I think my puffer is dying
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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Pufferpunk
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Re: I think my puffer is dying
When doing WC, be sure to use Prime to dechlorinate the water. Try to match the temp as close as possible.
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!"
Re: I think my puffer is dying
I don't want to confuse you to much but as stated before puffers can go long periods of time without eating. He just looks a little thin in the last picture and a couple days of not eating shouldn't make him that thin. If when he was eating and got a full belly and then a few hours later was thin again or if you see white stingy poo that could be signs of IP"S ( internal parasites). Again I don't want to confuse you as you got enough working to get that water and larger tank in order. Him whipping around could be because of the bad water parameters. Try a live earthworm see if he will eat that.IluvShoes wrote:He probably hadn't eaten for a few days.
I've been trying to feed him but we wouldn't eat.
Then today I put some blood worms and some shrimp into the tank... I saw him eat one little piece of the shrimp. I put some snails in the tank too for him to eat.
I didn't see him eating and I left my room for dinner and when I came back I saw him whipping around the tank, so I am assuming he must have eaten a little bit because he was going nuts in a pile where there were blood worms and one of the snails was.
Then he ran himself face first into the sand and then buried himself in the sand and was sitting there when I left for work.
What is IP's?
I'm a fish newb. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. I'm about ready to go to a pet store, find someone who is good with tanks who works there and pay them money to come to my house and help me out. I am going to have a nervous break down if my fish dies.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Oh. Okay.
Well, I will do my water changes starting with one tonight.
I only have the water conditioner I got with the starter kit.
I will buy Prime tomorrow.
This is what I put in his tank
http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=TB631
Fungus Clear Tank Buddies
• Quickly and safely clears fungus and bacteria-related conditions.
• Protects against secondary infections.
• No need to raise the water temperature.
• STORE USE SIZE
Safely clears fungus and bacteria-related conditions fast. No need to raise the water temperature. Clears furunculosis (open red sores), eye cloud (white hazy film on eyes), pop eye (enlarged eyes), and swim bladder disease (fish swims on side or upside down). Also protects against secondary infections. The fizz lets you know it's working!
Details: Remove carbon from filter during use. If necessary, second dose may be added in four days. Change 25% of the water before adding second dose. Specially formulated to protect fish from secondary infections.
Mfg. Item No. Size
TB631 100 tab dispenser
Treatment Contents Treats
1 tab/10 U.S. gal. (40 L) 1,000 U.S. gal. (3800 L)
Other sizes available: 100 tab dispenser
And then
the new powder today
Well, I will do my water changes starting with one tonight.
I only have the water conditioner I got with the starter kit.
I will buy Prime tomorrow.
This is what I put in his tank
http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=TB631
Fungus Clear Tank Buddies
• Quickly and safely clears fungus and bacteria-related conditions.
• Protects against secondary infections.
• No need to raise the water temperature.
• STORE USE SIZE
Safely clears fungus and bacteria-related conditions fast. No need to raise the water temperature. Clears furunculosis (open red sores), eye cloud (white hazy film on eyes), pop eye (enlarged eyes), and swim bladder disease (fish swims on side or upside down). Also protects against secondary infections. The fizz lets you know it's working!
Details: Remove carbon from filter during use. If necessary, second dose may be added in four days. Change 25% of the water before adding second dose. Specially formulated to protect fish from secondary infections.
Mfg. Item No. Size
TB631 100 tab dispenser
Treatment Contents Treats
1 tab/10 U.S. gal. (40 L) 1,000 U.S. gal. (3800 L)
Other sizes available: 100 tab dispenser
And then
the new powder today
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Oh and unfortunately I cannot do live earth worms. I would rather have one of my toes cut off before I ever touched one of those, literally.
I will feed him anything but an earth worm.
I will feed him anything but an earth worm.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
I'm not familiar with that product, personally I wouldn't waste my money on it. Water changes now are your best bet but unless you can get a bigger tank ASAP you will be fighting an uphill battle. I really wish you all the luck with your guy.
