Just lost a puffer :(

[CoreyK]

Last week, I fed the fish as usual; the puffers (figure 8's) ate krill, and I dropped in a "variety wafer" for the knight goby who is too shy to come to the surface for food.
About two days later, I woke up to a cloudy tank. After searching I found that the goby had simply moved her wafer into a cave and never ate it; it was decomposing and fouling the tank.
All of the fish became lethargic, and the puffers both developed cloudy eyes and what appeared to be a light "film" on their bodies, I assume from ammonia poisoning. One puffer was clearly worse than the other; yesterday he began to rest on leaves, float on the surface dead still, etc. I could actually handle him before he would snap out of it and swim for a minute, then return to floating. He passed away early this morning

The other puffer and Goby are still hanging in there. The puffer is swimming around a bit but still has cloudy eyes and is lethargic, but nowhere near as bad as the other puffer was.

I've been doing daily 35% water changes and dosing melafix since the tank got cloudy.
I'm just hoping this little guy can pull through

Let this be a lesson to everyone; always make sure there is no uneaten food in your tanks. Even a little bit can cause big problems.

[LilGreenPuffer]

That's so sad. I'm sorry.

I think it would help your remaining fish if you upped the water changes to more like 50% a day. +1 on the Melafix, and good luck saving your others.

[Jase]

Sorry for you loss
hope the other fish make it.

[Pufferpunk]

Yup, things like that can really mess up a tank. Water quality is #1 of a fish's health. Sorry for your loss.

[edmlfc1]

Sorry to hear that. I spot feed Daisy (snowflake eel), she likes to hide so I get a flashlight and make sure she ate her food and is not storing it for a rainy day. You just never know about these critters.

[CoreyK]

Thanks for your comments.

The remaining puffer has started to behave just like the deceased puffer did about a day before he died; bobbing at an angle with his mouth at the surface, and swimming haphazardly, bumping into things. I'm not sure he can see very well; he doesn't respond to me hardly at all. I could probably grab him if I wanted to.

I'm continuing to do water changes and dosing Melafix, but I feel that the damage has already been done, and the only thing I can hope for is that his little body can repair itself before too long.

[yunachin]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[pufferpuggirl]

Losing a puffer is heart-breaking. I have actually cried when I've lost a puffer in the past. It's so sad to see them so still when they are normally so happy and active.
In regards to leftover food, every day I vacuum all my tanks, even if they look good. I've found food that I didn't see, so I think it's a necessary thing to do. It's just become regular for me. It's especially important because I feed some of my puffers mussel and that is a very very messy food, especially when my suvattii eat it.
I inspect all my tanks each day just to see how everything is going. I learned the hard way that if something bad happens, you need to take immediate action -- and that's why I check all my tanks each and every day.
I am VERY sorry for your loss and I hope your remaining fish pull through. I would do as LilGreenPuffer advised and up the water changes, to make sure you're getting the yucky water out.

[CoreyK]

Looks like my little guy has recovered!
He started acting normal yesterday and ate a few pieces of krill.
Today he's buzzing around like his normal self, begging for food and bugging Ms. Goby.
I'm pumped!

[pufferpuggirl]

That's excellent, so glad to hear it!

I'm very happy for you and hope your little guy continues to be in good health!!

[LilGreenPuffer]

That's great!