Hi guys,
I wrote on this forum last week about my poorly topaz puffer. Just to re-iterate, there was no ammonia, nitrate or nitrite present but the salinity was a little low. I have raised this very slighty in the last week and treated him with ESHA Exit and ESHA 2000 as advised by my LFS. He started to become more active however he hasnt eaten since wednesday. I came home tonight and the poor guy looks almost jet black and his brething has increased. I am at a total loss as to what to do - and I have a horrible feeling that he is at death's door. Just 10 days ago he was zipping around and ripping everything to shreads. Please help me............
In desperate need of help....
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.
-
t1gerbee
- Fahaka Puffer
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Re: In desperate need of help....
the simple fact that there is apparently no nitrate is a clear sign that either the test kit you're using is faulty, or the LFS is not correctly reading the test/not correctly performing the tests (ie not shaking the chemicals long enough before testing) or misguiding you...
there will always be a nitrate reading, unless you have some very complicated veggie filtration system that will remove them...
Do an immediate 50% water change, it can do not harm and may keep your puffer alive..
have you checked all the equipment, is your heater working?
there will always be a nitrate reading, unless you have some very complicated veggie filtration system that will remove them...
Do an immediate 50% water change, it can do not harm and may keep your puffer alive..
have you checked all the equipment, is your heater working?
1 x 90G Juv stars and stripes puffer, Ceylon Puffer + GSP + 2 black clowns
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish
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Mareva
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Re: In desperate need of help....
Like it was said, no nitrate is highly suspicious, was your tank cycled and if so, how? If you answer all of the questions in red it will help us help you.
Re: In desperate need of help....
I have done a 50% water change over the last day - but he looks worse. I am praying that he makes it through the night and then taking him to the LFS tomorrow morning, hopefully they can sort him out. I am totally gutted - I am certain he will die.
-
Nick
- Former Staff Member
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Re: In desperate need of help....
eSha 2000
6.3 mg ethacridine lactate (Rivanol)
1 mg proflavin
3.2 mg copper 2+
0.26 mg methyl orange
Big water change and no more of this med, potentially this is a bad reaction to copper.
6.3 mg ethacridine lactate (Rivanol)
1 mg proflavin
3.2 mg copper 2+
0.26 mg methyl orange
Big water change and no more of this med, potentially this is a bad reaction to copper.
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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plurmaster
- Green Spotted Puffer
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- Location: Los Angeles, California
Re: In desperate need of help....
I never believe what the LFS say. Most LFs doesnt know much about Puffer care. You'll have much better chance finding the answer here then anyway this is by my exepreince here with the forum. Tigarbee and Mareva is right. You must have soem trace of Nitrate in your tank or else is just water/tap water another words not a cycled tank.
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Nick
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- Location: Middletown, CT
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Re: In desperate need of help....
I would guess they use API tests, and don't EVER shake nitrate test bottle number 2. One of the ingredients is in suspension, and settles to the bottom. Unless you shake the crap out of it for like a minute right before use, the test gives a low reading, if you don't shake it at all, it gives a "0" or really close to 0 reading every time. Then, near the end of the bottle, when all the reactant is built up, it gives INSANELY high readings all the time, even if the water is fine.
No matter how magnificent your successes or devastating your failures, the worlds' approximately 5 billion impoverished people could not possibly care less.
-
plurmaster
- Green Spotted Puffer
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- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:21 pm
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Re: In desperate need of help....
eeeeeeeeeek..i didnt know that. I use API master test kit and i do shake the living crap out of it before adding 10 drops to the tube after i shake the test tube with bottle one liqiud inside. Hell i memorize all the drops needed and procedure after doing the test so much.
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Jase
- Mbu Puffer
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Re: In desperate need of help....
good advice on the API. I shake it, but will remember to do a better job.
-Jase
edmlfc1 wrote:A house without a puffer is not a home.
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Nick
- Former Staff Member
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GSPs - Shakespeare and Jillybean
F8 - Velvet
My fiance:
DP - Emma Goldman
Narrow Lined Puffer - Ulrike - Location (country): Northeastern USA
- Location: Middletown, CT
- Contact:
Re: In desperate need of help....
I give them all a little jostle, but bottle number two on nitrates needs a real workout.
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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Pufferpunk
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Re: In desperate need of help....
I'm sorry your puffer isn't well. IMO, the best thing you can do for him right now, is water changes. Be sure to match the temp & dechlorinate the water. Add fresh carbon to your filter & add an airstone.
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!"
-
t1gerbee
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:10 am
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(Non puffs-)
4 x clowns
1 x Oscar-Tropical
3 x Convicts-Tropical
1 x Map Turtle-tropical
2 x Plecs-Tropical
2 x goldfish - Location: london
Re: In desperate need of help....
I wondered about all those meds...
copper could definitely be causing/ adding to the problems couldn't it!
copper could definitely be causing/ adding to the problems couldn't it!
1 x 90G Juv stars and stripes puffer, Ceylon Puffer + GSP + 2 black clowns
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish
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sparks42
- Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: In desperate need of help....
Hey ! Just thought I'd let you know....
My puffer was jet black and spots faded away, and stopped moving for a few days, he just sat at the bottom, didn't even eat.... and I was sure he was gunna die - and he's totally fine now after giving him daily water changes of 25%, adding NO MORE meds except Melafix, and of course giving him time to "heal" (about a week)
We also changed which food we were giving him because he wasn't eating. (I think HE thought it was the food that made him sick?? and that's why he wasn't eating it )
So try no more meds, let him get better maybe try Melafix... it seemed to give my puff some energy at least...
And maybe try a different food?
I thought he was going to die, actually I "knew" he was going to die.... and he's perfectly fine now
Just thought I'd give you some hope that puffers CAN get better
My puffer was jet black and spots faded away, and stopped moving for a few days, he just sat at the bottom, didn't even eat.... and I was sure he was gunna die - and he's totally fine now after giving him daily water changes of 25%, adding NO MORE meds except Melafix, and of course giving him time to "heal" (about a week)
We also changed which food we were giving him because he wasn't eating. (I think HE thought it was the food that made him sick?? and that's why he wasn't eating it )
So try no more meds, let him get better maybe try Melafix... it seemed to give my puff some energy at least...
And maybe try a different food?
I thought he was going to die, actually I "knew" he was going to die.... and he's perfectly fine now
Just thought I'd give you some hope that puffers CAN get better
-
t1gerbee
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 831
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:10 am
- My Puffers: 1 x Ceylon + 1 x GSP + 1 x stars and stripes (juv) -Marine
(Non puffs-)
4 x clowns
1 x Oscar-Tropical
3 x Convicts-Tropical
1 x Map Turtle-tropical
2 x Plecs-Tropical
2 x goldfish - Location: london
Re: In desperate need of help....
I agree, my first puffer went through the same thing + got cloudy eye as well... was convinced i'd lose him..
but as you said, daily water changes and raising the salt (in my case) and he's great.. a year on he is a big fat puffer and i now own 3 other puffers.... !
but as you said, daily water changes and raising the salt (in my case) and he's great.. a year on he is a big fat puffer and i now own 3 other puffers.... !
1 x 90G Juv stars and stripes puffer, Ceylon Puffer + GSP + 2 black clowns
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish