Spikes poking out on the belly

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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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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

Spikes poking out on the belly

Post by Mrs.Puff »

Im not sure if this is normal or not but my little puffer has had his little spikes poking out just a little bit on his belly. They have been like that for quite some time now. Is he full of water? Or air? Or is he just full from eating?
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
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Myaj
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Paris, lined burrfish
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Re: Spikes poking out on the belly

Post by Myaj »

They could be slightly irritated from laying on the substrate, or he could just be full, or maybe that's just the way your puff is, hehe. Can you get a photo?

Generally if they aren't irritated looking at the base, and the puffer is swimming okay, its fine.
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User avatar
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: Spikes poking out on the belly

Post by Mrs.Puff »

i can try to get a photo, i actually tried to get some photos just for fun but they keep swimming like crazy haha. I guess hes fine he is green and swimming and doesnt seem irritated or anything but i will try to get some photos of him.
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
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