Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

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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.

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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.

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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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SCP95
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Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by SCP95 »

One of my SCPs looks to be gasping. He isn't eating and can't seem to swim. She tries to swim upward but can't stay afloat and will drop back down to the substrate. I'm not sure if it's a swim bladder issue or something else like a fungus/parasite. Should I use a meth blue bath?

1) ammonia:0 , nitrite:0, nitrate 20
2)4 ft tank with 6 other SCP in a planted tank with 5 corys.
3) water change once a week. Fed daily with a mix of bloodworm, apple snail and brine shrimps.
4) Not sure of any changes as I was away for a week and was back yesterday to see this one SCP gasping. Nothing was change at all from last week as per my dad.
5)tank has been running for approximately 10 months.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by Pufferpunk »

Meth blue is for bacterial/fungal infections. Did your dad notice it stopped eating while you were gone? Are there any other tank mates? Is it being bullied/chased by the others?
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!"
SCP95
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Re: Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by SCP95 »

He didn't realise. But now I have another female who seems to be exhibiting the same symptoms and looks very bloated. Seem to still be able to float but resting alot of the substrate while seeming to be gasping
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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: Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by Pufferpunk »

I assume you grilled your dad about anything he might have seen or added to the tank? Any air fresheners or sprays near the 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!"
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Re: Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by eieio »

There must be something wrong with that water.
What are you using to test it?
Have you done any water changes since the onset of this?
Might be a good place to start..................test the water, change the water.
"I plan ahead. That way, I don't have to do anything right now!"
SCP95
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Re: Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by SCP95 »

Yes we've changed the water. The water is at 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 10 nitrate. I believe its a constipation issue cause the second one is bloated and is constantly flipping over like how goldfish do... I tried burping them and they inflated and release air but same thing happened. Would love to feed them peas but they refuse to eat despite not having any food for days.
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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: Spotted congo puffer gasping and unable to float

Post by Pufferpunk »

1 tbsp Epsom salt/10g for constipation.
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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