Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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.
Post Reply
User avatar
Welch4
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 698
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP
Location (country): USA
Location: Abington,MA

Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by Welch4 »

Not sure where to put this. Figured I would Share.

I woke up this morning and was not greeted by my little blimp happily begging for attention. After scouring the tank I found him at my feet on the carpet. He had to be out of the tank for at least two hours before I found him. Finding him resulted in a flood of screams of anger, I love this little guy. I have come home to a dead GSP once before. And he felt exactly the same lifeless. I carried him to the bathroom and placed him on the counter then returned to my room to continue carrying off in a fit on anger. After few minutes that had subsided and I returned to the bathroom to make the crappy decision (no pun intended) to bury or flush the little guy. I have had this guy for quite a while and decided to bury him. But at this point hes covered in carpet lint and hair. So I stop up this sink and fill with water. The little guy is placed in and his dorsal fin started to move with the water. My heart sank seeing him look to be alive for a second, then all his fins start to move. Quickly zooming around the sink i got all the lint and hair I could off of him and transplanted him back into his tank. I have cut down a new accessory strip for the tank and this little guy has a new name . . . Frankenstein.
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
User avatar
Welch4
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 698
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP
Location (country): USA
Location: Abington,MA

Re: Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by Welch4 »

Since i put this in hospital.

Ph 8.1
Amonnia 0 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 10 ppm
SG 1.010
Temp 82

No changes to the tank recently. Feeding routine is the same. He seems to be swimming fine although a little slower than usual. Belly is a little gray but that is understandable being out of water for 2+ hours. Also he doesnt look any rounder than usual so i dont think he puffer up during his stroll outside the tank. I put some ghost shirmp in that he has made a couple attempts at.

The jump was taken out of the hole in my accessory strip where my HOB filter used to be. I have since replaced with a properly trimmed piece. Not sure I am looking for help just wasn't sure where to share this.
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
User avatar
purplecandle
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 2019
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:18 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Currently
2 Adult Green Spotted Puffers
1 Fangs Puffer
1 Baby Green Spotted Puffer
Location (country): USA (NC)

Re: Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by purplecandle »

Sounds like he will be ok. They can live for awhile out side the tank. Several hours. Never flush a fish without first putting it back in the tank! He may have dried out a little (the equivalent to us getting sunburned). Perhaps put in some aloe or stresszyme...or what ever it's called!
Image
User avatar
Welch4
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 698
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP
Location (country): USA
Location: Abington,MA

Re: Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by Welch4 »

I have stresszyme on hand I can dose the tank with it. He looks great right now. After I knew he was ok i went and preordered a new tank for him upping him from a 29 to a 40 long before his full marine conversion. So I have room for the additional live rock and other equipment.
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
User avatar
sgtmyers88
Moderator
Posts: 1292
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:37 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffers
Location (country): USA
Contact:

Re: Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by sgtmyers88 »

Wow incredible story! Glad all seems well.
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
TrevorA
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2014 5:04 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 Fahaka
5 GSPs
Location (country): South Leicestershire
England

Re: Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by TrevorA »

That's amazing :) really pleased for you, I'm paranoid about any of mine jumping out!

One thing I don't understand though, how do you know he was out for over 2 hours and not 5-10 mins, easily enough time to dry out?
User avatar
Welch4
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 698
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP
Location (country): USA
Location: Abington,MA

Re: Strange Way to Start a Saturday Morning

Post by Welch4 »

I had a large mirror behind the tank. There was spray from where he jumped and it was completely dry when I found him.
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
Post Reply