Dwarf Puffer
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.
Dwarf Puffer
i figured out the problem with my dwarf puffers. I did though lose two dwarf puffers. Luckily one is still here. I think they have ammonia burn. I dont remember the exact numbers sorry. Now though i put her in with a fully cycled tank but she is in a breeder net so that the other fish do not get to her. Anyway, what are sicknesses that dps can get from unstable water? I think it may be ammonia burn but im not positive. She sits at the bottom a lot and i think she is gasping for breath kinda. If i make a small water current with the net she will get up and swim a bit then go back down. I think she may be sleeping but idk. I am not positive though if she is gasping for breath. Please help!?
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Infinity8
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:27 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: GSP- Burd, 10 years
F8- Bonk, 5 years
Congo- Yamuel, 4 years
Fahaka- Waldo, 3 years
DPs (3) 2 years
Porc- SOON!!! - Location (country): United States
- Location: Eastern Shore, MD
Re: Dwarf Puffer
My friend, most of the forum members are puffer pros, and they'll all be able to help you out thoroughly.
But you have got to take note of those water parameters. I know you said you don't remember, but the exact numbers are really important. It might help if you write them down as soon as you get the results for the test. They can't tell if you if your DP has "ammonia burn" (which is more like poisoning...ammonia is toxic to the whole fish, not just the skin) unless they know your ammonia levels. My suspicion would be that the tank's not fully cycled yet, but we can't know that for sure without the parameters.
How are you testing the water, btw? Are you using the strips or a liquid kit? What other fish do you have in the tank? Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your puff.
But you have got to take note of those water parameters. I know you said you don't remember, but the exact numbers are really important. It might help if you write them down as soon as you get the results for the test. They can't tell if you if your DP has "ammonia burn" (which is more like poisoning...ammonia is toxic to the whole fish, not just the skin) unless they know your ammonia levels. My suspicion would be that the tank's not fully cycled yet, but we can't know that for sure without the parameters.
How are you testing the water, btw? Are you using the strips or a liquid kit? What other fish do you have in the tank? Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your puff.
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bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- 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: Dwarf Puffer
Ammonia poisoning can burn gills, this is why we suggest fish less cycling. Just because some fish are hardy enough does not mean they should endure this. Puffers need a fully cycled or preferably a mature tank. If you have a cycled tank why not add some media from the cycled filter to the dp tanks filter? Big water change and you are golden. This may sound like a bashing but not meant that way. We all have to start somewhere and there is unlikely a single member on this forum who hasn't killed at least one fish through lack of knowledge
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Dwarf Puffer
Can also burn eyes & skin, too. Then there's nitrite poisoning...
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
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!"
Re: Dwarf Puffer
I take the water to be tested for free at the fish store i got my puffer from.All I know is the ammonia is too high and i think maybe the nitrate. Also, I transfered her to another fully cycled tank in a breeder net while the current tank is cycling. I added a heater to the tank because i have goldfish in there and i know they are cold water but they will be okay for a few weeks in warm water. Also i know goldfish produce a lot of ammonia isn't so great but i will just do a few extra water changes. Hopefully she will be okayInfinity8 wrote:My friend, most of the forum members are puffer pros, and they'll all be able to help you out thoroughly.
But you have got to take note of those water parameters. I know you said you don't remember, but the exact numbers are really important. It might help if you write them down as soon as you get the results for the test. They can't tell if you if your DP has "ammonia burn" (which is more like poisoning...ammonia is toxic to the whole fish, not just the skin) unless they know your ammonia levels. My suspicion would be that the tank's not fully cycled yet, but we can't know that for sure without the parameters.
How are you testing the water, btw? Are you using the strips or a liquid kit? What other fish do you have in the tank? Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your puff.
Any extra tips would be great!-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Dwarf Puffer
ALL you need to know is in the article I linked above.
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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Infinity8
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:27 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: GSP- Burd, 10 years
F8- Bonk, 5 years
Congo- Yamuel, 4 years
Fahaka- Waldo, 3 years
DPs (3) 2 years
Porc- SOON!!! - Location (country): United States
- Location: Eastern Shore, MD
Re: Dwarf Puffer
Gotcha, gotcha. wishing you the best of luck!