Constipated Puffer ?????

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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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trekenk
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Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by trekenk »

Ph 8.2 steady, Ammonia 0, Nitrite0, Nitrates 15, Salinity 1.020

90 gallon 1 Yellow belly Dogface 7" no tank mates.

1 Dose of Ethromycim on one day and 1 dose of Maroxy on the next day (for cloudy eye clear right up from treatment) no improvement in appetite at this point she hadn't eaten in a week. Tank remain stable through this two day treatment.

Looked constipated. Added 1 tablespoon Epson salts for every 5 gallons total 18 tablespoons. Still no improvement hasn't eaten in three weeks but still swimming and doesn't seem to have lost that much weight. No marks on body or fins.

Numerous water changes on the slight chance that something got in the water that the tests weren’t reading (highly unlikely).

Feed frozen muzzles, shrimp, scallops squid, octopus and clam on half shelf all soaked in Kent Marine Zoe. 4 x pre week

Puffer was fine until I Introduced new quarantine fish could tell puffer was not happy removed fish to new home after one week. That fish is doing great in new home no signed of illness.
Initially thought puffer (Goldie) was sulking. Has been two weeks since fish was removed., for a total of three weeks without food.

Tank has been set up for 8 years.


She still looks to be constipated I didn't see her go but then I have never noticed her go.

Can I add more Epson Salt it has been a week since last dose. 1 tablespoon to every 5 gallon strength again.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by Pufferpunk »

Sounds like he sulking. Have you tried soaking the food in garlic? How about tempting with something live? Repeat Epsom salt to replace what you remove from a WC.
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!"
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trekenk
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Re: Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by trekenk »

Thanks PP bought a clove of garlic, tried to squeeze out the juice but that didn't work. Can you buy garlic juice or use garlic powder in a bit of water and soak?? What can I get live for saltwater?
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
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: Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by Pufferpunk »

Just take the chopped cloves & soak the food with them. It'll stink it up good!
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!"
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trekenk
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Re: Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by trekenk »

I can do that. Suggestion for live saltwater munchies?
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
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: Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by Pufferpunk »

Earthworms
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!"
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defool89
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Re: Constipated Puffer ?????

Post by defool89 »

Kents garlic extreme if you buy your garlic from a lfs
You have the right to bear Puffers.
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