ya id say that if your fish is 4 years old and only 6-7 inchs that the water quality was bad and cause stunting and who knows what else.
Hope he makes it through
Sick Fahaka Puffer
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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xrayjeeper83
- Mbu Puffer
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
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J-P
- Former Staff Member
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- Location: Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
In the video it looks as if the eyes have started to cloud over.
If he is in the main 120 tank, you might want to start doing smaller multi partials daily. Say about 15~20% once in the morning and once in the evening. That would just be a precaution.
I am just wondering what caused you to have "Nitrate - 0"? Did you or someone forget the prime once?
If he is in the main 120 tank, you might want to start doing smaller multi partials daily. Say about 15~20% once in the morning and once in the evening. That would just be a precaution.
I am just wondering what caused you to have "Nitrate - 0"? Did you or someone forget the prime once?
if you follow me, you avoid stepping in the crap that I just did...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR55G ... pqlgec1A2Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR55G ... pqlgec1A2Q
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Yeah, the 0 nitrate is a bit difficult to believe, but maybe he just did a WC & it is a 6" fish in a 120g.
Thanks for serving our country though! Sorry the puffer has to suffer for it.
Thanks for serving our country though! Sorry the puffer has to suffer for it.
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: Sick Fahaka Puffer
I tested the Nitrate using the test kit? The guidelines above my topic say to provide these. I don't think I've ever knowingly forgot applying Prime. When I noticed him not eating, I applied more Prime just as a precaution.
I will do a small water change tomorrow in the main tank.
I almost just want to euthanize him to put him out of his misery, but I want to give him a chance to live as well. I don't know if he is suffering. It doesn't appear he is, but it is hard to tell with fish.
I will do a small water change tomorrow in the main tank.
I almost just want to euthanize him to put him out of his misery, but I want to give him a chance to live as well. I don't know if he is suffering. It doesn't appear he is, but it is hard to tell with fish.
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Black Widow
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
hello, I just nearly felt sick when I saw that video! Why have you put in a quarantine tank that is so small and uncycled?. I had a Fahaka for a year and grew him from 2" to 9 " without him being sick once!, this was down good water quality. You cant just a put a fish in a tank that uncycled. Your fish will DIE in that 2.5Gallon / 10 Gallon Tank.
Put him back in his main tank straight away, do you have test kits for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate? If you do what are the readings if not, when you put him in the main tank do a 50% water change right away.
Judging from the youtube video I would say he is on his way out! is he still swimming like that now
(on his side)?
After you put him back in the main tank, make a new video of him and post it here for me to see!
If you dont action all of the above your fish will die very soon (Going by what I have seen in the video).
Maybe you could give us some more HONEST details about your main tank: Like equipment and stuff???
Put him back in his main tank straight away, do you have test kits for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate? If you do what are the readings if not, when you put him in the main tank do a 50% water change right away.
Judging from the youtube video I would say he is on his way out! is he still swimming like that now
(on his side)?
After you put him back in the main tank, make a new video of him and post it here for me to see!
If you dont action all of the above your fish will die very soon (Going by what I have seen in the video).
Maybe you could give us some more HONEST details about your main tank: Like equipment and stuff???
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sevenyearnight
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
BW, the puffer is back in the main tank, and this is an unfortunate situation, but he has been honest...
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Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Parameters posted above.
What kind of test kits are you using? Did you just do a WC before testing?
What kind of test kits are you using? Did you just do a WC before testing?
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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fugu99
- Figure 8 Puffer
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- Location: Hampton, VA
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Thats a beautiful Fahaka. I really hope he pulls through. Start getting him on a proper diet and a regular WC schedule and that will help his recovery.
"It is never easy, sweet child, to have a real gift: something else is withheld to compensate."
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Black Widow
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
The way he was swimming in that video suggests to me he has been poisoned some how ?
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
But what about the lump in his belly? Can't be food...
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!"
-
Black Widow
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
hmmm I'd be more worried about the the way he was swimming, lump could be something sinister too tho...?
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- 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:
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
He's swimming crooked, because there's air in the lump.
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: Sick Fahaka Puffer
I can try burping him again tonite. I did a water change in the tank about 3-4 days ago.
Tank is a 120 gallon - 4x2x2
Wet/Dry setup with an overflow box on top. Mag Drive pump.
Gravel covering entire bottom. Some rocks setup to give him security.
His natural position at this point is upside down. After attempting to burp him last night, His stomach got bigger. I thought that was rather strange. I really don't know how hard to push his stomach... I am wearing gloves.
He has not eaten in 2 weeks or more at this point.
My gut instinct tells me this batch of clams had something in it that has wreaked havoc. Please keep in mind that I had a Turgidus puffer kick the bucket 2 weeks ago. I believe they are linked, and not in water quality either. Nothing new was added to either.
Tank is a 120 gallon - 4x2x2
Wet/Dry setup with an overflow box on top. Mag Drive pump.
Gravel covering entire bottom. Some rocks setup to give him security.
His natural position at this point is upside down. After attempting to burp him last night, His stomach got bigger. I thought that was rather strange. I really don't know how hard to push his stomach... I am wearing gloves.
He has not eaten in 2 weeks or more at this point.
My gut instinct tells me this batch of clams had something in it that has wreaked havoc. Please keep in mind that I had a Turgidus puffer kick the bucket 2 weeks ago. I believe they are linked, and not in water quality either. Nothing new was added to either.
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Black Widow
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
When you burp him make sure his mouth is pointing upwards to allow the air to escape, but what I dont get is if it was air why would the bump get bigger? It is ok to touch your fahaka with your bare hands I used to stroke mine all the time on his belly 
. You could try treating him with Melafix for any possible bacterial infection.
In that video it looks like his eye is puffy? It could be a Swim Bladder Infection which would explain his inability to stay up right or stop him self from floating upwards, As His Buoyancy looks all over the place .....?
p.s. how did your Turgidus die, in the same way?
. You could try treating him with Melafix for any possible bacterial infection. In that video it looks like his eye is puffy? It could be a Swim Bladder Infection which would explain his inability to stay up right or stop him self from floating upwards, As His Buoyancy looks all over the place .....?
p.s. how did your Turgidus die, in the same way?
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
I was doing as your guys' guide indicated. It was kind of difficult because he kept trying to surface when I'd finally get him in the right position. His head needs to be underwater for this to work correctly, right? How tough should I fight trying to get the air bubble out?
So I tried this for about 5 minutes last night, it didn't appear like it was getting better. So I let him out of the net. He went to the bottom..Laying on his back. His stomach inflated a bit..actual puffing? Unsure. This morning it was back to the usual small lump. Still laying on his back.
His buoyancy is definitely jacked up -- it was the first sign that it was going from food strike to bad. He began wobbling, then it went to laying on back.
My plan tonight is to change about 1/4 of the water and go for a Melafix dosing on the main tank. If he had a swim bladder disorder/infection, I should not be pushing on that "air bubble" -- should I?
So I tried this for about 5 minutes last night, it didn't appear like it was getting better. So I let him out of the net. He went to the bottom..Laying on his back. His stomach inflated a bit..actual puffing? Unsure. This morning it was back to the usual small lump. Still laying on his back.
His buoyancy is definitely jacked up -- it was the first sign that it was going from food strike to bad. He began wobbling, then it went to laying on back.
My plan tonight is to change about 1/4 of the water and go for a Melafix dosing on the main tank. If he had a swim bladder disorder/infection, I should not be pushing on that "air bubble" -- should I?