Puffer Behavior

[Happy_Puffer]

Well thats good to know. I will get the liquid. I didn't know the strips were bad. I don't want to hurt my puffers, so I will try and get that as soon as possible. I am getting ready to do a water change so I will get the liquid to make sure everything is all right in my tank. I'm not used to having a such high maintenance fish but I love them they are so funny and so much fun to watch.

[Happy_Puffer]

I have another question, I am going to rearrange my tank and I was wondedring if I should take my puffers out of the tank to do this or not? I dont' take them out for water changes but I want to add rocks and caves and more plants and I don't want Nemo to freak out if there is another article about this you can direct mw to it but I looked and couldn't find one so I thought I would ask!
Thanks again!

[Nick]

Don't take them out unless you have to remove over 95% of the water. It's always more stressful to be chased and then sitting in a cup than to have the tank disrupted.

[Happy_Puffer]

Ok well thank you, I just don't want to stress them out and I don't know how long my hand will be in the tank but I will try and make it quick.

[Happy_Puffer]

I just changed the water, a 50% water change and when I checked the levels all the levels are good except my nitrite level its about .5. I don't know if this is really bad or just a minor problem but I would like to know how to fix it. I just put some snails in there to make my puffer happy and he went crazy for them so hes eating but I don't want to kill him. I'm kinda new at fixing the nitrate and nitrite levels, I know how to fix the other levels, please let me know so I don't hurt my puffer.

[crazedpuffer]

Water changes are the only way to get nitrite ammonia and nitrate down.
.5 is way to high for puffers, or just about any fish, that should always be zero.
Do 50% water changes daily till it stays at zero.

Also what do you mean by fixing other levels? I assume you mean PH? It's best not to bother changing that either, fish adjust very well to a stable PH but PH swings (which will happen if you use additives to fix it) will kill them.

[Happy_Puffer]

Well I just did a 50% water change and thats what made the level get higher. It was at zero and now its high. My fish are a little upset I don't want to do another water change right now. I think its less the level was in between .5 and 0. I love him so much and I don't want to lose him. Should I wait till tomorrow to do another water change or should I do one right now?

[crazedpuffer]

Test your tap water, if you did a w/c there is no reason for it to go up.
Was there a change in PH or temp?

[Happy_Puffer]

There was a little change in water temp. It went from 78 to about 80. He is swimming around, eating well and his color is great. I will keep an eye on the level for the next 24 hours. Nothing else has changed except I put some more hideing spots in but I cleaned them in water and nothing else. I am going to be adding some more plants tomorrow.

[Nick]

Feeding as lightly as you can will help produce less nitrite in the tank, likely his big meal earlier was the cause of the increase, rather than the water change.

[Happy_Puffer]

After I did the water change I fed him some snails and then I fed him and my bumblebee goby a pinch of plankton and that is all. I haven't given them anything else. He seems fine. I think he is stressed, this is my first w/c with him so I think hes a little mad at me. His color is pretty good but I have noticed that he is getting lighter and staying close to the bottom. Maybe hes tired. I guess I will do another w/c in the morning and see if that helps. Should I do a 25% or a 50% w/c?

[Nick]

I don't bother with less than 50% changes, typically. With 50% I know half of the toxins present before the change are gone.

[Happy_Puffer]

So all I can do is 50% w/c's till my nitirte level goes down. Thanks

[Happy_Puffer]

My F8 is very upset he is sitting in the same spot on the bottom and breathing heavy is that because I just changed my water? Or because of my nitrite level? Hes been eating and swimming around I thought he might be tired so I turned off the light and when I went to check on him he was fine then he went back to that same spot and started "breathing" really heavy is this normal for F8's or not?

[Nick]

Sitting around lazy is soemtimes nitrites. They prevent the blood from carrying O2, leaving the fish very tired. Sometimes they breathe fast, too. Also, might be sleeping. Mine lay in quite the heap with muted colors when sleeping.