Hey guys,
this is going to sound really strange but i have a figure 8 puffer and she was just at the bottom of her tank and it looked like one of her fins was stuck to one side of her body, i just gave her some shrimp and she ate it up but the fin still looks stuck, what should i do??
figure 8 with stuck fin??
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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side19
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 464
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:00 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus), Ra
1 South American Puffer (Colomesus asellus), Cocha(aka. Dizzy) - Location (country): United States
- Location: Manchester, CT
Re: figure 8 with stuck fin??
does it look like its holding its fin against its side? like flat against its body?
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dab335
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 219
- Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:36 pm
- My Puffers: Diodon Holocanthus, Canthigaster Compressa, Canthigaster Valentini, Arothron Nigropunctatus, Arothron Nigropunctatus(yellow-belly), Chilomycterus Schoepfi, GSP, F8
- Location: Narragansett, Rhode Island
Re: figure 8 with stuck fin??
It did look like it was holding it against the side of his body. I actually did a bit of a water change and dropped the temp of the tank somewhat and she seems fine. Just wondering if anyone thinks i could add a second F8 with her?
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side19
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 464
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:00 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus), Ra
1 South American Puffer (Colomesus asellus), Cocha(aka. Dizzy) - Location (country): United States
- Location: Manchester, CT
Re: figure 8 with stuck fin??
how large is the tank? and chances are she held it to her side becuase she hurt it. my fish do this all the time if they injure their fins. usually after netting one if it was hard to net them. it also happens after getting into fight with other fish alot.
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bazil323
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:51 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Two Figure 8 puffer, Grun & Schnitzel
- Location (country): Northern Wisconsin, USA
- Location: Northern Wisconsin
Re: figure 8 with stuck fin??
Side19 is probably right about it hurting it's fin. Just keep an eye on her to make sure. What size is your tank? You should have at least a 25g tank to have 2 F8s, 30 is better. F8s are usually okay with having another F8 in the tank as long as there is enough room for both of them to get away from each other. Have lots and lots of places to hide and many plants or decor of varying sizes.
What is the temp? And pH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia?
Also, F8s are actually brackish, so you should add marine salt and use a hydrometer (or refractometer if you've got the money) to make sure the levels are good.
What is the temp? And pH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia?
Also, F8s are actually brackish, so you should add marine salt and use a hydrometer (or refractometer if you've got the money) to make sure the levels are good.
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dab335
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 219
- Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:36 pm
- My Puffers: Diodon Holocanthus, Canthigaster Compressa, Canthigaster Valentini, Arothron Nigropunctatus, Arothron Nigropunctatus(yellow-belly), Chilomycterus Schoepfi, GSP, F8
- Location: Narragansett, Rhode Island
Re: figure 8 with stuck fin??
The temp was a bit high, I added some cool water and some salt and she seems to be fine!! Thanks for all the info guys!! 