New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
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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- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Ok so I purchased a GSP juvenile online. Named him George. He arrived actually really scratched up and bitten up with multiple chunks missing from fins. Although he was obviously bullied he arrived with good color and in good spirits. He ate freeze dried krill the first hour after acclimation. Next day I gave him a live clam that i opened for him, and he’s been only eating 1 clam a day in the morning since. Ever since that first clam he’s refused live blood worms, live black worms, the dried krill, a crushed ramshorn snail, and even a raw shrimp shell on.
So for about a week he’s eaten a clam every morning, been very active, and looked great as far as color. Anyway, about 4 days ago I woke up to find him resting on his favorite plant, but he was completely vertical and not moving, I nudged the plant without touching him to see if he was alive. He spooked, took off and immediately turned black/grey all over. I attempted to feed him his morning clam a bit after but he was just hiding, when he did come out he would just swim past the clam. So I’ve tried feeding him the other things listed above and he just swims right by them without even looking at the food. This has gone on 4 days now without him taking a bite or any interest in the variety of food I’ve offered. Color is still grey , only belly is white.
How do I get this spooked fish to eat? I feel like each time I attempt a feed he gets more annoyed with me but I have to try.
He’s in a 29 gallon long with a biowheel for a 100 gallon aquarium, also I run two water stones. It’s pool filter sand substrate, mix of fake plants and rock caves for hiding. Only tankmates are 2 ramshorn snails he won’t touch.
Water parameters
PH 8.2
Temp 80
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Salinity 1.006
I’ve given him his second treatment of API general cure for worms/parasites. I wonder if my removal of filter media to allow the api to not be absorbed is a possible reason, but then again I’ve done two 50% water changes in the two weeks I’ve had him. I was told he was held in light brackish before. Tried to mimic similar conditions. Suggestions? Thanks in advance
So for about a week he’s eaten a clam every morning, been very active, and looked great as far as color. Anyway, about 4 days ago I woke up to find him resting on his favorite plant, but he was completely vertical and not moving, I nudged the plant without touching him to see if he was alive. He spooked, took off and immediately turned black/grey all over. I attempted to feed him his morning clam a bit after but he was just hiding, when he did come out he would just swim past the clam. So I’ve tried feeding him the other things listed above and he just swims right by them without even looking at the food. This has gone on 4 days now without him taking a bite or any interest in the variety of food I’ve offered. Color is still grey , only belly is white.
How do I get this spooked fish to eat? I feel like each time I attempt a feed he gets more annoyed with me but I have to try.
He’s in a 29 gallon long with a biowheel for a 100 gallon aquarium, also I run two water stones. It’s pool filter sand substrate, mix of fake plants and rock caves for hiding. Only tankmates are 2 ramshorn snails he won’t touch.
Water parameters
PH 8.2
Temp 80
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Salinity 1.006
I’ve given him his second treatment of API general cure for worms/parasites. I wonder if my removal of filter media to allow the api to not be absorbed is a possible reason, but then again I’ve done two 50% water changes in the two weeks I’ve had him. I was told he was held in light brackish before. Tried to mimic similar conditions. Suggestions? Thanks in advance
- Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Welcome!
Please refrain from using General Cure, it's not a good med.
How exactly was this tank cycled? ANY amount of ammonia is toxic & a cycled tank should be showing some nitrate. Could be causing your issues.
Please refrain from using General Cure, it's not a good med.
How exactly was this tank cycled? ANY amount of ammonia is toxic & a cycled tank should be showing some nitrate. Could be causing your issues.
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 Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Ok I’ll stop with the API general cure and put my filter media back in. This tank was cycled for 3 weeks with a dwarf guarami from one of my other tanks. I added a bunch of decor from my shell dweller tank as they’re at the same PH. Also added tetra safe start and monitored levels as they adjusted. And I was actually wrong about the nitrates, nitrates color has settled in test tube showing 5ppm.
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
You took ALL your filter media out? For how long?
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!"
-
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
This was 2 days ago I removed filter media per the instructions for the general cure; it suggests removing filter media so meds aren’t absorbed by media. I should also mention he isn’t resting on the bottom at night sleeping like he initially did every night. It seems like the eating stopped and the non stop marathon of wading against the currents began. That’s all he does is wave surf against the different currents. No exploring or sleep from what I’ve seen
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
You don't remove the filter media, Just carbon. Definitely why you have ammonia. I'd add Safestart to the filter again.
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!"
-
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Great will do! I’ll report back after application! Thanks so much this site rocks
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- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
I’m receiving the Quick start plus tomorrow. In the meantime are there any suggestions as far as attempting to feed? I have live black worms, bloodworms, live ramshorn snails, raw shrimp, raw fish, mussels and clams. But I imagine appetite has everything to do with water parameters. And again he was eating well the first seven days and never turned color. The eating actually stopped a day before I removed media so I’m hoping he’ll eat as things get better. Poor guy I’m praying this works. My 5 year old is already attached to him
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
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!"
-
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Well after a 50% and then another 25% water change ammonia was neutralized after testing all night. Unfortunately George didn’t make it. Found him dead this morning. He never ate, although he did perk up last night after the second water change. I wasn’t very hopeful for him as he came to me really roughed up, scratches the length of his body and entire fins nipped to the nubs. I did my best by him poor guy. The company I purchased from said they receive gsps by the 100’s , literally 100 per bag and that the missing fins and scratches all over were par for the course. They refunded me a few days ago because I told them they can’t expect their fish to live a full life when treated in this manner. I was curious about parasites so I did an autopsy. His belly was empty, except for 2 long white worms! I found a reputable shop near me that will have some new puffers next week. I’m going there and picking one out myself. No more internet orders for me . Thanks for everything!
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Awww... ALL those poor puffers!
Yes, please DO support the shops that respect the lives of their fish.
Yes, please DO support the shops that respect the lives of their fish.
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!"
-
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:31 pm
- Location (country): United States
Re: New Juvenile Green spotted puffer stopped eating and turned grey
Then I would say everyone should avoid pet zone sd if you care about puffers