My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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Gdenke
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:02 am
Location (country): San Diego

My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Gdenke »

Hey I have no ideal if people are active on this but this is my last resort. So I have been gone for about a week and I noticed one of my puffers acting strange. His color is all dark along with his belly. He is usually super active and bright but now he just sits in the bottom of my tank and looks to be hyperventilating. I noticed when he does swim it's only when my heater kicks on and when he does swim it is very slow and he sometimes will tilt sideways or go upside down. It appears to me that he could have a swim bladder infection, but he also seems stressed. Also when I came home and talked to my dad who had been feeding them, he told me he was feeding them double there normal amount, which I read can lead to swim bladder infections. I feed them half a cube of frozen kril every day. My other puffer is healthy as can be which is odd. I have a 20 gallon tank with 2 puffers no other fish (I'm aware that some people say that is to small but these guys have been totally fine for months) my water is brackish and I don't know my levels because I am posting this late and I don't have a water test kit but I am going to get it tested first thing after school tomorrow. I have had these 2 guys in this tank for quite a few months now and there's been 0 problems. The only changes that have been made recently were that I added a new fake plant 8 days ago, which was also my last water change,but that's it. I will also change my water first thing tomorrow. I have no idea how long my little dude has got left and I don't know what to do because I can't diagnose him. If someone reads this anything will help. I'm sorry I don't have my water numbers but I will get them soon. I appreciate the help.
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Pufferpunk
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Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
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Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
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Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Pufferpunk »

Gonna need ALL the above questions answered, before we can help. Get yourself an API test kit.
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!"
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hadla
Mbu Puffer
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Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by hadla »

Also kind of puffer? Krill isn't a good staple food for puffers
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
Gdenke
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:02 am
Location (country): San Diego

Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Gdenke »

Thanks for the help guys but my puffer died this morning. They are green spotted puffers btw. And I found out my nitrites were rather high so I go some stuff to fix that. And I did a huge water change when I got home probably about 50% and I'm hoping to keep this other guy alive.
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Pufferpunk »

How high? What did you add to the water?
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!"
Gdenke
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:02 am
Location (country): San Diego

Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Gdenke »

I don't remember the exact number because I threw the strip out, but it was not good. I added some Dr.Tims cure all I believe it is called. I'm going to get my water tested again tomorrow to see if my nitrites dropped down. My other guy is doing totally fine though. So somebody said krill isn't a good staple food for leopard puffers. What is? I know they love snails and ghost shrimp which I'm working on getting, then there is also half shell clams. But what is good to feed him on a regular basis?
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Pufferpunk »

Get yourself an API liquid Test Kit. How was your tank cycled? What's the SG? What is your water change schedule?
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!"
Gdenke
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:02 am
Location (country): San Diego

Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Gdenke »

What do u mean by SG? I went and got a water test kit. I change my water every Saturday. Generally about a 30% change.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: My Puffer is Acting Strange. PLEASE HELP

Post by Pufferpunk »

SG is specific gravity, the measurement of salt in your tank. Your GSP is a brackish fish, that will eventually need high-end brackish to marine conditions.
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!"
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