GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
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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Welch4
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 698
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Abington,MA
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
^ Yes!
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
-
dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
I agree with you! I like animals more than most people.
Update:
We were able to tube feed him tonight. I think he got about 2 ml but I was so nervous I forgot to measure first and didn't want to over do it since he hasn't eaten in so long. He was feisty in the beginning but seemed to calm down as soon as I got the tube in his mouth almost like he knew what we were doing. He only spit out a tiny bit. We held him for a minute afterwards also to make sure he didn't spit it out. Small success! And it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had my husband hold him while I did the feeding. I'm very lucky he helps me with my animal rescues!
I pureed shrimp, clam, scallop, squid all soaked in garlic guard and a drop or two of Prazipro all day (drained first) with some bottled water. And I added a few peas also figuring it might help him push out any parasites.
He's not really happy with me tonight. Down on the bottom dark and breathing heavy. But at least he's got a little food (and maybe meds) in his belly. Soooooo we will see how he is tomorrow. At least I know I can do it.
Thanks again.
Update:
We were able to tube feed him tonight. I think he got about 2 ml but I was so nervous I forgot to measure first and didn't want to over do it since he hasn't eaten in so long. He was feisty in the beginning but seemed to calm down as soon as I got the tube in his mouth almost like he knew what we were doing. He only spit out a tiny bit. We held him for a minute afterwards also to make sure he didn't spit it out. Small success! And it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I had my husband hold him while I did the feeding. I'm very lucky he helps me with my animal rescues!
I pureed shrimp, clam, scallop, squid all soaked in garlic guard and a drop or two of Prazipro all day (drained first) with some bottled water. And I added a few peas also figuring it might help him push out any parasites.
He's not really happy with me tonight. Down on the bottom dark and breathing heavy. But at least he's got a little food (and maybe meds) in his belly. Soooooo we will see how he is tomorrow. At least I know I can do it.
Thanks again.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Yay, great job!
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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Welch4
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 698
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Abington,MA
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Great news!
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
-
BedScien
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:49 pm
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer (marine, 100L / 26 US GAL)
- Location (country): England
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Gd job both of you!!
mblahahahaha mmmyeessss
'It's true because I read it on the internet' - Everyone
'It's true because I read it on the internet' - Everyone
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Your dedication is admirable! How long should the oral treatment of Prazipro continue? I think the recommendation when I visited the forum more frequently was 7 days. Is this still so?
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- 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: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
3-5 days but it wouldn't hurt to do more.
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!"
-
dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Today was a bit more difficult. He fought the entire time. I think he probably only got 1 ml in. But his tail isn't clamped all the time so maybe there's progress??
How many times a day should we tube feed him?
How many times a day should we tube feed him?
-
Welch4
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 698
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Abington,MA
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
I personally would keep it to a single feeding. As the ip articles say a large die off of ips at one time can be very bad for your puff.
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
-
dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Good thinking!
He's been much more active today. Don't want to get ahead of myself but I'm a bit more optimistic. He's still skinny and breathing heavy but he's moving around with an open tail!
He's been much more active today. Don't want to get ahead of myself but I'm a bit more optimistic. He's still skinny and breathing heavy but he's moving around with an open tail!
-
BedScien
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:49 pm
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer (marine, 100L / 26 US GAL)
- Location (country): England
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
I'm really excited to hear that 
Touching wood with crossed fingers!
Remember, if it doesn't go right, you tried your best which frankly sounds like a damned good effort!!
Touching wood with crossed fingers! Remember, if it doesn't go right, you tried your best which frankly sounds like a damned good effort!!
mblahahahaha mmmyeessss
'It's true because I read it on the internet' - Everyone
'It's true because I read it on the internet' - Everyone
-
dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
4 ml in his belly today with minimal spit out. The most this little guy has eaten in over a month! He is mad at me, but I'll take it. He was eying a nerite snail before too 
. 20 gallon water change tonight and I'm adding carbon. Time to get the Prazipro out of the water and just continue oral dosing- 3 weeks of tank dosing is enough. I hope you all had a great weekend!
. 20 gallon water change tonight and I'm adding carbon. Time to get the Prazipro out of the water and just continue oral dosing- 3 weeks of tank dosing is enough. I hope you all had a great weekend!-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- 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: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Woo-hoo!
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!"
-
BedScien
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:49 pm
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffer (marine, 100L / 26 US GAL)
- Location (country): England
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
Fantastic news! I think PufferForum has a resident puff-doctor in the making.
mblahahahaha mmmyeessss
'It's true because I read it on the internet' - Everyone
'It's true because I read it on the internet' - Everyone
-
dma1976
- Dwarf Puffer
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:22 pm
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Vermont
Re: GSP In Trouble! Please Help!!!
I don't know if any puffer medicine is in my near future . I have plans for a new setup next month and I want this guy to enjoy it!
I wish he'd stop breathing so heavily. I have 2 air stones going and 1 flow pump. I had to turn the power head off as his new favorite spot is to lay touching the intake. He now has a strange white patch on his back, it's been there for about a week and almost looks like it's starting to peel off. I'm thinking it's maybe from a scratch since he sees me coming and hides now. Guess he doesn't like tubes shoved down his throat!
On an even better note.... With all of my waterchanges my Nitrates are under 20! I don't think they have a EVER been that low!
. I have plans for a new setup next month and I want this guy to enjoy it! I wish he'd stop breathing so heavily. I have 2 air stones going and 1 flow pump. I had to turn the power head off as his new favorite spot is to lay touching the intake. He now has a strange white patch on his back, it's been there for about a week and almost looks like it's starting to peel off. I'm thinking it's maybe from a scratch since he sees me coming and hides now. Guess he doesn't like tubes shoved down his throat!
On an even better note.... With all of my waterchanges my Nitrates are under 20! I don't think they have a EVER been that low!
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