Hi, I have two Figure 8s in a 60l BiOrb (yes, they ARE being moved to a 90l tank once I know I don't need to worry!!).
Parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10, ph 7.6.
I have had the tank about 3 weeks, I used "Stability" for 7 days before adding the puffers, then monitored the water and did daily water changes. Yesterday I noticed that one of the puffers was hugging the heater and being a bit lethargic so I checked all the water parameters and the nitrite was high. I did a 50% water change and used "Prime" to neutralise the nitrite. On second reading all parameters were as they should be.
Still, the puffer seemed odd, a bit bloated and tending to hide in the floating plants, only zooming around when I went anywhere near (the outside of the tank, not literally near IN the tank!). I read some posts and thought it sounded like he/she needed to pooh, so today I got epsom salts and dosed the tank. That was around 9.30, it is now 3.30 and I see no real change.
SO, will it take longer for the salts to work if that is what the problem is? OR, does it sound like something else?
The other puffer seems fine by the way. I feed live bloodworm and prawns once a day (two days worms and one prawn) and the puffer still ate last night, which I hope is a good sign!
They are in freshwater at the moment, as that is what they were in at the shop, and when they move to the big tank I will make it brackish. Is there a benefit of moving them to a bigger tank, or should I clear this up first??
OR, am I worrying unduly??
Thanks a million.
Do I need to worry??
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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Feathers&Fins
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 5:42 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Pufferless since Nova passed; had 2 red T.miuris, 4 T.biocellatus for many years.
- Location (country): KY (USA)
- Location: (US) Kentucky
Tank has been set up a little over 3 weeks. I used "Stability" for a week then added the 2 puffers. Temperature is 81; I do a partial water change every other day. Nope, haven't added anything.
He does seem better after the epsom salts, but I am still keeping a lose eye on him. I am moving them to a 90l tank today as they seem a bit "tank bound"!
He does seem better after the epsom salts, but I am still keeping a lose eye on him. I am moving them to a 90l tank today as they seem a bit "tank bound"!
IME Stability does nothing for cycling a tank. You are currently cycling it with the f8s, which is the reason for the high titer reading.
*Shakes fist at marketing BS*
Discontinue epsom, monitor readings and continue to use prime to decrease the chance of damage to the fish while the tank cycles.
*Shakes fist at marketing BS*
Discontinue epsom, monitor readings and continue to use prime to decrease the chance of damage to the fish while the tank cycles.
The rare and elusive SteelGeek has been known to cause great damage to his environs...
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
But he says:
Although I agree that Stability can't possible cycle a tank, the parameters seem fine to me.Parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10
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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midgetwaiter
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 9:42 pm
- Location: Calgary, Alberta
Re: Do I need to worry??
PP, you probably just missed this part - Those parameters are -after- she did maintenance, adding prime and doing a water change.
If she was having a nitrIte spike, thats indicative of a cycle right?
If she was having a nitrIte spike, thats indicative of a cycle right?
lisa2210 wrote: Parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10, ph 7.6.
I have had the tank about 3 weeks, I used "Stability" for 7 days before adding the puffers, then monitored the water and did daily water changes. Yesterday I noticed that one of the puffers was hugging the heater and being a bit lethargic so I checked all the water parameters and the nitrite was high. I did a 50% water change and used "Prime" to neutralise the nitrite. On second reading all parameters were as they should be.
The rare and elusive SteelGeek has been known to cause great damage to his environs...
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Gotta stop that skimming... 