green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
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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pondguy867
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:20 am
- Location (country): United states
green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
I have 2 gsps in a 55 gallon aquarium. One is roughly 1-2 inches the other is 2-3 inches. The ph of the tank is 8.4, nitrate 20 ppm, nitrite 0, ammonia 0, salinity 1.008 sg. We feed them 2 times a day morning and night using a mixture of shrimp, blood worms and snails. The tank has been set up for 3 months and has an ehiem canister filter. The tank was cycled using top fin bacteria supplement. The water is changed once a week using prime with each change. The tank was treated with Marcel to cure ick about a month ago. This problem started occurring after last weeks water change and is affecting the larger fish only. The smaller one is still eating and very active. Any help is appreciated, thank you
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bertie 83
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
They only need feeding once daily. Try not feeding for a day or so, or soak their food in garlic. Welcome to the forum
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Pufferpunk
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
Thanks for all the great info! Usually, it's like pulling teeth from a 1st time poster here.
Sounds like you're doing everything right. Could possible just be overfed. I also suggest feeding with meatier choices, soaked in fish vitamins: library/category/feeding/
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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pondguy867
- Puffer Fry
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Thanks for the advice and the welcome. I will try both tactics and see if that helps
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pondguy867
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:20 am
- Location (country): United states
Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Well I've tried not feeding for multiple days, multiple times and the large one still will not eat. All it does is stay at the bottom, I've seen it nibble at some food once,but its lost a lot of weight. I have a feeling it may not last much longer.
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sgtmyers88
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Stock the tank with snails, crabs, or ghost shrimp. The puffer may be getting bullied when feeding non live food. Forcing both puffers to hunt for food may encourage the lethargic puffer out of hiding and provides it a chance to catch its own food since the prey is likely to disperse throughout the tank. There is also a good chance that the lethargic puffer is nocturnal now to avoid additional harassment while looking for food.
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
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PufferMe!
- Green Spotted Puffer
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
What about possible internal parasites? Being that they're wild caught, I hear that can be common. I may be wrong, as GSP's with IP may still eat, but I wanted to throw that out.
Good luck with your little guy.
Gwen
Good luck with your little guy.
Gwen
Life is a sum of all your choices - Albert Camus
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El Scorpio
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
+1 to stocking with live food - you can sometimes kickstart a puffer's appetite by appealing to their natural desire to chase something crunchy down and smash it to pieces. Is his coloration still normal or has it changed?
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pondguy867
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Thanks for all your help guys, but unfortunately he died. Pufferme! I do believe you may be correct about an internal parasite. At this time i see it as the only logical explanation. The water quality was good and he never showed any visible signs of disease
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sgtmyers88
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Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Sorry for your loss. 
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
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bertie 83
- Moderator
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- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Sorry for your loss. If you believe it might be because of ip's you need to treat the other ones food as he will likely also be infected
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
-
PufferMe!
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 6:50 pm
- My Puffers: One green spotted puffer in 70 gallon, marine tank. Soon to add 3 yellow tail damselfish
- Location (country): USA, New Mexico
- Location: Albuquerque
Re: green spotted puffer skittish, lethargic, not eating
Poor little guy I'm sorry you lost him.
Gwen
I'm sorry you lost him.Gwen
Life is a sum of all your choices - Albert Camus