HELP! MY GSP will not eat and has sunken stomach

[sharpmj]

I've had the little for about 4 years, and he has recently stopped eating and has a sunken stomach. He is also seeming to hanging at the top with his mouth out of the water at times.

Any ideas???

Thanks,

mjs

[Dadof4]

Please answer the above questions in red. They go a long way to helping us figure out what is happening.

[pufferpuggirl]

Have you fed him anything odd recently? Have you noticed any change in his poop? I would be looking for signs of IP's (white stringy poop is a sign).

[sharpmj]

Thanks for the responses.

I am going to get my water checked today. I must admit that I don't know the answer to question #1. He is in a 55 gallon hex tank with 2 plecos and 2 neons. The tank has been set up for about 4 years, and I should keep it cleaner. I filter with a canaster filter.

My son recently added a Molly. The GSP has been with many more fish in the past with no problem. No nipping even. I have recently added about 20 snails, which he normally loves, ... but he isn't interested.

He seems to be hanging at the top of the tank, and his stomach is severely sunken in. I'm worried that he's suffering.

I might to another water change today after work.

Any other ideas?

[Mrs.Puff]

Well as most of us new GSP puffer owners did/do not know, your gsp will eventually need to be switched over to brackish water or even to full marine water, so that means rehoming your plecos and neons . As of him being at the top of the water all the time...that might indicate that there is to much nitrite/nitrate in the water and thats why he might be up there because there is more oxygen at the top of the water. Too much nitrite is bad because it is absorbed by the fish into the blood reducing its capacity to transport oxygen around his body. If he is exposed to this for a long period of time and continuously, it will turn into a condition known as "brown-blood", where the fishes blood has been bound with nitrite effectively starving the fish of oxygen.

Your nitrite level should idealy be below 0.3 mg/l. If it is above that i would carry out a partial water change.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Nitrite should be 0.

[Dadof4]

Your nitrite level should idealy be below 0.3 mg/l. If it is above that i would carry out a partial water change.

Nitrite in a fully cycled tank will always read zero. IN the nitrogen cycle you go from Stage 1: produced mild mannered but highly toxic ammonia, stage 2: resultant evil and very toxic nitrite from broken down ammonia, stage 3: remaining but less toxic nitrate.

Does the GSP have a pinched look to him and does his stomach get flat quickly after he eat (when you can get him to)? I'm thinking he may have IP's brought in by another fish that was added to the tank. Please read the article on GSP's in the Puffer Library to get a better feel for their proper requirements, that may help get him to eat also. One thing you can try is getting some garlic extract and soaking some blood worms in it. They love garlic, it has a natural attractant to it. I actually use it for an attractant spray in fishing tournaments....works likes a champ! Dr. Fosters and Smith sells it but if you're like me (a cheapskate) just crush a clove of garlic and you'll get the same results.

[Pufferpunk]

I actually use it for an attractant spray in fishing tournaments....works likes a champ!

That's not cheating?

Be sure to read that GSP article & also the one on treating internal parasites.

[Dadof4]

I actually use it for an attractant spray in fishing tournaments....works likes a champ!

That's not cheating?

Be sure to read that GSP article & also the one on treating internal parasites.

Actually not. The pros use a spry on fish attractant that contains fish oils and garlic, the only thing is that they have it either given to them by their sponsors or the pay for it, average $8 a bottle. I just crush a clove of garlic.