Green Spotted puffer is sick

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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ITB
Puffer Fry
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Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Hello.

Sorry for my poor English, but I need some help from experienced puffer keepers.

My Green Spotted Puffer got very sick. Most of the time he is lying on the bottom of the tank,loosing coloration,pretty much not moving, just looking around. When he's trying to swim, the head staing on the bottom,like he's can't get it up. But sometimes he swim fine, but making weird twitching moves, like he cough, or tries to puff up, but can't.

I kept him alone in 20 litre tank (very small,I know).
Now I moved him in 130 litre tank. Ammonia - 0, Nitrite -don't know, Nitrates - 0.
I use marine salt, but don't know specific gravity (still waiting for my refractometer). But I adding approx. 1 tablespoon of salt per gallon. Maybe a little bit more.

I would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you!
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Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

You really need to know the nitrate, especially with nitrate at 0. A healthy, cycled system would be sowing some nitrate. I wouldn't be adding salt without knowing how much you are adding, because if you add too much at once it can harm your good bacteria, causing stress on the fish. This could be what is wrong with your fish.

Has your fish been acting sick since moving to the larger tank?
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!"
ITB
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Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Thank you for the responce!
Yes, he is stiil acting he same. I moved him yesterday, hoping that it will help, but he's still struggling.
Maybe I did something wrong with my tests, I will do them again. Sadly, I only have NH3/NH4 ammonia, and NO3 nitrate tests
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Pufferpunk
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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: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

Moving him to the larger tank should dilute any ammonia issues. I would not add any more salt, until you have all your tests in order.
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!"
ITB
Puffer Fry
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:40 am
Location (country): Russian Federation

Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Well, yeah. I screwed up. Sorry for misinformation.
In old tank water was: Ammonia~0.023 at ph. 7.5. Nitrate~40.
In new tank: Ammonia~0.015, Nitrate~10.

When I moved him, I added a water from old tank and mixed it with new water in 1/3 ratio.
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Pufferpunk
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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: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

Keep the tank as freshwater for now. Continue doing water changes, until you show no ammonia at the end of the day. Get a nitrite test kit. Use aragonite sand to raise the pH & keep it steady, around 8.
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!"
ITB
Puffer Fry
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:40 am
Location (country): Russian Federation

Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Thank you very much.

Also, maybe this is important, I forgot to tell that when he's lying in the corner,his breath is pretty heavy.He is not interested in food, but his belly pretty rounded, сonsidering that he's not ate for the last 3 days.

Again, thank you!
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Pufferpunk
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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
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Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

Sign of nitrite poisoning.
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!"
ITB
Puffer Fry
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Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:40 am
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Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Yeah...that's totally my fault. Is there any chance that he will be ok?
If so, then plan is the same?Freshwater, changes,etc.?
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Pufferpunk
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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: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

Yes, just keep the water parameters perfect. 0 ammonia/nitrite, nitrate <20, pH 8.
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!"
ITB
Puffer Fry
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:40 am
Location (country): Russian Federation

Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Hello, a little update on my situation.

I keep my watter as ideal as possible. Ammonia-0. Nitrite-0. Nitrate~10.
The GSP is still not active, but alive. He's swim very rarely and not interested in food.For the last 2 days he was not hovered at the bottom, begging for more air, but today he did it again.
Also, his anus got a little bit bigger and very red. I found a similar problem on the forum, but kind of scared to try anything while he's so weak.Can you explain what causes it and what I need to do?

Thank you
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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: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

Add 1 tbsp Epsom salt/5 gallons. Maybe he's constipated.
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!"
ITB
Puffer Fry
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:40 am
Location (country): Russian Federation

Re: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by ITB »

Thank you,Pufferpunk,for your help, but he didn't make it.He recovered from nitrite poison quite well, wich I think was an issue in the first place. But this digestive system problem really got him. He didn't ate at all for the last week or more. His anus was swollen and fins started to look nipped. Sometimes the weird white substance came from his anus, and immediately dissolves in water.

Today, when I came back from work, he looked really bad. I looked for him constantly, try not to give him to swallow the air. But he did. I tried to help him, but couldn't and he died in my hands.

I used the epsom salt and raised the temperature. It didn't help
User avatar
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: Green Spotted puffer is sick

Post by Pufferpunk »

:rip:
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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