Hi there, I have had my GSP, Paubie for 2 months, he was given to me by someone who got him from wal mart had him in half gallon fishbowl, so i set up a 20 gallon aquarium and got him set up.
He is in a freshwater setup, I do not have a hydrometer as of yet, but I am picking one up tomorrow. I don't have the readings as of yet.
I did take a sample to a pet shop and they just told me the water was fine. No details or anything so they were not very helpful.
I think my problem is not converting, I talked to markrush in the chat, he was very helpful, but I do need the salt levels slowly added. I don't know how to convert really.
He lives by himself in his 20 gallon setup with a few hiding spots and some fake plants and gravel.
Now, about Paubie's problem, He is normally buzzing around his tank, always interested to see what I am doing, seems very happy, but in the past couple of days he has became disoriented, bumping into plants and the glass as he swims, his belly is white like usual and he doesnt seem discolored at all. He's just not himself. He eats well normally, 2x a day, he still eats, but just here and there, he used to eat everything I would put in at the time, now maybe 15% of it. His diet is a mix of bloodworms and Tetra Baby shrimp. I have done around a 20% water change a week. The tank had just had its filter changed as well. I did a 50% change last night.
I do care about my puffer, I just didn't know all of his requirements before I took him on, I am also very attached to him, and it is very upsetting to see him like this. I will do whatever is needed to help him. I just need to get pointed in the right direction to help save him. I just need any advice I can get.
If anyone out there might have had the same problem or just know what I can do, I will be VERY grateful. I am going to pick up marine salt and a hydrometer tomorrow due to markrush giving me some advice.
Concerned about Disoriented GSP
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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Pufferpunk
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Re: Concerned about Disoriented GSP
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
Did he see improved at all after the water change?
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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discordman
- Puffer Fry
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Re: Concerned about Disoriented GSP
a little bit, he kinda floats when he swims, I mean he swims, but its like he can not maneuver well. He has calmed a little bit. Still bumping, I'm just hoping for the best right now.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
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T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Concerned about Disoriented GSP
That is usually a sign of high nitrite. Get some test kits while you're out shopping for fish stuff tomorrow. Sounds like he has a loving home. 
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!"
-
discordman
- Puffer Fry
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- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:11 pm
Re: Concerned about Disoriented GSP
hes eating, I put quite a bit in his tank and hes just about finished it up. Maybe things will look up a bit.
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indie
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Re: Concerned about Disoriented GSP
when you say you have just changed the filter... did you change the whole filter? im just wondering if you've just got rid of your beneficial bacteria and you're getting a build up of ammonia and nitrites
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t1gerbee
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Re: Concerned about Disoriented GSP
yep, that's what i thought...
Whilst you get yourself geared up with MARINE salt and a hydrometer keep doing 75% daily water changes...
fish often act blind with nitrite poisoning, trick is to remove as much toxin as often as possible until you can establish how your ammonia/nitrites are doing...
Did Mark say to only raise your salt levels by a mazimum of 0.002 a week? Avoids killing any good bacteria in the tank...
and make sure the hydrometer you buy goes all the way down to 1.000 .. as some only read marine levels, not low end brackish..
Whilst you get yourself geared up with MARINE salt and a hydrometer keep doing 75% daily water changes...
fish often act blind with nitrite poisoning, trick is to remove as much toxin as often as possible until you can establish how your ammonia/nitrites are doing...
Did Mark say to only raise your salt levels by a mazimum of 0.002 a week? Avoids killing any good bacteria in the tank...
and make sure the hydrometer you buy goes all the way down to 1.000 .. as some only read marine levels, not low end brackish..
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