i did a water test today.

[spoot]

Keep doing water changes. What size tank do you have?

[Pufferpunk]

I bet there's something wrong with your ammonia test kit. Nothing could live in that high ammonia for that long & with those WC, it should be lowering, at least after the change. Have it tested at your LFS.

[mikeKICKz]

damn, i looked at my gsp and he's starting to grow gray on his belly. he looks like a walmart fish now! what am i going to do? i really just want to start all over. but i dont want to lose my fish.

[mikeKICKz]

Keep doing water changes. What size tank do you have?

29

[Pufferpunk]

Like I mentioned before, other than huge, frequent WC/day, get Bio-Spira & after another large WC, add it directly to your filter for an instant cycle. Do not use any other product, they're all bunk.

[dumpythepuffer]

gray fuzzys like fungus?

[Puffalicious]

when i first started my tank i also had some ammonia problems...... I did water changes everyday with the recommended amount of PRIME and it did not help at all.... you might want to dose more prime, I dosed my 40 gal with 2 caps full of prime to help with the ammonia, and after a few days the ammonia lowered and the tank was stable....

so you might want to dose more of that PRIME

[Boxermom]

Prime does not remove ammonia, so it will still show on most tests. It turns the ammonia into a less deadly form.

[mikeKICKz]

man i'm really worried now because i did a big water change just now. i gave him a ghost shrimp and he refused to eat it. the shrimp was in front of him and he didn't move. he's been so lazy. at times i think he's dead.

[mikeKICKz]

the grayness is growing around his belly too

[dumpythepuffer]

is his belly sunk in?
its just a gray pigmentasion* correct? not like a growth or anything?



*sorry im not the best speller

[mikeKICKz]

damn! i found his dead today on the bottom on the tank.

if i want to start all over what should i do.

i got bio-spira and i bought new carbon for my filter.

[dumpythepuffer]

awww im so sorry!
well whatever it was that killed him you will have to start all over again. clean everything and refill everything. id let it cycle for a good 6 weeks...thats just me though. you can disinfect things with diluted vinagar and hot water. dont rush it. if you want to raise puffers right you have to be patient

[mikeKICKz]

yeah this time i'm going to take it slow.

i emptied and cleaned my tank out. i took out the gravel, rocks, fake plants. i also took out the carbon and will put in bio-spira tomorrow. then on sunday will put the carbon back in. i am gonna clean all the decor tomorrow and will put in crush coral tomorrow instead of regular gravel. the only things in the tank is my air stone strip, heater and prime.

am i on the right path?

i want to cycle for 5-6 weeks instead of 1 week like i previously did

[Hilly]

The Bio Spira is an instant cycle so add that just before you add the fish. Or you can add it and continue to feed the bacteria it provides for a few weeks if that makes you feel more comfortable so you can keep an eye on parameters and be doubley sure.