Newbie GSP Freaking out! Help!

[Kirby]

Hello All, can you lend us some advice?

We already have two Green Spotted Puffers who we've had a while now, both doing very well, nothing out of the ordinary.

Yesterday we bought a new Green Spotted puffer to go along with the others at a later date, he's in a 60L Biorb now as a quarantine away from our other fish.

In the pet shop he looked fine, he was in a small tank and doing what he should be- hovering around with a white belly. On the way home he seemed OK, but as soon as we carefully pulled the fish bag out of the paper bag to bob him on the water he started going insane, his belly turned black and he was darting around trying to force his way out any way he could- soon after his whole body became black and grey.

We have done everything we should, floated him for 15 minutes, allowed some water in, left bobbing for another 15 minutes and then let him in with his water, he's in this tank on his own- plenty of caves and hidey holes (plants too) and he's not eating, he's still black and he's hiding all the time, when he does come out he goes crazy shooting around all black and gray- but here's my biggest concern, I can hear scratching when he moves his face along the glass- are his teeth too long and causing him pain?

He isn't eating anything at all. We thought he may have settled by now, but nothing has changed.

[bertie 83]

It's quite normal for new puffers to act a little crazy and look stressed. As long as your water tests good just give him time

[JRC3]

I would leave him in a dim tank for a few days with no outside activity. Might even cover the tank with something so he can't see out, but in a way to let ambient light in.

[purplecandle]

Next time with acclimating, floating and letting a little water in is not enough.

I acclimate over at least an hour, in a container I add tank water and take away bag water a little at a time. untill he is in 100% tank water.

Since he instantly went nuts, I would say You shocked him with the new water chemistry.

If your tank water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) are perfect he should eventually adjust.

As far as not eating...What are you feeding him?

[Kirby]

He instantly went nuts, when we pulled the fish bag out of the brown paper one.. He was still in the fish bag from the pet shop when he went berserk and turned black this was before bobbing him and before releasing into the tank.

As regarding food, we have tried: Bloodworm, Mosquito Larvae, Artemia and Daphnia.

[purplecandle]

He instantly went nuts, when we pulled the fish bag out of the brown paper one.. He was still in the fish bag from the pet shop when he went berserk and turned black this was before bobbing him and before releasing into the tank.

As regarding food, we have tried: Bloodworm, Mosquito Larvae, Artemia and Daphnia.

You could try soaking the foods in garlic. A live earth worm might also work.

Once you get him to eat make sure he gets crunchy food.

He could just stressed out

[Kirby]

He instantly went nuts, when we pulled the fish bag out of the brown paper one.. He was still in the fish bag from the pet shop when he went berserk and turned black this was before bobbing him and before releasing into the tank.

As regarding food, we have tried: Bloodworm, Mosquito Larvae, Artemia and Daphnia.

You could try soaking the foods in garlic. A live earth worm might also work.

Once you get him to eat make sure he gets crunchy food.

He could just stressed out

I'll give that a try, thanks for the advice

He/she seems a little calmer today, not pacing but still has a black stomach.

[bertie 83]

Stress can take a week or more to subside, puffers after all are very intelligent.