10 gallon singleton DP

[goldielocke76]

So I have new pics. I thought to include a before and after so you guys can tell me what you think =) I still want to treat her (I think it's a her, tell me what you all think) with prazi pro, just as a precaution in the near future. Kinda like, you check once, check twice thing.

Here is before: http://denzil.smugmug.com/Pets/Puffers/ ... 5GQq7-A-LB

Here are some after:

http://denzil.smugmug.com/Pets/Puffers/ ... gnKKR-A-LB
http://denzil.smugmug.com/Pets/Puffers/ ... bJgqV-A-LB (this would have been a good pic if I had gotten the exposure right >< )
http://denzil.smugmug.com/Pets/Puffers/ ... MmvRt-A-LB
http://denzil.smugmug.com/Pets/Puffers/ ... Wk62R-A-LB

What do you all think? Male or female? And does she look like a normal DP now? Also, for those of you who have DPs, is it normal for them to keep their tails clamped? At the store, her tail was fanned out all cute and she danced in front of the tank when she saw me. Now it's clamped all the time. The rest of her fins are always fanned, but not her tail = /

[sevenyearnight]

So have you not treated her food with IP medication yet?
It's not normal to have a clamped tail, fish do that when they aren't feeling well.

[goldielocke76]

So have you not treated her food with IP medication yet?
It's not normal to have a clamped tail, fish do that when they aren't feeling well.

The after pictures are after I have treated her for IPs. She does NOT like the medicated bws at all. Not even with garlic in them. She's had a clamped tail ever since I brought her home. Sometimes it fans out, but then clamps again. The before pic was her before she ate the medicated bws, and in the after pics, she's put on some weight, eats like the little fugu she is, and is super happy to see me every time I come to the tank with her food. Think I should treat again? All the water params are normal: ph ~8.0 ammonia: 0 nitrites: 0 nitrates: <5 and the temp (with new new digital coral life thermometer is 80.5 degrees F. What else could be causing distress?

The after pics are right after she ate....her little belly looks like it's going to pop after 3 worms LoL. These shots are after only 1. I had to get her to eat to slow her down.

[sevenyearnight]

I was pretty sure I remembered you saying you treated her.
I don't know about the tail clamping, I've always read that as one of the symptoms of illness, but maybe it can mean something else. Maybe it might have to do with the current in the tank.

[goldielocke76]

Well, finally the levels in the 10 gallon have started to level out! Nitrites are between .25-.5 now..yay!! Only problem is, is now I have a good amount of algae. Is there anything I can do short of taking everything out of the tank and scrubbing it in old tank water?

[Nuclear_Glitter]

I love your decorations! Where did you get them?

And I'd say treat her again. If she doesn't eat the medicated worms well, maybe soak them for a little less time. And when her tail fans out, see if it's in a certain area of the tank. Perhaps there is something in the tank she doesn't like.

[goldielocke76]

I love your decorations! Where did you get them?

And I'd say treat her again. If she doesn't eat the medicated worms well, maybe soak them for a little less time. And when her tail fans out, see if it's in a certain area of the tank. Perhaps there is something in the tank she doesn't like.

Thanks! I got everything from Petsmart. I looked at the LFS, but sadly, they were a bit pricey for my taste and they didn't have much of a selection. I plan on retreating her as soon as I move her back into the 10 gallon. I just have to clean up all the algae off the decorations = /

[landon]

well if its freshwater and u dont want algae maybe get a lil aglae eater of some sort there are a few different kinds that stay pretty small right?

[goldielocke76]

well if its freshwater and u dont want algae maybe get a lil aglae eater of some sort there are a few different kinds that stay pretty small right?

I am not sure. I thought the only algae eaters were plecos and I know that they get pretty big. Other than that, I don't know what stays small enough for a fresh water tank and eats algae. = / Anyoen else know??

[landon]

i had some chinese algae eaters that stayed about 2" long see if any of those are around.

[Pufftastic]

i had some chinese algae eaters that stayed about 2" long see if any of those are around.

DPs are notorious for picking on tankmates, and CAEs are notorious for picking on tankmates as well -- I've known several CAEs to kill large goldfish in friends' tanks. Bad combo, in my not-so-humble opinion.

[sevenyearnight]

+1 Chinese Algae Eaters are nasty to tankmates, and they don't do a very good job at eating algae either. Some people have had success with keeping Oto cats, but since they exclusively eat algae and no prepared food, they need to have a constant supply or they will die off.

[goldielocke76]

Well, all of this doesn't really matter now. In a fit of anger (not related to fish keeping, I just clean when I am super angry) I grabbed everything out of the tank, and scrubbed it, then put it in boiling water. It worked last time, and honestly, I am not comfortable as of yet, to use bleach when cleaning my fish stuff. Also, I didn't have any bleach to grab LoL. Now I have everything put back in the tank, and the water changed. I vacuumed the gravel super well and mag floated the walls. I am hoping now, with the tank stable, that the algae will quit growing. But as I am still new to the fish keeping world, I don't know if my efforts will work. All I know now is that my anger is spent, and my little PZ's tank is clean and ready for her to move in. I am going to contact Pufftastic soon. =)

[goldielocke76]

Water params are looking great!!! YAY!!!

PH: 7.8
AMMONIA: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 0

=D

http://denzil.smugmug.com/Pets/Puffers/ ... Wwbhh-A-LB

[sevenyearnight]

Looking clean and sharp!