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NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
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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JLOcali209
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:37 am
NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Last edited by JLOcali209 on Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Nick
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Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
I would guess he's suffering from problems due to malnutrition/stunting. Krill is a problem food for porcupine puffers, as a primary diet, it often causes lockjaw, and may lead to other vitamin deficiency problems. How big was he when you got him, and how big is he now? A 40 gallon is probably only big enough for a porcupine puffer until he's 7 inches or so long, so it's likely the tank and his primary diet together. A 55 isn't much of a solution, either - consider moving him to a 120 gallon instead.
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: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
I agree, the hunchback is a sign of stunting. Read this about krill & lockjaw: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic72164-10-1.aspx
Then read our articles about feeding your puffer in our Library & the profile on your puffer in our Pufferpedia. It would help to know your water parameters too.
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!"
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Nick
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 3231
- Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:47 pm
- My Puffers: Mine:
GSPs - Shakespeare and Jillybean
F8 - Velvet
My fiance:
DP - Emma Goldman
Narrow Lined Puffer - Ulrike - Location (country): Northeastern USA
- Location: Middletown, CT
- Contact:
Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Two threads?
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
- Queen Admin
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- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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A modestus
T biocellatus
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C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
I deleted the double thread. He hasn't responded to our Qs in either one.
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!"
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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T miurus
A modestus
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C valentini
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C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Please read this about feeding a diet of krill:
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic72164-10-1.aspx
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic72164-10-1.aspx
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!"
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JLOcali209
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:37 am
DO NOT DELETE! I need opinions on my Porcu pine puffer
I have a Porky pine puffer his name is Spike we have had him for a year, and he is depressed. We noticed about a month or so ago that he started to get this lump on his back, it. looks like a hump back He has been depressed will barly eat, and is staying at the bottom of the tank.. Lately he has been at the top We have him in a 55 gallon tank.. Why do you think he has this bump on his back?? There are 2 other fish a Nemo,(clown fish) and a damzil in there too, but they are both fine.. Spike used to have suh personality he would follow my husband bck and forth inside the tank when he would come into the room, he would get excited and he even let my husband pet him, and he spit water at my husband all the time.. We are just bummedout at his drastic change, and we dont know what is wrong? he seems afraid of uss all of a sudden and his personality has compleatly changed... We usually feed him Crill and he loved it, but he hasnot been eating at all! ever since this bump showed up... Please help us figue out what is wrong? we have called the fish stores and they think it could be the tank size we have had him in? but I want other opinions....
I have checked all of the levels for the water, they are fine
THanks all you Puffer Lovers, we miss our spike and his loveable personality. We want him back to normal..... Jeniffer from California
I have checked all of the levels for the water, they are fine
THanks all you Puffer Lovers, we miss our spike and his loveable personality. We want him back to normal..... Jeniffer from California
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Pufferpunk
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suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Posting "fine" isn't good enough. We need ammonia, nitrite, nirate, pH & SG. I also agree with your fish store & 55g isn't enough of an upgrade.
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!"
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clint
- Puffer Fry
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Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
I had the same problem with my porc for a time. Make sure your damzil isnt picking on your porc. Do a water change 20 per. and stop feeding him krill. Their diet in the wild is shrimp and small fish and hard shell foods. you can get shrimp at your local store uncooked of course and silversides at lfs. be sure to cut the shrimp into small peices. It didnt take long for my porc to become his self. also try adding a bulbler to the tank. for some reason they like the bubbles. I hope this helps the little guy out. Also start looking for a larger tank he will thank you for it.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
You've posted this 3x now, without answering any of my questions.
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!"
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cuteyiddlepuff
- Dwarf Puffer
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Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
You should get him into a bigger tank ASAP. I hope he makes it.
PUFFER RULES
Do not take your Puffer out of water (you can kill them)
Change water at least 1x a week
Change water immediately if there is high Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate
Monitor water levels (PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, SG,etc.)
Give your Puffer snails to wear down his/her teeth
Soak dry food with tank water/vitamin water
When buying a Puffer look for one with a fat belly
Do not take your Puffer out of water (you can kill them)
Change water at least 1x a week
Change water immediately if there is high Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate
Monitor water levels (PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, SG,etc.)
Give your Puffer snails to wear down his/her teeth
Soak dry food with tank water/vitamin water
When buying a Puffer look for one with a fat belly
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clint
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:50 pm
- My Puffers: 1Dog face puffer 1 porcupine puffer
- Location: Montana
- Contact:
Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Hows the little guy doing. hopefully still hanging in there. did you get the parameters of the water, it will help in getting him back to normal.
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julianchan
- Fahaka Puffer
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Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Just curious, if a puffer has started showing signs of stunting, will a larger tank bring it back to normal, or will it always show signs of stunting?
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clint
- Puffer Fry
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- Location: Montana
- Contact:
Re: NEED HELP with porky pine puffer
Its possible to have the fish grow to its full size if it hasnt been in a small tank for a long period of time. as long as the internal organs havent stunted as well. The sooner it can be placed into a larger tank the better off. the best way to avoid stunting is know about the fish you have and have a tank according to their size.