Well at first I thought I was overfeeding him too much. He would just kind of float around on the bottom with a puffed out belly and his tailfin was tucked into his side. Now today, I havent fed him a lot at all and I just saw him laying there rolling around with the flow of water and a puffed out belly with the tailfin tucked in. I'm not sure whats wrong with im now. My other puffer fish is perfectly fine. Does anyone know what this might be?? I greatly appreciate it
NIKKI
Somethings wrong with my 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.
-
Mrs.Puff
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:20 pm
- My Puffers: I have had my first puffer for about 2-3 weeks now and her name is Mrs. Puff, i just bought another puffer about 5 days ago and his name is Mr. Puff. They are awsome fish and they look great!! Mr. Puff is more curious and loves to see me. Mrs. Puff is very shy but im working with her so hopefully she will become more open.
- Location: ohio
Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Puffers are amazing!! 
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
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T lineatus
T miurus
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Before we can help you at all, you need to get us more info. Please answer the Qs above in red as best as you can.
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!"
-
marksrush
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 856
- Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:10 pm
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- My Puffers: One GSP.
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Raymore, Missouri USA
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
As it says in the pink section above, please post the information requested. It's pretty much impossible to tell what's going on without knowing what's going on with your water etc.
Regarding overfeeding: how much per day and what were you feeding him? You have to be careful, since puffers will eat until it kills them. Does he look like he swallowed a marble after you feed him, or is his belly just slightly rounded? You mentioned that he now has a puffed out belly - do you mean he's puffed up, or just that he's got a full stomach? What's his feces look like? What color is his belly, and how is his color in general?
Regarding overfeeding: how much per day and what were you feeding him? You have to be careful, since puffers will eat until it kills them. Does he look like he swallowed a marble after you feed him, or is his belly just slightly rounded? You mentioned that he now has a puffed out belly - do you mean he's puffed up, or just that he's got a full stomach? What's his feces look like? What color is his belly, and how is his color in general?
-
Mrs.Puff
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:20 pm
- My Puffers: I have had my first puffer for about 2-3 weeks now and her name is Mrs. Puff, i just bought another puffer about 5 days ago and his name is Mr. Puff. They are awsome fish and they look great!! Mr. Puff is more curious and loves to see me. Mrs. Puff is very shy but im working with her so hopefully she will become more open.
- Location: ohio
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
1. pH= 6.5 Ammonia= omg/l Nitrite= 0.3mg/l. I dont know what the Nitrates are and they are not in Marine water.
2. 55g. I have one pleco, lots of plants, skull ornament and a volcano airator.
3. I feed fresh water cherry shrimp, snails, sun dried baby shrimp, freeze dried blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, alge waffers for my plecostomus. I add aquarium salt to it after every water change(the LFS person told me NOT to put my GSP in marine salt water since they can go either way and that they would be find in freshwater with aquarium salt so im working on what im going to do now)
4. I cleaned the tank about 3 days ago, and I clean it out at least twice a week.
5. I cycled the tank with some of the water from the LFS that i got my first puffer from. But the weird thing is that my first puffer is perfect, its the newer little one thats not doing so good. He has his spells where he lays on the ground floating with a puffed out belly than he is back to normal again.
By the way his feces is real red, maybe from the freshwater cherry shrimp or the brine shrimp
2. 55g. I have one pleco, lots of plants, skull ornament and a volcano airator.
3. I feed fresh water cherry shrimp, snails, sun dried baby shrimp, freeze dried blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, alge waffers for my plecostomus. I add aquarium salt to it after every water change(the LFS person told me NOT to put my GSP in marine salt water since they can go either way and that they would be find in freshwater with aquarium salt so im working on what im going to do now)
4. I cleaned the tank about 3 days ago, and I clean it out at least twice a week.
5. I cycled the tank with some of the water from the LFS that i got my first puffer from. But the weird thing is that my first puffer is perfect, its the newer little one thats not doing so good. He has his spells where he lays on the ground floating with a puffed out belly than he is back to normal again.
By the way his feces is real red, maybe from the freshwater cherry shrimp or the brine shrimp
Puffers are amazing!!
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
-
Mrs.Puff
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:20 pm
- My Puffers: I have had my first puffer for about 2-3 weeks now and her name is Mrs. Puff, i just bought another puffer about 5 days ago and his name is Mr. Puff. They are awsome fish and they look great!! Mr. Puff is more curious and loves to see me. Mrs. Puff is very shy but im working with her so hopefully she will become more open.
