Good afternoon!
Our ~7 year old GSP has had a rough couple of weeks. He hasn't eaten, aside from a tiny bit of mussel today, for at least two weeks. He's not interested in anything that goes in his tank. He ate some fish last week and promptly regurgitated it all.
He is now breathing very heavily/rapidly. He is generally languishing in one corner of his tank, looking grey and sad, though he will swim and does still have the brighter patch on the top of his head.
Just over a year ago we posted regarding a cavity on his head (viewtopic.php?t=37677). We took the amazing advice we received and treated him with Myxazin, it cleared up. In the last month or so, there has been a raised bump where the cavity was. We have tried another course of the Myxazin but to no avail.
Are we missing something? We have checked the parameters (below) and have done weekly 25% water changes, but he just seems to be going downhill. Him eating a little today is great but he just looks so sad and unhealthy. He is still round, just grey and disinterested..
Thank you for any help/guidance!
1) Your water parameters - High Range PH: 7.8, Nitrite: 0, Nitrates: Less than 5, Ammonia: 0, Salinity: 1.008
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants - 125L, just the one GSP, external Eheim Professional 4+
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank - recently 25% changes weekly, previously 25% monthly, salt used H2Ocean Pro. We've used Myxazin in the last 2 weeks (for a one week course). He eats fish, cockles, crayfish and scallops, 3-4 times weekly, plus mealworms
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so - None
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? Tony has been alone in this tank around 5/6 years, before that he was in a smaller tank. We cycled this one for around 2 weeks (if I recall correctly), adding his other tank water, some Prime, and that's all. He was fresh water when we got him (were told he could stay that way). Now I guess low-end brackish at 1.008?
GSP Fast breathing and not eating
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.
-
Pufferpunk
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Also kept:
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Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
Adult GSPs require high-end BW-SW. Try getting him at least up to 1.015. That may help strengthen his immune system.
Can you post a pic?
Can you post a pic?
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!"
Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
Thanks, Pufferpunk.
Would he suddenly decide it wasn't salty enough and get sick/go off his food?
Tried some photos - he hates the camera but you can see the white lump above his right eye (apologies about the little lights - the Christmas tree is by his tank, he usually loves it and spends hours swimming up and down the glass when it's up but nothing this year)..
Would he suddenly decide it wasn't salty enough and get sick/go off his food?
Tried some photos - he hates the camera but you can see the white lump above his right eye (apologies about the little lights - the Christmas tree is by his tank, he usually loves it and spends hours swimming up and down the glass when it's up but nothing this year)..
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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: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
He doesn't look skinny. Lower SG can compromise their immune system. Is this the same as the previous wound started?
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!"
Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
Yep, exactly the same place, only this time it's growing out rather than creating a cavity.
Oh he's definitely not skinny..! Is that a good sign?
Oh he's definitely not skinny..! Is that a good sign?
-
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: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
Sure, it's a good sign. I would try Meth Blue baths:
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths
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!"
Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
Thanks, we'll take a look at that.
He's just had some mussel to eat, and we have done 2 x 30l water changes since Friday, with a slight salt increase, so we'll keep going with that, too..
Thank you so much for your time and help - I'll keep you posted
He's just had some mussel to eat, and we have done 2 x 30l water changes since Friday, with a slight salt increase, so we'll keep going with that, too..
Thank you so much for your time and help - I'll keep you posted
Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
Hi! I just wanted to check back in to say a huge thank you, once again, for helping so much with our Tony - he now seems fully recovered and is back to his spunky self!
Thank you so much, we'd have lost him years ago without this forum!
Thank you so much, we'd have lost him years ago without this forum!
-
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: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
YAY! What did you use to help him!
This forum is run by donations.
This forum is run by donations.
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!"
Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
We did the meth blue baths - he hated it but it worked! And we have increased the salinity, too!
Ooo how do we donate?
Ooo how do we donate?
Re: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
It's ok - found the button at the top! 
-
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: GSP Fast breathing and not eating
I don't think payment went thru?
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!"