I've tried to get answers before, and PufferPunk is a great help!! But I've just found this forum, and I hope you can help me.
I'm still learning with this puffer, even though I've had him for a year.
Currently the 10 Gallon Tank Conditions Are:
SG - 1.02
Nitrate - <20
Nitrite - 0
Hardness - just over 250
Alkalinity - 180
pH - 7.2
One of my First concerns was a white spot on the puffer's head. It looks almost like a flesh wound, but has gotten bigger and bigger. Now a seperate spot is developing just forward of his left fin. It kind of looks like a snowflake, with an almost crystal like apearnace.
Second, he had Swim Bladder problems last 2 weeks, but seem to have passed, as he swims with ease although he likes laying on the gravel and looking out the window.
I haven't seen him agressivly go after food in a long time. his teeth are about 1/8" long, and seem to be holding his jaw open, which seems "swollen" but could just be from long teeth. Most of the dentistry on here seems related to GSP's, and was wondering what to do for Figure 8?
Also I tried feeding him a snail, some kind of black mystery snail, which seems to have died? Does salt kill snails relativly quickly? it has almost be 24 hrs now.
My overall concern is his general depressing state of laying aorund, and lack of intrest in food. this has been going on for about 2 months since I moved, and had to move the tank. I have been trying to keep the SG at 1.08, but recently ran out of salt during a water change, and have been tight on funds. ( I also have a poor memory when I'm at the store). I figure if I could fix his teeth, and the spot on his head, it would probably ease the stress, and he would become health and happy again.
Thank You in advance!! - Chris
Figure 8 Puffer Questions/Concerns...
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
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- 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:
I think you mean 1.002 & 1.008, correct? That's a big drop in SG--very stressful for you fish & tank bacteria. Also, your pH should be higher--around 8. Best done with aragonite or crushed coral substrate.
Add Melafix & see if that helps w/the spot on it's head.
Dentistry is the same for all smaller puffers, as it is walked thru in my article.
Snails will die quickly in salty water. They must be removed, if not eaten.
Try feeding live blackworms (well rinsed). Put into a cone feeder.
Add Melafix & see if that helps w/the spot on it's head.
Dentistry is the same for all smaller puffers, as it is walked thru in my article.
Snails will die quickly in salty water. They must be removed, if not eaten.
Try feeding live blackworms (well rinsed). Put into a cone feeder.
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!"
always so wise!!! changing the water n 10g's makes it hard to maintain a decent sg. and yes i did mean 1.002.
i think i'll look into increasing that pH using the methods above.
I've got clove oil on order at the drug store...
and i'll have to look into different foods as mentioned in posts on here.
thank you sooo much!!
i think i'll look into increasing that pH using the methods above.
I've got clove oil on order at the drug store...
and i'll have to look into different foods as mentioned in posts on here.
thank you sooo much!!
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RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
The low pH alone is not significant. The lack of alkalinty would be except that you show ~180 ppm or just over 10 degrees, which is non-trivial and inconsistant with pH 7.2. Either the pH kit is way off or you tank is loaded with organic acids or nitrate hiding in the substrate or filter or some combo of both, which is not a good situation. Something is off-center with the tests or with the tank.
What is your substrate and how deep is it?
How often is it completely and full-depth vacuumed?
What is your ususal water partial schedule and what % is changed each time?
What is your filtration and how is it maintained?
What is your substrate and how deep is it?
How often is it completely and full-depth vacuumed?
What is your ususal water partial schedule and what % is changed each time?
What is your filtration and how is it maintained?
Where's the fish? - Neptune
I have gravel about 1" deep. Would sand or live sand be better?
I try to do about 20% every weekend. In that time I will full depth vacuum different spots every week, because I've heard doing the whole thing all the time can cause it to cycle.
I have a HOB filter, I dont have the origional bio filter from it, so I bought the Top Fin filters with built in bio filter, (which hasn't been changed) and I change the carbon sack every month.
I try to do about 20% every weekend. In that time I will full depth vacuum different spots every week, because I've heard doing the whole thing all the time can cause it to cycle.
I have a HOB filter, I dont have the origional bio filter from it, so I bought the Top Fin filters with built in bio filter, (which hasn't been changed) and I change the carbon sack every month.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- 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:
Live sand won't work in a BW tank. You need crushed coral or aragonite. All newish tanks go thru an "algae" problem. Keep feeding to what they can eat & clean up after your fish's leftovers.
I do 50% weekly water changes, vacuuming every inch of the gravel.
I don't use carbon on my FW/BW tanks.
I do 50% weekly water changes, vacuuming every inch of the gravel.
I don't use carbon on my FW/BW tanks.
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!"
-
RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
I think that you need larger water changes with more gravel vacuuming and more filter cleaning - rinsing the elements in removed tank water is conservative. Most of the biofilter will be in the filter, and in any case, bateria do not detach from gravel in vacuuming - they are far more likely to be suffocated by mulm/debris in the gravel.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
well, it's been a few hours, and it looks like he doesn't even know anyhitng happened. but his belly is greyish, and i tried to put some food in, he still didn't take any intrest in it. I seriously haven't seen him eat in at least 5 weeks. i feed him bloodworms, and brine shrimp. my lfs's seem to have a crummy selection of stuff to feed him.