I have 2 GSPs in a 260 lit BW tank, that I am slowly raising to marine. The SG is now at 1.017. Amm/nitrite are zero & nitrate is 10. They are the only inmates. The tank was fishless cycled about 18months ago. 40% water change once weekly, using Prime & Red Sea Salt. Nothing has changed in my regime. Both puffs are still small (2 - 2.5"). One of them, "Luigi", since yesterday has seemed very rotund - like he has eaten too much. His colours are bright as ever & his belly is pure white. He seems less active than normal, although if he thinks there is the chance of food he is still the first there. Their diet is mainly snails (80%), but they also have lots of other things - krill, earthworms, woodlice, prawn, mysis, bloodworm, mussel, cockle etc.
Just concerned about the continuing roundness of him & his lethargy when no food around - he just sits on the bottom. Do you think constipation could be an issue? Wondered if so many snails shell bits could eventually lead to impaction in the gut? If constipation could be a problem, whats the treatment? Should I continue feeding him, or fast him?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
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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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Location: Devon, UK
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jmiller
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Do you feed everyday or fast one day a week?
John
aka MacKenzie, Bailey & TBD's pa-paw
aka MacKenzie, Bailey & TBD's pa-paw
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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Fast for one day a week. Then generally once daily - unless I find a tasty morsel outside (worm or wood-louse) in which case they get an extra snack.
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purplecandle
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Can you answer the q's in red?
Do you have a pic? "She" could be gravid.
Do you have a pic? "She" could be gravid.
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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
I think I pretty much answered all the Qs in red in the original post - is there anything else that you need to know. I don't have a pic unfortunately - camera not great (photographer a bit rubbish too!).purplecandle wrote:Can you answer the q's in red?
Do you have a pic? "She" could be gravid.
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Dadof4
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
More than likely not gravid, GSP's rarely mate in captivity and rarely show signs when gravid. Have you seen any puffer poo lately?
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
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purplecandle
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Sorry, I typed that out of habit!bigfatfish wrote:I think I pretty much answered all the Qs in red in the original post - is there anything else that you need to know. I don't have a pic unfortunately - camera not great (photographer a bit rubbish too!).purplecandle wrote:Can you answer the q's in red?
Do you have a pic? "She" could be gravid.
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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Not seen any poo, but I rarely do anyway. He is the same today - fat & just resting on the bottom.
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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Well, I am pretty worried about him, but apart from him being fat & lethargic, there is nothing obvious & if nobody has any ideas then, I guess I will just have to wait it out. I will keep you posted,.
Unless anyone thinks I should go ahead & treat for constipation? Dose anyone know the epsom salt dose & is it safe to use in BW?
Unless anyone thinks I should go ahead & treat for constipation? Dose anyone know the epsom salt dose & is it safe to use in BW?
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Pufferpunk
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
1 tbsp/5g.
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!"
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jmiller
- Green Spotted Puffer
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
With no other obvious signs then constipation is the only thing that I can think of. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
John
aka MacKenzie, Bailey & TBD's pa-paw
aka MacKenzie, Bailey & TBD's pa-paw
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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Thanks PP & JMiller. He seems bright as a button when I am near the tank & he thinks he is going to be fed. Other times he just sits on the bottom. He is still bloated looking, but his colours remain bright & his tummy white (except for tiny grey patch on his right side.)
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borgey
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Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
Well it does not sound like he's too stressed then if his tummy is white and colors are good. Correct me if I'm wrong........... good luck with your little fella!
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bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:33 pm
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GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP Seems A Little Rounder Than Normal!
He is much the same - still very good colour, but more lethargic & still bloated. No sign of any poop. He will seem keen to eat, but either spits it back out of blows it straight out of his gill. I had been reluctant to give him snails, thinking that any bits of shell may add to constipation, but this evening I just wanted him to have something, so I gave him a tiny crushed snail which he ate like he had never eaten before. So, I guess thats good.
I started the treatment with epsom salts about an hour ago (very nervous to do this, as I don't really like adding things to my water). So, hopefully if it is constipation, it will get things moving.
I started the treatment with epsom salts about an hour ago (very nervous to do this, as I don't really like adding things to my water). So, hopefully if it is constipation, it will get things moving.