newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

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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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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
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My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

hello i was wondering if anyone can help me please, i have just rehomed a 28inch mbu puffer . he is 9years old and has a bit of a curved spine :(
he had a 3hour journey to his new home and on his arrival i noticed he has slightly cloudy eyes . for a start he was swimming around fine and investigating his new home but for the past two days he tends to sit on the bottom and he has not eaten yet but he passed a whole cockle shell the other day!!!
he is in a 1000lts tank with a malawi and a danio which he has lived with for 6years
the tank has been running for a year now and the temp is 26, and nitrate nitrite ammonia is 0 gh is between 7+10 . i made a 50percent water change two days before arrival. all the paramiters are the same as he has been in for the last 9 years only difference is the tank is a lot bigger than he is used to.
he has been fed on cockles in shells and mussels
sometimes he sits with his mouth wide open
please advise me
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bigfatfish
Fahaka Puffer
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Location (country): United Kingdom
Location: Devon, UK

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by bigfatfish »

Hi Matt. Is your nitrate really 0? This might indicate that something is amiss with the cycling process. What did the tank have in it prior to you getting him & the other fish?
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Flutter
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Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by Flutter »

That's still only a 250gal tank which is way too small for him. I'm surprised he's grown so big in a tank that sounds like it's significantly smaller than that.
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

sorry there i missed off a digit!! it is 20. it used to have a pair of red snakeheads in there before
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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

Flutter wrote:That's still only a 250gal tank which is way too small for him. I'm surprised he's grown so big in a tank that sounds like it's significantly smaller than that.
the tank i rescued him from was a lot smaller than that !! this is only a temperary home for him until our new one is delivered(8x3x3)
he was in a 5x18x18inch tank for 9years hence the bent spine
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Flutter
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Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by Flutter »

He's lucky he found you then! :) Good luck.
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
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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: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by bigfatfish »

Ok. Ideally, it would be good if you could get that nitrate down to 10 or less - sometimes depends on your tap water - some people seem to have really high nitrates in the UK tap water to start with. Puffers don't do great in high nitrate levels, although for such a short period of time I doubt that would be your problem. More likely stress etc from the move. Don't worry too much about him not eating - a big guy like that can probably go a while without food. Hopefully some of the big puffer owners will be on here later to offer some advice. Well done you for rescuing him from a small tank & good luck with his care & getting an even bigger tank! :wink:
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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

thanks
the test kit i have is one of those test strip ones and the first mark is 0 and the second one is 20 and the colour was in between both of those , i also have some seachem de nitrate which i was gonna put into my filters but previous owners said not to worry as he has been in pure tap water all his life?????
i wondered if putting in was a good idea?
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Pufferpunk
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Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by Pufferpunk »

I wouldn't add any chemicals like that. Water changes are the best way to remove nitrate. Add Prime to dechlor. My fahaka was moved from a 55g into a 125g & sulked, not eating, for 3 weeks.
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!"
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Flutter
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Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by Flutter »

Haha! What an ungrateful... :badboy: :lol:
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

Pufferpunk wrote:I wouldn't add any chemicals like that. Water changes are the best way to remove nitrate. Add Prime to dechlor. My fahaka was moved from a 55g into a 125g & sulked, not eating, for 3 weeks.
so i dont need to be having a nervous breakdown just yet ha ha .
now doing a 50% water change to see what happens next
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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

i think i might have solved puffs sitting in the corner problem! his tank is positioned in a corner of the room and the end where he is always sitting is right up close against the wall so i think he could see his own reflection and couldnt move away from it, so i put a towell against the end and he has now moved away and is swimming around so maybe he will eat soon :)
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32980
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:
Contact Pufferpunk

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by Pufferpunk »

How about that!
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!"
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matt willis
Puffer Fry
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:59 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: mbu puffer snr, mbu puffer jnr
giant gourami ,flowerhorn, giraffe catfish
Location (country): england
Location: march cambs

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by matt willis »

thank you for all your help and advice im hoping this is the last time im on hospital forum.
how do you get vitamin c into fish by the way???
thanks everyone
matt and puff
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32980
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:
Contact Pufferpunk

Re: newly rehomrd puffer wont eat and sits on the bottom

Post by Pufferpunk »

I dose VC into my reef tanks & add vitamins as a soak for most foods.
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!"
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