fIGURE 8 NOT EATING

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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.

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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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dpmac
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fIGURE 8 NOT EATING

Post by dpmac »

Today when I went to feed my figure eight, he wouldn't take any of the food. I didn't think much of it, but when I went to feed him just afew minutes ago, he still wouldn't take the food. He also appears to be breathing heavily and just kind of swimming in a daze. I have had him for about a month now, and I admit that I am new to figure 8's. But so far there have not been any problems. He is not a picky eater at all, and will actually even eat dry food. His main diet is frozen blood worms.
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Raphael
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Post by Raphael »

Welcome to the forum. What did you try to feed it afew minutes ago, was it also blood worms? Have you tried different foods? Do you know what your ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte levels are? Is it in FW, or BW?
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dpmac
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Post by dpmac »

He is in brackish water. He was fed blood worms. The only thing I can think of is that I added new fake plants into the tank two days ago. I rinsed them first and he was happy, but all of a sudden today he is not eating and breathing heavily.
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Raphael
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Post by Raphael »

I doubt very much that it is the fake plants. What are your ammonia, nitrAte and nitrIte levels?
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dpmac
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Post by dpmac »

I'll have to get back to you on that one. do you think that is what it is?
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Raphael
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Post by Raphael »

It could possibly be. Do you get your water tested at your LFS? If you do it might be worth buying a test kit.
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lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

Are there any tank mates that could be bullying him?
dpmac
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Post by dpmac »

He is all by himself in a ten gallon tank. This morning he ate a little, but not like he normally does. He was just sitting in a plant, then swam to eat a little. He's just not acting the same. He knows when it is time to eat and comes to the top. Now he'll just eat a little of whatever lands in front of him. But i guess i should be happy that he ate a little today.
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Raphael
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Post by Raphael »

Have you found out what your nitrAte, nitrIte and ammonia levels are?
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dpmac
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Post by dpmac »

sorry for the delay, he started eating again and acting normal. everything is fine. so who knows what happened. but thanks for every body's help
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Raphael
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Post by Raphael »

That's good to hear.
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Gomez
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Post by Gomez »

apparently you are supposed to have a 15 gal minimum for fig 8's
maybe you should get a larger tank for your puffer
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lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

You are right, a 10-gallon is too small. IMO a 20-gallon is right for a single f8.
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Post by ChesapeakeSwellfish »

Preferable a 20 gal "Long", not a tall tank. About $28 around here.
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