Please help! Porcupine Puffer with bloated belly :(

[SmrtyPnts]

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate).
As of 5pm today:

PH 8.0
Ammonia .5ppm
Nitrite 5ppm
Nitrate 40ppm
Phosphate 1ppm
Salinity 1.021
Temperature 81.1

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.

36gallon bowfront (scouring Craigslist for 100+ gallon tank as we speak)

1 2-3inch porcupine puffer named "Squishy"
3 1inch turbo snails

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)

Did a 5 gallon water change earlier today (with salt I had mixed last night and left over night with an aerator) and 5ml of Prime
Added a bunch of crap to the tank:

20ml Melafix
10ml Kent Marine Tank Clarifier
40ml Instant Ocean Nitrate Reducer
10ml Kent Pro-Ammonia Detox
50ml Microbe-Lift Special Blend
10ml Amquel Plus

8pm I fed him 5 freeze dried krill and his tummy "expanded" - at 10pm it still hadn't gone down and he looked distressed.

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.

Added 8 lbs of live rock on Feb 18 (brining the total to 12lbs)
Turned off my UV sterilizer and protein skimmer since I was adding live bacteria

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.

Tank switched to saltwater on February 12 and added 1 porcupine puffer immediately.
Have since done a 100% water change with water bought pre-mixed from Petco on February 20 (re-drip-acclimated fish)
I guess I'm doing a fish-in cycle


Hi Everyone! I'm new to the forum, even though I've been lurking for months

I wish I was registering and posting under better terms, but I really need help with my puffer...

I am new to saltwater and to puffers - my main concern is not hurting him.

Usually when I feed him, I stick my hand into the tank and hold the food out for him - he will eat from my hand. This evening the piece of krill was too small, so I dumped it in and he came to the surface to eat it. I fear he may have inhaled some air


A video we took at midnight - 4 hours after he ate - where he puffs up 3 times Please excuse our voices and the annoying banter of a married couple ... http://youtu.be/BV4pE77PeVE


If you'd rather not hear our annoying conversation, here are some photos: (please excuse the snail tracks on the back wall)

[bertie 83]

Puffers do not handle tank cycling at all well, no fish should be put through this. You need either a large quantity of CURED love rock or a bottle of bio spira or even better both. All the other junk you are adding to the tank will not be helping. A double dose of prime could help your fish feel more comfortable short term until you can get to a shop for the mentioned items. Do not hand feed as hands are easily destroyed by puffers. Krill should be kept for an occasional treat as it is linked to lockjaw in puffers. Much bigger tank is needed ASAP . Welcome to the forum

[SmrtyPnts]

Thank you!

The krill is in addition to frozen "people" shrimp, and a variety of frozen cubes. It just happened to be tonight's meal. I've read it sucks, so I've thrown the contents out. I was sticking it into the crevices of the base rock and he would have to dig for it - hoping it would help with the teeth.

I have added BioSpera, last time was with the 100% WC I did on Feb 20.

The cured live rock (12 lbs) in addition to about 7 lbs base rock is nowhere near enough bio filtration, but the LFS told me that between the rock, skimmer and uv filter it would be ok - while I slowly build up to 1lb per 1gal. They said not to add too much rock at once or I'll end up cycling again.

They also said, while the current tank is small, so is the puffer - and as long as I don't overstock, he should be ok for a few months.

I'm also looking into 40lbs of live sand to compensate.

(Please don't take my reply as defensive, I'm merely adding additional info in an attempt to help my little guy).

[bertie 83]

Live sand should only be added if it is coming directly from a mature saltwater tank, don't waste your money on the junk in the packet as it is dead not live at all. If that live rock was fully cured you should not be in this situation as it should hold enough bio filtration for a small porc. Add another bottle of bio spira and dose up with prime

[SmrtyPnts]

Ok! More bio-spira it is! And of course, Prime.

His belly looks much better today. When we got him to puff yesterday, as he was deflating he expelled some un digested crap (actually looked like an eyeball)


I hope him puffing didn't hurt him.

The live sand is this: (but with local pick-up) http://r.ebay.com/9zrx2u


Thank you so very much. Now off to continue my 100+ gallon Craigslist search.

[Pufferpunk]

Bio-Spira will NOT cure live rock. The bacteria & living creatures in the rock have to stop dying off, before the rock will be fully cured. If at all possible, please return the puffer until you have a mature (hopefully larger) tank for him or I'm afraid his life is doomed... This tank should have been cycled with the appropriate amount of live rock to support your livestock before adding anything alive into it & left to cure.... This is extremely poor planning--especially if you have been lurking on here long enough to ask questions 1st.

[Pufferpunk]

Also, your pics are too big, I see nothing but a filter tube & if you are using that kind of filter, then you have the wrong kind for SW. You need live rock (1 1/2-2lbs/g) with good flow around it, a protein skimmer, in addition to a sump/refugium.

[SmrtyPnts]

You're absolutely right. I screwed up and got caught up in the moment (and that adorable little squishy face).

I disregarded rule #1 of fish keeping : be patient.

The puffer can not be returned - so I need to make the necessary accommodations for him ASAP. It was never my intention to hurt this little creature - so maybe you guys can guide me?

I was told not to add too much live rock at once as it will send the tank into a cycle so I've been doing about 5lbs a week + base rock. As far as I know, my live rock is fully cured (and at $10/lb it BETTER be) lol.

I was also told that my Fluval HOB filters (100 gallon total combined filtration) would act as the mechanical filters as my rock built up to handle the biological. 24v UV sterilizer and 160 gallon skimmer the guy assured me that the puffer would be ok for at least a few months.

I intended to use that/this time to look for something over 100 gallons. (That is HUGE for someone who 2 months ago had a betta in a 1.5 gallon bowl).

I now have the betta in a 6 gallon Fluval edge and the 36gal bowfront. 100+ gallons seems daunting.


I know that he will need a tank that is at least 24" deep vs one of those tall/slim ones.

I hope that the addition of live rock (see link above) out of a tank (vs pre-packaged) will help with the bioload as well.

I also just bought a small macro-algae plant to try and help with the nitrates as well.

I really want to do the right thing



PS - I made a small donation to the site as a "thank you" for all the help so far.

[Pufferpunk]

OK, get the 100g ASAP! This will dilute the toxins the puffer is living in.

You're gonna need to buy a Brute garbage can to mix your SW in.
Here's my set up:


There's a pump on the side for mixing inside the can & then with the turn of 2 valves, it pumps the SW up to my tanks.

You're gonna have to do about 75% WC on that tank daily, to keep the water from poisoning your puffer. Nitrite of 5 is really, really, really toxic!

[Pufferpunk]

Petco is having a $1/g sale but I'm not sure how high up that goes in tank sizes. Also, you'd be best to get a reef ready system, so you can add a sump.

[sgtmyers88]

Unfortunately their $1 per gallon sale is good up to 75 gallons. They don't carry anything bigger anyways. (at least around my neck of the woods)

[SmrtyPnts]

Well, I've got my eye on this set (tank, lights, stand, cover) $300



Cross your fingers

[Pufferpunk]

You need a reef ready system, unless you plan on not having a sump?

[SmrtyPnts]

Oh no! I need more help than I thought. I assumed the PVC in the back corner was for drilled holes in the bottom of the tank (for a sump).

[Pufferpunk]

It's hard to tell but I don't think so. Look up RR tanks to see how they're configured. Are you making more water for another WC?