Green Spotted Puffer Lethargic not eating

[pufferluver]

I bought a Green Spotted Puffer from a petstore about a year ago. He started in a very small tank and has been upgrading to now, a 20 gallon with decent filtration. The salinity is about 1.018. I vacuume his tank once a week, along with changing 25 % of the water. However, in the past few months my GSP fish has been refusing to eat and when he does it is minimal. I ensure he always has a varitey of foods, like bloodworms, mealworms, small clams, snails, etc. All he ever eats is perhaps one or two worms every couple of days if I'm lucky! I have also noticed that he never playfully greets me at the front of his tank anymore:( On top of that, he swims awkwardly and slowly, sometimes getting stuck to the filter and bumping into things, which scares me! He has quite a few plants, rocks, and a hideout.. He doesn't show any signs of disease, but I have noticed he is darker than usual. There are black areas under his eyes along with some gray spots along the sides of his white tummy.

Any help is very much appreciated:) I really love him, he's like a puppy to me, and I would hate for this to carry on:(...

[Flutter]

Could you please answer the following questions? It will allow us to help you better

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.

[pufferluver]

Unfortunately, I do not know the exact numbers, however two weeks ago, I took a sample of my tank water to the pet store and they told me the ammonia was high.. Since then I have lowered the ammonia greatly by gradually changing water and adding STRESS ZYME+ weekly. There are no tank mates and I have not added any new objects to the tank either. When I purchased my fish, he was in a rather small tank. Could the ammonia have poisoned him, due to less water? If so, will he recover?

* I feed him once a day in the afternoon
*I vacuume the gravel once every week along with changing 25% of the water
*His 20 gallon tank was setup for him about 2 weeks ago and before I placed him in the tank, I let it filter for 24 hours.
*All of his toys were purchased from a pet store and have been thoroughly rinsed with warm water before placement
*STESS ZYME+ is what the pet store suggested I use to rid some of the ammonia and other water contaminants that could be present

[bertie 83]

Did you move your filter (or the media) from the old tank to the new one? If not your tank is cycling. You need a test kit and a larger tank.

[bertie 83]

Just to add I would up those waterchanges, we recommend 50% weekly. You will likely need to do several 50% wc weekly to maintain stable params long term and daily until your ammonia has gone

[pufferluver]

From now on, I will be sure to change 50% of the water weekly. I actually bought a new filter with the 20 gallon tank. And about the water testing kit: what would you recommend I test the water for? Just Ammonia, Nitrates, and Nitrites?

Thank you for your help

[bertie 83]

Buy the most comprehensive liquid test kit you can get, ph gh etc can warn early if a tank is likely to crash. Did you put the old media in your new filter?

[pufferluver]

Ok, and I didn't use anything from my old tank except the tank decor. (Not exactly sure what a media is..) I purchased a new filter for my 20 gal because my old filter would not aerate it as well.

*I bought a whole new filter kit, new cartridges, pump, etc.

[bertie 83]

Your tank is now cycling, this will produce harmful toxins. Get some safe start and prepare for lots of water changes. The media is the filter contents, this houses most of your beneficial bacteria

[Pufferpunk]

I agree--stop adding the Stresszyme & use Safestart. Unfortunately, if your new filter takes cartridges, you've bought a crap filter & will need to purchase a better one when you upgrade his tank to 30g+.

Get the API Master Test kit, they're not that expensive. From the results of those tests, we can determine how many WC are in his near future.

[JRC3]

Water changes are gonna be part of life for a while and I wonder how are you mixing the brackish water and how are you measuring SG?

Can you Add your old filter to the current tank?

Get some Prime and use the largest dose directed to bind the ammonia and nitrIte to a safer form. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... Prime.html A larger bottle will be much cheaper in the long run.


To the other members would it be better to lower the SG over a few days to make WCs easier, get the tank cycled and stable, and then start increasing SG over the normal weekly increments? IDK, Iever had to acclimate from higher BW and I wonder if the fish is too sick for a quick acclmation.

Hope you get a handle on things.

[pufferluver]

It is my understanding that there are different types of filters; bio filters, chemical, and mechanical- what I have. My filter does have a cartridge as well as what I believe to be the media, what the water is strained through after it travels through the cartridge?

My mechanical filter is designed for tanks of 20-30 gallons, so I thought it would be great for my 20 gallon.. Would you recommend a different type of filter, or one for larger tanks?

Should I be using Prime as well as Safe Start?

And I use a hydrometer (brand is Instant Ocean, same as my salt) to measure the salinity/specific gravity
*I mix my brackish water by adding small amounts of the Instant Ocean salt while repeatedly testing it with the hydrometer, until I reach a salinity range between 1.015 and 1.018 (which is an ok range, right?). I always rinse the hydrometer afterwards, so it's accurate

*I will definitely keep my eye out for a testing kit

[pufferluver]

Update: Bought an API 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips package tonight, so I could get information to you guys as soon as possible.
GH: 180
KH: 180-240
pH: 7.5
NO2: 0-0.5
NO3: 0-20

I purchased an API Ammonia NH3/NH+4 Test Kit, but I don't feel comfortable working with it until I have gloves, etc. Will work on that tomorrow. I've also noticed that my fish curves his tail inwards and keeps it there..?

[Pufferpunk]

Test strips are not what we suggested to you, they are not dependable to give a true reading at all.

The problem with filters that use cartridges is you have to toss them when they are used up, tossing all that good bacteria with them. Also, there is very little surface area for bacteria to grow on. You do not need chemical filtration (carbon) for your tank. Look into buying an Aquaclear filter. I prefer the largest: 110.

[PufferMe!]

Betting you have high nitrites. Get Prime immediately. Use that to detox the effects of nitrites and do water changes frequently. You need to get a liquid API test kit for nitrites. You don't need gloves to handle this. You will lose your puffer if you don't do something. The three test kits that are a must, are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Best of luck

Gwen