Have someone come in and give him the worm. Most puffers unless they are really really sick can't resist, just an idea for you.
Have someone come in and give him the worm. Most puffers unless they are really really sick can't resist, just an idea for you.
Last edited by trekenk on Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
He was looking very sick before I got him out of my boyfriends tank. He had some white patches on him. He is looking really skinny too. This whole situation is stressing me out I'm about ready to take him back to the pet store. His health is going so downhill I don't know what to do. All he does is sit in the sand and he barely eats. Even before he got sick in the bigger tank, he wouldn't really eat.
Should I just take him back to the store? I dont' want himt o be in pain.
Should I just take him back to the store? I dont' want himt o be in pain.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Okay. I will consider that.
My boyfriend offered to feed it to him while I wasn't there. I have a panic attack if I know one is nearby though.
My boyfriend offered to feed it to him while I wasn't there. I have a panic attack if I know one is nearby though.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
You stated your boyfriends tank went bad and all the fish died. Do you have any idea what happened to them?
Re: I think my puffer is dying
No idea. The puffer ate all the arowana's fins off.
And I broke up with my boyfriend and when I came back to get the puffer all the fish were dead and the arowana had died.
And I broke up with my boyfriend and when I came back to get the puffer all the fish were dead and the arowana had died.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Ok just trying to see if we could figuer out what is going on with your guy. Bigger tank and water changes and we will go from there.IluvShoes wrote:No idea. The puffer ate all the arowana's fins off.
And I broke up with my boyfriend and when I came back to get the puffer all the fish were dead and the arowana had died.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
I just spent $150 on the tank with the set up. I don't want to spend another $250 on a bigger tank if he is going to die soon...so I'm at a loss for what to do.
Should I give him back to the pet store? I thought having a fish was supposed to be fun, now I'm worried and rushing around in the middle of the night to get bottled water for him.
Should I give him back to the pet store? I thought having a fish was supposed to be fun, now I'm worried and rushing around in the middle of the night to get bottled water for him.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Iluvshoes I don't know what to tell you here. The pet store will just flush him as they won't want to put him in any of their tanks if he is sick. We get alot of people here at the puffer forum who have either been misinformed by the pet store or just didn't know what they were getting into when buying their puffer. Your guy is going to need a 120 gallon tank within the next year or so and a at least 30 gallon asap. I can't guarantee that he is going to make it, we are giving you the best info we know after years of experience and what we have to work with. If you don't think it will work out for you or him you might try advertising to give him to someone that can accommodate him better. Other than that I don't know what to tell you.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Okay tell me if this sounds reasonable then.
I will do two water changes a day. I will try to get some of those used sponges for the tank as well.
If he starts looking better then I'll get him a bigger tank in the next week or two.
I don't want them to flush him or anything
I will do two water changes a day. I will try to get some of those used sponges for the tank as well.
If he starts looking better then I'll get him a bigger tank in the next week or two.
I don't want them to flush him or anything
Re: I think my puffer is dying
Sounds like a plan. Get that used sponge, water changes, water changes and wish for the best. Let us know how he is doing and if skin irritation grows. All the luck to you and him.
You can pick up 30 gallon and bigger tanks pretty cheap. Try craigslist in your area. Here are a few examples for Vancouver.
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rch/h ... 31136.html
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/f ... 37201.html
Lots more up there.
P.S. What is his name.
You can pick up 30 gallon and bigger tanks pretty cheap. Try craigslist in your area. Here are a few examples for Vancouver.
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rch/h ... 31136.html
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/f ... 37201.html
Lots more up there.
P.S. What is his name.
Re: I think my puffer is dying
I found a 29 gallon at petsmart for $89. Then i just need the filter and heater so around $150.
But then again, when I get that tank, should I put him right in it or do I cycle it first?
I might just get a bigger tank this weekend then.
But then again, when I get that tank, should I put him right in it or do I cycle it first?
I might just get a bigger tank this weekend then.