I bought two green spotted puffers, they're in a six gallon tank for now BUT im gettin a 20 gallon in a week. So they should be fine for now
My specs:
NO3: 20
NO2: 0
Ph: 6.5
KH: 120
GH:60
My puffer is around 2 in. his whole underbelly has this blackish tint to it that fades in out. It will seriously be completely black and greyish and then under a minute latter will be completely normal (creamish) color, i dont get whats happening hes not as active as he used to be im sure he's sick but could someone help me
Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
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.
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
I just fed him, all the blackness went away he ate and was active and happy, then he stopped eating and now its blackish again
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SpockthePuffer
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 334
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Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
Do you know what your Ammonia is?
How long has the tank been set up? and how was it cycled?
How long has the tank been set up? and how was it cycled?
"How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Ocean." - Arthur C. Clarke
~Shannon~
10g betta & snail tank, 30g GSP named Milton, 55g sw fowlr
~Shannon~
10g betta & snail tank, 30g GSP named Milton, 55g sw fowlr
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
i dont know how to check that, and i cycled it for two weeks i had tetras in there and they were fine, then i moved out the tetras and moved in the puffers
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SpockthePuffer
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:24 pm
- My Puffers: A wee GSP named Milton
- Location: Connecticut
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
You will need to get an ammonia test from an LFS. Also what kind of tests are you using? If you're using the strips just beware that they are pretty inaccurate, most LFS will have the master test kit which is liquid tests and they are for nitrate, nitrite ammonia and ph in one kit.
The tetras probably didn't cycle it enough for the two puffers because they produce way more waste than them. I would do a water change and keep on doing water changes daily while they are in the 6 gallon.
The tetras probably didn't cycle it enough for the two puffers because they produce way more waste than them. I would do a water change and keep on doing water changes daily while they are in the 6 gallon.
"How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Ocean." - Arthur C. Clarke
~Shannon~
10g betta & snail tank, 30g GSP named Milton, 55g sw fowlr
~Shannon~
10g betta & snail tank, 30g GSP named Milton, 55g sw fowlr
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
Although a 20g is good for a short while, you will eventually need a minimum of a 55g for them (30g is generally ther minimum recomendation/GSP though). A 20g will only hold them while they are <2". Then you'll have to upgrade again.
Your pH is extremly low. My guess the tank is not fully cycled & the low pH is due to the acid in the ammonia they are producing, so no, they are not fine for now. You must start doing 80% daily water changes on that tank ASAP & add Prime to the tank before you add the new water.
Your pH is extremly low. My guess the tank is not fully cycled & the low pH is due to the acid in the ammonia they are producing, so no, they are not fine for now. You must start doing 80% daily water changes on that tank ASAP & add Prime to the tank before you add the new water.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
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Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
So my puffers belly is completely white again, i woke up this morning and he seemed to be doing ok, i still went to the store and got an ammonia tester and some "prime," i havent treated the water yet or done the 80% water change (since he seemed ok)
But i tested the water and my ammonia is 2.4 and my ph is 7.0
then i looked at the little chart on the ammonia test kit and since my ammonia is 2.4 and ph is 7 this gave me a reading of 0.01 i dont know what this represents i think its the "Un-lonized ammonia (toxic form) NH3 mg/L (ppm)" thats the exact quote of the chart title
Can anyone tell me what i should go about doing next?
But i tested the water and my ammonia is 2.4 and my ph is 7.0
then i looked at the little chart on the ammonia test kit and since my ammonia is 2.4 and ph is 7 this gave me a reading of 0.01 i dont know what this represents i think its the "Un-lonized ammonia (toxic form) NH3 mg/L (ppm)" thats the exact quote of the chart title
Can anyone tell me what i should go about doing next?
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spoot
- Green Spotted Puffer
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C. travancoricus - Location: Vancouver
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
more water changes.
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spoot
- Green Spotted Puffer
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C. travancoricus - Location: Vancouver
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
ammonia is more toxic at higher pH, IIRC.
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
While doing the 80% water change and adding the prime i should take the fish out right? Dumb question... i just wanted to check...
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Nick
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Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
Nope. Don't remove fish unless they need to be in another container for some reason, like a medicinal bath.
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Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
Ok thanks, i'll keep you guys updated
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
Ok i think he's doin better, i've been doin water changes daily and treating with the prime. My ammonia is down to 1.2 (from 2.4) and my ph is between 7.0 7.2. Should i stay on the same routine or try something different?
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spoot
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 360
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C. travancoricus - Location: Vancouver
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
Keep doing water changes. You can do more than 1 a day if needed.
Re: Blackish Belly on my puffer?!?!?
What numbers should i be shooting for?