- Location: ohio
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
By the way marksrush...His color looks a little darker than my other puffer, and his belly is white(i check that out everytime i see him having an episode) and yea his belly sometimes looks like there are little pebbles in it its kind of lumpy but this time it wasnt it was perfectly smooth. And what i mean by puffed up is like his belly looks full, but his not actually puffing up in defense of anything...and if he is hes not doing it soo drastically because i cant tell the difference between if hes just really full or not...but like i said i didnt feed him as much today after reading an article about overfeeding them last night. I appreciate everyones advice!!! They are confusing fish because ive heard many times that they are freshwater or that they are brackish/marine water AND that they can go either way BUT live longer in brackish/marine water.... Im really confused soo be VERY direct with me and tell me what i should do, or should stop doing. and by direct i dont mean being a jerk lol "just kidding"
NIKKI
NIKKI
Puffers are amazing!!
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32987
- 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: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
To help straighten out your confusion, please read the GSP article in our Library & also the fishless cycling article. Please get a nitrate test kit.
I sent you a PM too.
I sent you a PM 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!"
-
marksrush
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 856
- Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:10 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One GSP.
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Raymore, Missouri USA
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Your LFS person gave you bad information: you need to use marine salt, not aquarium salt. Most people staffing LFSs have only vague (and usually incorrect) notions about how to take care of puffers, so never take their advice or information as truth unless it matches up with what you read on ThePufferForum.
Follow PP's suggestion, and read those articles she pointed you toward. They'll tell you how salty the water needs to be for each stage of his/her growth.
Follow PP's suggestion, and read those articles she pointed you toward. They'll tell you how salty the water needs to be for each stage of his/her growth.
-
Mrs.Puff
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:20 pm
- My Puffers: I have had my first puffer for about 2-3 weeks now and her name is Mrs. Puff, i just bought another puffer about 5 days ago and his name is Mr. Puff. They are awsome fish and they look great!! Mr. Puff is more curious and loves to see me. Mrs. Puff is very shy but im working with her so hopefully she will become more open.
- Location: ohio
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
ok thanx...so any suggestions you have about my little puffer...regaurding his belly and feces color?
Puffers are amazing!!
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
WELCOME! - 2 angelfish, and 1 upside down catfish
Piranha 29g
2 Oscars 75g
R.I.P: Mrs.Puff, Mr. Puff and, Jumbo
1 Betta 2g
-
bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 938
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:33 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: GSP "Puffy" RIP old friend 1999-2009
GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
My GSP always has red coloured faeces after eating bloodworms.
-
marksrush
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 856
- Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:10 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: One GSP.
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Raymore, Missouri USA
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
I'd say don't worry unless they're white and stringy.
-
Lil' Swimz$
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1686
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:26 pm
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- My Puffers: Lorteti - Peaches
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- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Do you soak the freeze-dried bloodworms in water overnight? If not, he might have air in him. You'll need to "burp" him. I have no experience towards this but I'm sure you could find it in the Library.
Ha ha, he he! DAncE whEn yoU're HAPpppy! He he he! DAnce, danCE, DANCe!
-
Lil' Swimz$
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1686
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:26 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: Lorteti - Peaches
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- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Hope she gets better.
Last edited by Lil' Swimz$ on Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ha ha, he he! DAncE whEn yoU're HAPpppy! He he he! DAnce, danCE, DANCe!
-
Dadof4
- Tech Team
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- My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
- Location (country): United States
- Location: North Wisconsin
Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Dude.....Her pH is 6.5 not her ammonia....
Mrs Puff, you may want to think about adding some crushed coral to buffer that water. Seems awfully acidic to me...No chemicals (they make changes way to quick and can kill), just something with a calcium in it that can slowly buffer the water.
Mrs Puff, you may want to think about adding some crushed coral to buffer that water. Seems awfully acidic to me...No chemicals (they make changes way to quick and can kill), just something with a calcium in it that can slowly buffer the water.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
-
Lil' Swimz$
- Mbu Puffer
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Re: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Whoops 
, he he, not another screw-up! Must of misread that. EDIT, EDIT, EDIT!!
, he he, not another screw-up! Must of misread that. EDIT, EDIT, EDIT!!Ha ha, he he! DAncE whEn yoU're HAPpppy! He he he! DAnce, danCE, DANCe!
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32987
- 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: Somethings wrong with my GSP!!
Do I remember somwone saying they'd do more reading & less posting???Lil' Swimz$ wrote:Whoops
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!"