud !
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PufferBabe
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Pufferpunk
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Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
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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: Epsom salt dosing
Spud! Mine is naned, "Tatertot".Are you going to get another one?
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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Puffer King
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Re: Epsom salt dosing
sorry to hear that
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Free Elf Girl Pun 2012
Free Elf Girl Pun 2012