He's full-grown and male. I've had him for a couple months. He's in a 5-gallon hex with two ottos and some shrimp.
This weekend, I went away for Friday evening through Sunday evening. I had just done a 75% w/c Thursday or Friday. I left a small mussel for him (which I can't find now) and left his light out. I got back tonight and he just looked like he was pouting. Just sitting still. Not moving but his eyes and fins. So I take him out and put him in my little hanging box thingie and gave him some blood worms which I know he likes. He didn't eat any. Just sort of sat there still. I tested his water. It came out Nitrate: 5 ppm; Nitrite 0 ppm; Ammonia 0 ppm. So I put him back in and he swam out of the container just fine and is now just hanging about.
Any ideas? Is he mad his light was out all weekend? That I wasn't around? He's jost a very aggressive puffer, to start.
Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
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.
- mrgreen
- Fahaka Puffer
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Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
"Puffs puff cuz they're puffs cuz they puff cuz they're puffs. - Nathan age 12
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Legend Of Zero
- Puffer Fry
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Re: Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
I think your puffer is fine. I think the reason your puffer did not eat because you left the light out. When the light is out the puffer go to sleep or rest and it take awhile for them to get normal again. My puffer do the same, when I turn out the light he change color and go to sleep.
- yunachin
- Former Staff Member
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- Location: SC
Re: Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
I am thinking he could just be grumpy too. Keep an eye on him for any other changes or if he keeps up this behavior more than a week.
E.Ridgeway
- LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
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- Location: Kentucky
Re: Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
Don't move him again, unless you need to for some pressing reason. He'll just get grumpier if he gets transferred around a lot.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
- mrgreen
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:17 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 1 dwarf puffer: Squirt
2 figure 8s: Escalator & Elevator - Location (country): United States
- Location: Michigan, USA
- Contact:
Re: Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
He seems just fine now. *Shrug*
"Puffs puff cuz they're puffs cuz they puff cuz they're puffs. - Nathan age 12
- LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 5301
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Dwarf puffer - Thumbelina (only mine in my heart now; she lives in CT with my friend)
RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: Dwarf Puffer acting funny- can't figure it out
Just like a puffer. 
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!