I made a huge mistake!

[Idontknow]

Hello folks! I am a totally clueless in caring for puffers. I had won a green spotted puffer at a game center. I had no idea the care these cute little fish require. Because it came in a little plastic fish bowl much like the ones they keep Siamese fighting fish in, I didn't think it would need so much attention. I named him "Nemo" and took her/him home. My wife fell instantly in love with Nemo...it is really a cute fish.

Anyway, I went to the pet store the week after and the staff didn't have much advice for me, other than buy this fish tank,this marine salt, and these ph balanced rocks. Thinking it was that simple, I set up the fish tank without knowing that there is a cycling process. I put Nemo in there. At first he was really healthy and ate the dried krill that I put in there. Now, he just sleeps a lot.

I became worried and started looking on the internet. All the sites recommended cycling the tank. I didn't even know such a thing existed. Now, I am really scared. I think I have made a big mistake. Is there anything I can do. Nemo has been in the tank for three days now. What can I do to give him a fighting chance?

I appreciate any help, I can get.

Thanks!

[StormySkiez]

First you need to do at least a 50% water change because the tank is not cycled yet. You can do this daily or more often if needed. You will need to have a liquid test kit (more accurate then the strips) so you can moniter his water parameters.

Good water parameters are:
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20 or less
PH around 8

PH and nitrate need to be stable numbers and what you are striving for. Ammonia and nitrite can kill any fish. You always want 0 for those.

There was one product on the market called bio spira. It helped cycle a tank instantly. You could see if you can find it. It was recently reformulated and off the shelfs for a month or so but some places do have the new and old version of it. The old version has been proven to work. The new stuff we don't know about yet.

Your puffers best chance to survive is a lot of WC's until his tank cycles and watch his water parameters daily. Try to feed him frozen defrosted shrimp and mussel from the grocery store and bloodworms as krill is not a good main food source. It can lead to lock jaw in puffers.

Here is some more gsp info: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
Also check out the learn tab at the top of the page for the feeding articles and a lot of other good info about puffers.

I hope this helps.

Welcome to the puffer forum .

[CoreyK]

Who the hell gives away living puffers as prizes? Talk about irresponsible.

[Pufferpunk]

My best suggestion for this fish in an uncycled tank would be to buy the tank he needs as an adult (30g) or larger, to dilute his wastes so well that he won't even know his tank is cycling. Since he needs a minimum of 30g anyway & you'll have to purchase a tank that size or larger eventually, why not just get it now & keep him alive?

[edmlfc1]

Who the hell gives away living puffers as prizes? Talk about irresponsible.

I was thinking the same thing. I heard of goldfish as a prize but never a puffer.
I would do as StormySkiez suggested and get some bio-spira that will help with the cycle. Also I agree with Pufferpunk, you can get a 30 gallon with everything you need for around $150 or check your local paper for a used tank.

[julianchan]

craigslist is a great place to find used tanks and stuff for an amazing price sometimes. I think Nemo is lucky you got him, you seem to be striving to make a better home for him.

I would get the new tank, set it up, drop in the bio spira, if you can find some, and put him in. In the meanwhile...water changes, water changes, water changes.

You are going to love the little guy more and more once his personality starts shining through....

[CtHM]

I started out with fish by winning my goldfish at a fair. (and now he's HUGE) lol

[Pufferpunk]

OMG, I wonder how many other puffers were won that way, with owners who have no clue...

[inkyjenn]

this is probably the scariest thing ive heard of in a long time

do get a 30 gallon and learn to keep him. puffers are really quite entertaining

[Idontknow]

Thank you everyone for your speedy responses. Needless to say, my cluelessness has resulted in Nemo passing away. I never imagined I would get this attached to a fish. But, I can't help remembering Nemo greeting me everytime I came home. He almost seemed happy to see me. That's why I wanted to learn more about these fish and started to research. However, it was too late.

Anyway, I must agree with you all that the game center should not have been giving away these fish as prizes to people who have no understanding of how to raise puffers. At the very least they should have given me directions so Nemo could have had a fighting chance. I never knew what cycling a tank and pH levels meant before.

Nemo did give me enough happy memories to want to try raising another green spotted puffer again. But, first I want to do a little more research, keep reading these forums, and set up a proper tank.

Thanks again!

[Pufferpunk]

Sorry for your loss & all the other "Nemos" that are given out there. This is an atrocity! Maybe you could go over there & say something to them?

[edmlfc1]

Once you get the proper set up and another puffer you will never regret it. They are water puppies. I just love my puffers. They follow me when I walk through the house and peak around the corners to see where I am. They are so intelligent. I wish you would go over there to the gaming center and give them a piece of your mind! Maybe they would change to Beta's or goldfish. It's insane to give puffer's out like that. That's worse than the wal-mart stories! I'm so sorry that you lost Nemo. I'm glad you found the pufferforum. You will find lots of great people here that are always willing to help and lots of knowledge about puffers.

[bazil323]

So sorry to hear that! It's great that you actually started the research and are willing to try again. I hope you have better luck with the next one ('course now you have the Puffer Forum, so you should be good if you follow the advice )

I can't believe people are still allowed to give any living creature as a prize these days! Knowing how uneducated I was about keeping fish and how so many people don't even know about cycling and water changes, it's amazing that animal protection hasn't stepped in to stop the needless waste! So many people think that a goldfish or betta is fine in a small bowl (my mom kept hers in a vase with a peace lily. the vase couldn't have been more than 1 quart!).

Well anyway, enough ranting! You're doing the right thing by doing your research now before you get another one. Kudos!

[inkyjenn]

its very sad that you lost your puff...

however, it is great to hear that you are interested in keeping them again and are doing the necessary research

good luck!

[StormySkiez]

Sorry to hear you lost your puffer....