Labored Breathing

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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J-P
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by J-P »

that is normal. At least they can see the log and get to it. During times of stress most fish prefer darker areas.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by signnet »

I am just really afraid that she is going to get stuck on the filter at night while I am asleep. She is so puffed. PufferPunk says she is constipated and has no energy.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by signnet »

The puffer that is not doing so well is sooo much fatter than the other. If you burp a puffer fish, which PufferPunk gave me the link and I read it, how long do you do it and do you see results right away? She is floating and drifting in the tank when she swims. It's almost like she has no control over where her body goes
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by signnet »

If anyone can answer as to how long you burp a puffer fish and how often, do you see the results immediately, I would apreciate it.

Secondly, PufferPunk Thank you very, ery much for everything.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by xrayjeeper83 »

Im not 100% but id do it for under a min, should get results quickly. But ive never had to do it
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by Pufferpunk »

Sorry,I was out for the evening. Have you tried to burp it?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by signnet »

It is 2:53 AM....my little one passed away, now only one left and he looks ver lonely. This is a learning experience. Yes tried to burp and she seemed fine after, but I guess not so fine after all.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by xrayjeeper83 »

awww so sorry to hear about your lose. Now lets focus on saving the remaining one
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
sevenyearnight

Re: Labored Breathing

Post by sevenyearnight »

Sigh. That sucks!! :(
+1, let's get that remaining little in top shape now!
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by Pufferpunk »

That's sad... :( I had a feeling when she was getting stuck to the filter intake, she was a gonner though.

Continue working on getting the parameters safe for this one & upgrade that tank to 30g, ASAP.
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!"
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by signnet »

Just did another water chnge. Ammonia STILL .25
Hasn't changed from yesterday.
I put Pime in each time I change the water.

He is so sad that the other one is gone. You should have seen him this morning huddling up to her. He knew she was gone but till protected her. He was bright yellow last night. Today he is a dark grey.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by Pufferpunk »

Yes, puffers are very personable. Read this though: library/puffer-care/alone-but-not-lonel ... fers-solo/
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!"
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by hadla »

Pufferpunk wrote:Yes, puffers are very personable. Read this though: library/puffer-care/alone-but-not-lonel ... fers-solo/
thanks for the link, interesting article.

hope your little puffer survives! i feel so bad for him losing his friend.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by signnet »

PufferPunk, interesting and addtionally that you need 30 gallons per Puffer so if you have two you need a 60 gallon tank with No tankmates. WOW!

The one left in the tank has had no problem pooping. Stll do the epsom or was that for the other one only? How long can this tank go being on .25 and twice a day changes. Isn't the one in there going to have problems not having salt. He was used to Aquarium salt from the pet store.
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Re: Labored Breathing

Post by xrayjeeper83 »

you can stop the epsom salt, and aquarium salt is useless
RTR wrote:Fahakas do not have tank mates, they may have swimming food reserves.
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