The Puffer Forum

I've had him 3 weeks and he's never been full white underneath. 2 days ago he was moved to a 36 gallon from a 15.

The water is currently:

0-.25 ppm Ammonia

0ppm nitrite and nitrates.

7.5ph

78f

1.004 sg using instant ocean brought up slowly over the first 2 weeks.

With 50 gallons of filtration.

He is active and eating.

0 nitrates?

.25 ppm ammonia?

Nitrate may be 5.0 ppm colour is between the two samples. Ammonia looks like .25ppm to me 0 to my wife. Test done with API master fresh water kit.

The tank was cycled for 2 weeks with guppies and platties in it.

The Amonia is prob a good place to start. Water change of 50% then test. If Amonia still reads. Do another 50% wc an hour after the first.

Did a 50% change and ammonia looks to be zero. That was 4 hours ago and he still looks dark. Maybe not as bad but still not the bright yellow and green puffers I see photos of.

K0d1ak wrote: ↑Wed Feb 22, 2017 8:15 pm Nitrate may be 5.0 ppm colour is between the two samples. Ammonia looks like .25ppm to me 0 to my wife. Test done with API master fresh water kit.

The tank was cycled for 2 weeks with guppies and platties in it.

any ammonia is bad...........
if you have trouble differentiating the colors on the chart vs the tube, hold the tube in front of the color chart & white background, underneath a very bright light (LED or flourescent)
at 0 ppm, it will appear an obvious yellow, at .25 ppm, it will be distinctly green
any green tint is too much

I re did the test. Ammonia is the same as tap water now. Maybe a little more yellow. I used some top fin ammonia remover in the tank this after noon.
Picture below top tank water, bottom tap.

How long will it take for my puffer to get a nice white belly after water quality has been returned to ideal?

I have heard it varies by fish, but it is common when curing any fish ailment or disease to see some sort of noticeable change (good or bad) within about 3-4 days. However it is always best to ensure that all the other needs are being met so that other stressors aren't holding back healing and growth! Mind if I ask what his diet is, and how the tanks set up? Everything else sounds pretty good, just thought I would get the whole picture

And also with the cycling in 2 weeks- yes this is possible but the puffer is much messier and makes more waste (and Amonia from leftover live foods) then your original cycling stock, so your BB colonies need to catch up so your getting Amonia "post cycle" readings from this. Check for all 3 (ammonia nitrite and Nitrate) daily and do water changes the moment any Amonia or nitrite pop up. I also recommend prime if you do not have it, because it binds those 3 (am,nitrite-and Nitrate) for 24 hours if dosed in tank (which is useful in an emergency especially when cycling issues happen with a sensitive fish like puffers)!

He is eating 2 snails a week. Frozen blood worms(1/4cube) and shrimp the rest of the time.

As for cycling I kept the ammonia and nitrates levels high the first week to feed the bacteria. Used filter media from an established tank and dosed it with
Nutrafin Cycle Biological Aquarium Supplement.

Second week did water changes until I got zeros accross the board.

The tank is heavily planted with plants that should survive in brackish conditions. ( in fact the java fern has flourished). There is a hollow log he can hide in another log to provide more hinging places. Mostly sand bottom. A filter rated for 50 gallons filled with bio rocks (not sure the name), filter floss, carbon and ammonia absorbing crystals. There is also a bubbler.
As for prime it is not available locally.