bit worried bout my dwarf puffers :(

[rachy]

sorry to make this my 1st post here lol!but looks like this is where i need 2 b:) bout 4 weeks ago now, i got 3 little dwarf puffers (sugar, diddy + hamish lol!) and up till a few days ago, everythings been fine. theyre in a 60l biorb,with loads of plants, which was cycled before i put them in, test results are ammonia - 0, nitrite - 0, nitrate somewhere between 0 and 5, pH7.3, temp around 28. before, they used 2 always b very active etc, always interested in whats going on etc, but the past few days ive hardly seen them having 2 really search to find them, n theyre not moving much, just kinda staying still. the only thing ive changed is i added quite a big amano shrimp in there a few days back, n it is since that day theyve started acting differently. could it b anything 2 do with the shrimp?? hope not :S. im feeding them on frozen bloodworms, a couple each twice a day, and putting some tiny snails in the tank for them aswell. any ideas what could b wrong?? thanks

[LilGreenPuffer]

Were the shrimp and snails quarantined? Are the puffers eating as much as before?

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

[Idontknow]

I've seen my Amano shrimps attack my DP before. She seems scared of them. So now they are becoming food for my other puffers.

[rachy]

Were the shrimp and snails quarantined? Are the puffers eating as much as before?

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

no i didnt quarantine them, but i have had both the shrimp and the snails for a couple of months in another tank, i started breeding the snails for the little puffers as soon as i started cycling the puffers tank. thn i moved the shrimp into their tank, cos i put 2 saps in the shrimps old tank, but didnt want them 2 eat the shrimp lol!! if thas whats upsetting the dps tho, ill put it back in the other tnk. yes they still seem 2 b eating ok, but still in their hiding places if ya get me lol?? they dont really come out for the food like they used to

[rachy]

well just 2 let yas know, i took the shrimp out earlier, and sugar + hamish seem ok now they swimming round n playing again etc.so maybe they were scared of the shrimp!! diddy still hiding tho hope hes ok soon. thanks for telling me that 'Idontknow'

[LilGreenPuffer]

Sounds like you've got it all worked out.

[pufferpuggirl]

Just a suggestion, but I'd take your water temp down to about 26, as I think 28 is a bit high, but that's just me.

[rachy]

Just a suggestion, but I'd take your water temp down to about 26, as I think 28 is a bit high, but that's just me.

cheers, ill try that,cos theyve gone into hiding again hope theyre ok

[rachy]

yuk, i just changed some of the water in my dps tank, n found what looks 2 b a damselfly larvae ( well thats what i think it is from searching google) can that hurt my puffers?? and could that b making them act like they have been??

[LilGreenPuffer]

I don't think that would cause it, but I'm not too sure. Seems like something they'd just see as a snack.

[rachy]

well just to let yous know...on wednesday, i moved my little puffers out of the biorb, and into another tank, its a bit smaller like (35l) but, since ive put them in there, they arent hiding anymore at all out playing all the time etc, and attacking the little pipette i use 2 feed them etc like they used to . im wondering if its cos everything looks so big thru the biorb?? i dunno, seems wierd tho lol!! ive moved some diff fish into the biorb, n theyre fine!! but anyways, happy they all well again

[LilGreenPuffer]

biOrbs and other bowls can make fish go blind. Stick your head in there and see what it looks like. I guess it's possible that they didn't like it. Still, I would lean towards the shrimp as the problem, since they were fine until you added it.

[eieio]

my Congo Puffer (Ollie) lived with a river shrimp (originally intended as food), for many months
when i added another river shrimp, Ollies' behavior changed dramatically
he became lethargic, lost his appetite, and stayed beneath the sand much more than usual
all water chemistry, temperature fine
after removing both shrimp, Ollie became a happy camper again!