Sick Green Spotted Puffer

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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Aquamom
Puffer Fry
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Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:37 pm
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Sick Green Spotted Puffer

Post by Aquamom »

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on here and I’m desperate for help. For my birthday I got two juvenile green spotted puffer fish. I did a lot of research and started them out in freshwater with the intent on shifting them to brackish. After a week they were doing great and I did a 1/3 water change in which I shifted the salinity. As directed by the store personnel, I added 1/4 cup of Instant Ocean per gallon (30 gallon tank). My hydro meter red 1.014 which is okay, but I thought they would be comfortable. They were fine for four days then all of a sudden one refused to eat and died the very next morning. My other puffer was super attached to the little guy, it broke my heart. That morning. We tested the salinity and it read 1.032! So we removed a percentage of the water and added fresh but it kept reading 1.032! By the time we had basically transitioned the whole tank back to fresh my other buddy is really upset. He’s completely black with labored breathing, clamped fins, and little movement for a little over a day. Turns out the hydro meter was broken so I’m not sure what the salinity was originally however the guy at the store said my measurements were accurate. I don’t know how to save this guy. I’m not sure my water parameters by number but I had them tested by two different stores and were told they were perfect. I don’t know how to help this little guy. I’m thinking he’s maybe depressed or super stressed? I want to add either live rock, Ich medication or stress guard by the guy at the store told me to leave him alone and let him figure it out. Any advice? Also, how many cups per gallon would you guys recommend for light brackish water? Thank you!
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Sick Green Spotted Puffer

Post by Pufferpunk »

Your tank was uncycled & still is! I would get some Tetra Safestart, do a 90% water change & add the product to your filter. Get an API Master Test Kit & check for Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH. Until all those remain stable for at least 3 weeks, forget about adding salt.

library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/

When you're ready: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19348
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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