Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
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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Nick
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Buy a PREPAID visa giftcard? No charge, works just like credit.
No matter how magnificent your successes or devastating your failures, the worlds' approximately 5 billion impoverished people could not possibly care less.
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
So I can soak the freeze dried krill in this med and feed it to him, how long do I soak? Its powder. I'm sorry for all the questions I just want it to be right so I don;t mess something up and kill him by mistake.Jase wrote:freeze dried foods= medication sponges.
*Katie*
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The new owner of a salt water tank
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Jase
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
mix it with tank water (or other directions on package) in just a cup or something, then let it soak as long as you can. I would do atleast two hours to make sure there's no air in the krill, and that it is thoroughly saturated.Happy_Puffer wrote:So I can soak the freeze dried krill in this med and feed it to him, how long do I soak? Its powder. I'm sorry for all the questions I just want it to be right so I don;t mess something up and kill him by mistake.Jase wrote:freeze dried foods= medication sponges.
-Jase
edmlfc1 wrote:A house without a puffer is not a home.
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Ok I will do, hes still moving and he looks good but I can tell that he is getting sick thanks for the help. I will post and let you know how it went I hope hes still eating!
*Katie*
The new owner of a salt water tank
The new owner of a salt water tank
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Should I do a w/c I did on yesterday but the water is still cloudy and I don't know if that is making him sick. When I did the water change the levels were fine and they are still all at zero. I don't have another tank to put him in while I clean the old one so I can't clean it as I would like to, plus I don't want to wipe out the bacteria in the tank. Hes only eating a little bit, but hes still moving. Should I just just take everything out and do a 75% w/c or just a 25% w/c? I just lost 2 of my bumblebee gobies and I hope my puffer isn't next
*Katie*
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The new owner of a salt water tank
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Jase
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
I would only change the water if the parameters are off, or the medication recommends it. also, just to be sure he is going to eat it, I'd add garlic to the soak. good luck.
-Jase
edmlfc1 wrote:A house without a puffer is not a home.
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
I will do a w/c after 48 hours as the meds say to do. I am just worried about him, but he ate some of the krill and I already had some in the tank (thats why the water is cloudy) He is eating and still swimming so I hope he will be ok. I will just keep in eye on my levels and him for the next few days and I will have to try the garlic thing. Thanks again for the help!
*Katie*
The new owner of a salt water tank
The new owner of a salt water tank
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Jase
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1579
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:13 am
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- Location: Montana
Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Hope he's alright. 
-Jase
edmlfc1 wrote:A house without a puffer is not a home.
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Happy_Puffer
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The new owner of a Canthigaster jactator
Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Well thank you for the help. I just hope he makes it. I am so scared b/c of my recent luck with the GSP's and my first f8 died before I could help him. If I can only get the salt thing down I think I will have gotten the hang of the puffer thing. I still need a hydrometer and learn how to use it. My dad has been giving me advise he used to work at a fish store and had s/w and kept everything including sea horses! For now he is doing great and hes very active which is good. I know when they get still they are sick. Thanks again!
*Katie*
The new owner of a salt water tank
The new owner of a salt water tank
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Well right after I wrote the last post, my puffer stopped eating. I don't know what to do any more. I have tried everything. He is still swimming around but he is bumping into things and eating rocks! I feel so bad my baby f8 is doing fine he is eating and very happy, my big figure 8 is only eating a little bit. He ate a snail and some bloodworms but I have seen my little f8 eat more then that in 3 mins, then I have seen him eat all day. I just don't know what to do any more. I will do a w/c tomorrow and see if he is eating. I think everyone has giving me really good advise but nothing seems to be working. I just don't want to hurt him!
*Katie*
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The new owner of a salt water tank
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PufferPuck30
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Alright, I'm a newbie here myself....but I'm gonna go ahead and ask....
Happy, what's the pH in your tap water vs the pH in the tank where your F8 is housed?
Happy, what's the pH in your tap water vs the pH in the tank where your F8 is housed?
One Tough Fish...
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
I'm not sure I will have to check in the morning. I think its about 7.2. I have never had problems with my ph before. I have hard water I know that. Does that have anything to do with it? I use prime when I change the water, so my other levels are always zero. I have my ph at 7.2 right now is that the problem because I don't know how to raise it without using the ph up ( I had to do that with my chilids) but I heard that isn;t good to use with puffers.
*Katie*
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The new owner of a salt water tank
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PufferPuck30
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
If the pH of your tap matches the pH in your tank, you should have nothing to worry about. Check your tap water as soon as you are able, though.
As long as the pH remains stable, it shouldn't be a problem. Better too low, or too high, than constantly see-sawing up and down.
As long as the pH remains stable, it shouldn't be a problem. Better too low, or too high, than constantly see-sawing up and down.
One Tough Fish...
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Happy_Puffer
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Re: Help....my GSP doesn't want to eat...
Well I will check in the morning. I have never seen it flux too much. It usually stays right at 7.2.
*Katie*
The new owner of a salt water tank
The new owner of a salt water tank