I have had my GSP since October. He is in brackish water and has currently been eating dried krill, blood worms, and live ghost shrimp. Today we changed the substrate from gravel to a pre mixed nitrate filled sand from a salt water fish store. I also added some live rock and a little piece of coral, also some small snails for the first time because I was worried his beak was getting a little long ( I am not sure though because I dont know what to look for?) Now his mouth is red, not bright red but enough that I noticed. Also right after I acclimated him to his new environment his belly got a black dot for about two hours then went away,Any suggestion?
He is in a 10 gallon
About 2.5 inches
beautiful colors
full fins
Thanks
Beak Issues?
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.
-
gnbpilot@yahoo.com
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Beak Issues?
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Beak Issues?
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
I'm a little confused--is he in SW now? Did you just raise it to SW? How long did that take? If he's only in BW & you added all those things from a SW tank, all the live SW bacteria will die off in there & you will have an entire crash of the system, starting with high ammonia/nitrite & quickly followed by the death of the puffer.
Your tank is too small for him. As long as you were upgrading the environment, you should have upgraded the tank size too. At >2", he needs a minimum of 30g now.
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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Pufferpunk
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Re: Beak Issues?
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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gnbpilot@yahoo.com
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Re: Beak Issues?
He is in full salt and has been for 3 months. I know he needs a bigger tank, I bought a 55 gallon but I am in the process of moving across the state and I am waiting till I get settled to start cycling the new tank:)
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Beak Issues?
You shouldn't have to do much to cycle a SW tank, if you can get established LR. As far as his mouth,try using SW Melafix on him. Is his beak overgrown?
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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gnbpilot@yahoo.com
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Re: Beak Issues?
He eats fine, so no. I'll try what you suggested. Thanks
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Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Beak Issues?
You still are not feeding any crunchy foods to him though. Read the feeding article I posted.
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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gnbpilot@yahoo.com
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Re: Beak Issues?
Unfortunantley I came across a GSP at the fish store yesterday while buying some crunchy food for mine. There GSP beak was so overgrown it couldn't open its mouth, its whole underside was pitch black. The guy at the store says they are waiting for it to die, is there nothing that could be done at this point?
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Re: Beak Issues?
they could trim his teeth but they either inexperienced or dont care probably the later of the 2 grrr
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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fugu99
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Re: Beak Issues?
What?? Argh thats so upsetting. Even though I know people would probably be hesitant at the idea, they could at least do some research. From what Ive read its not hard, only takes some patience and a steady hand. Their beak is like a fingernail, and the process is just about like clipping a fingernail. Of course, the sedation method for the puffer is the tricky part... I saw a video on it some while back. My one puffer has a noticeable beak, he looks a bit bucktoothed, but as its not overlapping his lower jaw hes still fine. I just have to keep him eating snails and shelled foods. If it came to the point though, Im prepared to trim his beak if need be. I wouldnt just do nothing about it though! Poor puffers!gnbpilot@yahoo.com wrote:Unfortunantley I came across a GSP at the fish store yesterday while buying some crunchy food for mine. There GSP beak was so overgrown it couldn't open its mouth, its whole underside was pitch black. The guy at the store says they are waiting for it to die, is there nothing that could be done at this point?
"It is never easy, sweet child, to have a real gift: something else is withheld to compensate."
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Re: Beak Issues?
In the top pic he looks a bit thin...or could just be the angle. Have you noticed stringy or white poops? What kind of corals did you put in? Is he nipping them? Maybe something is stinging him. Have you noticed any sort of hitchhikers on your LR?
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Beak Issues?
Print & bring in my Pufferfish Dentistry article, found in the Hosp section of our Library.
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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gnbpilot@yahoo.com
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Re: Beak Issues?
I went to the bad LFS and took the sickly GSP from them. I brought him home and after watching the Arizoniafishkeeper.com I followed his detailed instructions and successfully trimmed the little guys beak. Knowing I couldn't risk keeping him in my tank with my smaller GSP I took him to the best saltwater fish store I have ever seen about 30 mins from where and live. The owner only handles saltwater fish and coral, his tanks are set up for the fish as if they were in your house not like the small plastic tub I found this GSP in. He put the GSP in a tank of his own and started treatment for parasites and pop eye. I checked on him yesterday and his stress colors are starting to disappear!! 
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Pufferpunk
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- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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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
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Re: Beak Issues?
Great save! 
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!"
-
fugu99
- Figure 8 Puffer
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- My Puffers: Herbie (Figure 8)
Otto (Figure 8) *deceased
Henry the Figure Eighth (Figure 8)
Other: Luna (Panda Platy)
Io (Panda Platy)
Ganymede (Panda Platy)
Ocelot (Albino Pleco)
Aramis (juvenile Red Wag Platy) - Location (country): United States
- Location: Hampton, VA
Re: Beak Issues?
Awesome! If only we could save all of these guys from ignorant inadequate care.gnbpilot@yahoo.com wrote:I went to the bad LFS and took the sickly GSP from them. I brought him home and after watching the Arizoniafishkeeper.com I followed his detailed instructions and successfully trimmed the little guys beak. Knowing I couldn't risk keeping him in my tank with my smaller GSP I took him to the best saltwater fish store I have ever seen about 30 mins from where and live. The owner only handles saltwater fish and coral, his tanks are set up for the fish as if they were in your house not like the small plastic tub I found this GSP in. He put the GSP in a tank of his own and started treatment for parasites and pop eye. I checked on him yesterday and his stress colors are starting to disappear!!
"It is never easy, sweet child, to have a real gift: something else is withheld to compensate."