GSP not eating... help
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.
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mellojoe23
- Puffer Fry
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- Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 11:22 pm
GSP not eating... help
So i have GSP who's not eating and it looks like it's chowing. It doesn't look like it's teeth are to long but I'm not 100% sure on that. It's swimming around just fine. Please Help.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Moving to Hospital forum, so you can answer all the Qs above in red.
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!"
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LilGreenPuffer
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Give these a read. I think they'll help you out. And answer the all-important questions in red, of course! 
library/hospital/dentistry/
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Welcome to the forum! You're in the right spot for help.
library/hospital/dentistry/
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Welcome to the forum! You're in the right spot for help.
"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!
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pufferpuggirl
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Any chance of a photo, so we can see the mouth? That might help. Also, what do you mean by "chowing" ?
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mellojoe23
- Puffer Fry
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Re: GSP not eating... help
OK so water parameters i have to get the water tested i don't have a test kit. It's a 10 gal brackish tank with 2 gsp and ghost shrimp (they don't eat them). I feed them 2 times a day flake food or blood worms or sun dried shrimp. I do a 10% water Chang every week. This tank has been set up for about a mouth now. I've had the gsp for 7 mouths now. I cant get a good photo of it yet I'll keep trying on that. The last time i feed it snail there was Trumpet Snails. Thanks
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pufferpuggirl
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Well just a couple things .... first of all, on a 10-gallon tank with 2 GSP's in it, you should be changing at least 50% of that water weekly. I would cut out the flake food entirely and feed bloodworms, shrimp and definitely snails, but not the trumpet snails, their shells is too hard and can't actually break a puffer's teeth. Get some pond snails or ramshorn snails, they are good ones.
And really I think a 10-gallon is probably too small for 2 GSP's. You need a much bigger tank if you are wanting to keep them both. So that's something you need to consider.
And really I think a 10-gallon is probably too small for 2 GSP's. You need a much bigger tank if you are wanting to keep them both. So that's something you need to consider.
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
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RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: GSP not eating... help
Please read the articles I linked you to. They are very important.
You really need a test kit. They are crucial to owning puffers.
What kind of salt are you using to make the water brackish?
Water changes should be done at 50% per week on a puffer tank.
How did you cycle the tank?
You really need a test kit. They are crucial to owning puffers.
What kind of salt are you using to make the water brackish?
Water changes should be done at 50% per week on a puffer tank.
How did you cycle the tank?
"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!
-
mellojoe23
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 11:22 pm
Re: GSP not eating... help
Do you think that it cracked it's teeth and if so how can i fix it?
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bigfatfish
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Do you mean he his sort of stretching his lips over his teeth? He could have cracked a tooth on the hard shells of the mts - prob not alot you can do - would have to anaesthetise him to look & maybe trim any sharp edge. Could have a piece of food stuck?
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mellojoe23
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Re: GSP not eating... help
How would i go about that?
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pufferpuggirl
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- Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Re: GSP not eating... help
I'd suggest getting someone to help you that has a little experience trimming puffer teeth, they would better know what to look for and help.
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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mellojoe23
- Puffer Fry
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Thanks for every-ones help but he didn't make it.
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pufferpuggirl
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Rainbow crab
crayfish - Location (country): Yorkshire, GB
- Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Re: GSP not eating... help
Oh I'm so sorry to hear that! You have my sincere condolences. Your poor puffer! 
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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bigfatfish
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- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP not eating... help
So sorry. I wonder what the problem was.
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Sponge bob
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Re: GSP not eating... help
Sorry to hear that.Maybe he starved and the nitrate level was really high with 2 gsp in a tiny (semi) un cylced tank