The fish is puffed? Can it swim or is it floating?
You mean 0 nitrite? Nitrate has a test kit for that too.
You are correct about why you need the powerhead, it is to mix the salt. See if that guy you are buying the tank from has a used one.
You're doing great & learning fast! That new tank should hold them for a year or 2.
Labored Breathing
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
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: Labored Breathing
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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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
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1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Yes she looks puffed out. The guy doesn't have a powerhead, I asked. She is swimming when she is not hiding in the log. She doesn't want to eat. Yes, I spoke to the guy at Petco and read off the things you told me about. He said they have a liquid test kit there for Nitrate, Amona and yes Nitrate 0. So I am going with my daughter at 2:00 to get the items come back and run the test on the water and get back to you with it.
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Labored Breathing
See if they have any of those live crabs at Petco & also look for bloodworms, Earthworms or nightcrawlers. I was there the other day & they had all of that.
Read: library/hospital/help-my-puffer-is-air-filled/
Read: library/hospital/help-my-puffer-is-air-filled/
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!"
-
signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Here are sme pictures of her. I have frozen bloodworms and frosen brine that I feed them. I only feed them once a day and that's in the evening around 8 pm. He mouth is constantly moving, she does swim round but likes to hide in the log.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
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T miurus
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C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Labored Breathing
Add to your list: Aragonite sand, for the new, larger tank. Enough for a 1" layer. "Live" sand isn't necessary though.
Do you have an AC 110 for the upgrade?
I'm thinking he's constipated. Get Epsom salt from the drugstore & add 1 tbsp/5g.
Do you have an AC 110 for the upgrade?
I'm thinking he's constipated. Get Epsom salt from the drugstore & add 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!"
-
signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
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1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
The guy calld it gravel but it looks like sand. Here's a pic of the tank I am picing up all inclusive. I have on my list the 110 Filter also. Epsom salt? You don't think she is puffed from air?
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Labored Breathing
Nice tank! I can't tell what kind of sand that is.
If she's puffed with air, it would be floating upside-down.
If she's puffed with air, it would be floating upside-down.
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!"
-
signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
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1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
So I will get some epsome salt and add one tbs to 5 gal of water. How often, just once? Also, won't that throw my readings off today, should I take the readings first? If the amonia and nitrates are above 0 what do I need to do then?
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allycat
- Dwarf Puffer
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Divine, F
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1 x 2.5 in GSP in 10G 1.020
Merck, ?
Also kept: 29 G FW juvie loach community, soon to be 55G!)
10G Misgurnus tank
2.5G snail breeder - Location (country): USA-Indiana
Re: Labored Breathing
Hey,
If your readings for ammonia or nitrite are above zero, do a partial water change with the mixed solution from your powerhead bucket as you've gotten the hang of, until those levels are 0.
If you add Epsom salt at that ratio (1T/5G), and you take out five gallons later, just add another tablespoon with the next five gallons. Once dissolved, the salt remains mixed evenly in the water, which makes it easy to figure. Keep the ratio like that until he poo's.
That shouldn't throw your readings off, but I would mix the Epsom salt in the bucket as you've mixed everything else. Don't want to add un-dissolved solids to your tank.
Happy your guys are looking better!
If your readings for ammonia or nitrite are above zero, do a partial water change with the mixed solution from your powerhead bucket as you've gotten the hang of, until those levels are 0.
If you add Epsom salt at that ratio (1T/5G), and you take out five gallons later, just add another tablespoon with the next five gallons. Once dissolved, the salt remains mixed evenly in the water, which makes it easy to figure. Keep the ratio like that until he poo's.
That shouldn't throw your readings off, but I would mix the Epsom salt in the bucket as you've mixed everything else. Don't want to add un-dissolved solids to your tank.
Happy your guys are looking better!
ask: is this suffering necessary or unnecessary?
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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: Labored Breathing
You only have to dose the 1x. Ammonia/nitrite should always read 0. If it is anything other than that, do a 50% WC & replace the epsom salt you have removed.
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!"
-
signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
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- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
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1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
PufferPunk, the Hydrometer says 1.004, I am testing the water right now. In addition, I asked Petco to test also, they said Nitrates were high and I told them I did a 75% water change, he said that explains why. He did say Amonia up .07. I am testing here right now, I'll be right bck with the answer
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
PufferPunk, Amonnia is 1.0 so do another 50% water change and then put a tablespoon of Epsom Salt dissolved before pouring in tank
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xrayjeeper83
- Mbu Puffer
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GSP named Bacon - Location (country): USA
- Location: Orange Park, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
ok he doesnt know what he is talking about. Water changes are the only way to lower nitrates
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Ok, don't shoot the messenger, I am listening to everyone here, just thought you'd like to know what the guy said. Hydrometer says 1.004 and the Ammonia reading says 1.0. PufferPunk you stated that after the pictures you thought my puffer might be constipated as it is not floating on the top of the tank. So should I do a 50% water change first then add the epsome
Re: Labored Breathing
That is 1 TBS pre 5 gallons of water so 2 TBS for your 10 gallon tank. You will probley have to dose more than once with all the waterchanges you will be doing.signnet wrote:So I will get some epsome salt and add one tbs to 5 gal of water. How often, just once?