Ammo: 0, Nitrites: 0, Nitrates: 0 (newly cycled, should see some soon). pH 8.0. SG: none yet, still FW.
The belly looks sooty like they got into a chimney or something, kind of greyish-black dusting.
Thanks in advance.
Bottom of GSPs are black?
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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WickedEdges
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:16 pm
- Location (country): Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Bottom of GSPs are black?
So I just got my GSP finally from my LFS and they came in with black bellies. I figured, it was due to shipping and crowded space with low quality water. I've attached some pics and hope you guys know what it is. MY WPs are as follows:
Ammo: 0, Nitrites: 0, Nitrates: 0 (newly cycled, should see some soon). pH 8.0. SG: none yet, still FW.
The belly looks sooty like they got into a chimney or something, kind of greyish-black dusting.
Thanks in advance.
Ammo: 0, Nitrites: 0, Nitrates: 0 (newly cycled, should see some soon). pH 8.0. SG: none yet, still FW.
The belly looks sooty like they got into a chimney or something, kind of greyish-black dusting.
Thanks in advance.
-
briguy44
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 172
- Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 2:46 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 GSPs
- Location (country): Idaho, USA
- Location: Eastern Idaho
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
How did you cycle your tank? If you aren't showing any nitrates either your tank isn't cycled or your water testers are bad.
Edit: PS Nice fat looking GSPs you have there. I wouldn't worry too much about their gray bellies yet since you just got them and I am sure they are stressed from all the moving they have done. Give them a week or two and if they don't lighten up then it will be time to figure something out.
Edit: PS Nice fat looking GSPs you have there. I wouldn't worry too much about their gray bellies yet since you just got them and I am sure they are stressed from all the moving they have done. Give them a week or two and if they don't lighten up then it will be time to figure something out.
"THIS PURPLE BELT IS NOT A TOY, THIS IS A MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE OFFICE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE I CAN PHYSICALLY DOMINATE THEM"
-- DWIGHT SCHRUTE
-- DWIGHT SCHRUTE
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WickedEdges
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:16 pm
- Location (country): Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
I fishless cycled for about a month and a half. It's possible my testers are bad though. Thanks for the positivity though. 
I'll monitor them closely.
Can anyone show me what a bite mark looks like from another GSP?
I'll monitor them closely. Can anyone show me what a bite mark looks like from another GSP?
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
A bite will normally be an almost perfect hollow circle in appearance. Most often the scars appear whitish. If it's a new bite then it's likely that the entire circle will be white or pinkish depending on the depth. You don't need to worry too much if they have a few bites, it just means that you need to keep the water extra clean and you can possibly add Melafix. You'll want to make sure their water is very clean anyways due to to significant fin damage.
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.
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Charles Darwin
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purplecandle
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 2019
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:18 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Currently
2 Adult Green Spotted Puffers
1 Fangs Puffer
1 Baby Green Spotted Puffer - Location (country): USA (NC)
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
I would put in Melefix for that one GSP's tail fin..
Also, you have what I call paint drop GSPs..their spots look like paint dropped on them Slow to moderate growers, get fat before they get long LOL (IMO)
Also, you have what I call paint drop GSPs..their spots look like paint dropped on them
Slow to moderate growers, get fat before they get long LOL (IMO)-
WickedEdges
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:16 pm
- Location (country): Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
UPDATE:
They're already looking brighter today. But I've also attched a picture that shows some black circle marks. Are these the bite marks I was asking about?(I know it's not very detailed...)
They're already looking brighter today. But I've also attched a picture that shows some black circle marks. Are these the bite marks I was asking about?(I know it's not very detailed...)
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purplecandle
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 2019
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:18 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Currently
2 Adult Green Spotted Puffers
1 Fangs Puffer
1 Baby Green Spotted Puffer - Location (country): USA (NC)
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
Yep bite marks..
Not all bite marks are perfect circles. If a puff bites a plant or a mussel..then it leaves a near perfect circle. But, because of the elasticity (for lack of a better term) of the puffs skin, when a puff bites another the skin bunches up, creating distorted circles..
Not all bite marks are perfect circles. If a puff bites a plant or a mussel..then it leaves a near perfect circle. But, because of the elasticity (for lack of a better term) of the puffs skin, when a puff bites another the skin bunches up, creating distorted circles..
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WickedEdges
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:16 pm
- Location (country): Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
I'm already using Melafix for the bites and tailfins. Thanks for everyone's help, I really appreciate it.
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
It will die in that tank with those tank mates probably. Also that tank seems awfully crowder bro you might wana ease up and get rid of some of those fish.
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JRC3
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 904
- Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:10 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: F8(55g)
F8 (46g)
4-DP(29g) - Location (country): U.S.
- Location: S.W. OH
Re: Bottom of GSPs are black?
If you are using an API test kit be sure to shake the #2 nitrate bottle for 30 seconds and the test tube for 60. Other brands my require the same I don't know. I have actually tested this myself by not shaking the bottle and it will give you a low or zero reading. Here's a little tip, I usually shake my bottle by kinda shaking and tapping it against a hard surface at the same time.WickedEdges wrote:I fishless cycled for about a month and a half. It's possible my testers are bad though...
Good luck, I hope the little guy gets better soon.
There are many knowledgeable fish keepers on this forum willing to help and give great advice...The advice is free; What you choose to do with it gives it value.