Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

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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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RamMac
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:46 pm
Location (country): United States of America

Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by RamMac »

Hello all. Brand new to this forum, I’ve been in the hobby for 3 years but I am new to puffers. To start off, her are my parameters and Info on tank.

Water parameters: pH 6.6-6.8, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5

The tank is a 20Gal long, tank mates are 3 Sterbi corydora and 1 two-inch spotted Raphael cat.

The tank is established, and been running for over a year. This is a new fish so I don’t have a feeding schedule to give since I’ve had it for one day. So far I have fed it twice ( freeze dried krill, since it seemed to ignore the snail, however I did drop two snails in there but did not witness if it ate them or if they’re somewhere in the tank I cannot see. Not that the puffer in question is affected by the water change schedule since he’s new, but I do weekly 25% water changes. I have only added Prime and recently a dose of Flourish since it it’s a planted tank with Java fern and anubias. Before typing this I did do my normal 25% water change.

So the concern is, I’ve got this new Tetraodon schoutedeni. It arrived yesterday afternoon. I noticed he has a lump on his belly, towards the back. Upon close inspection, it appears almost translucent. Appetite does not seem to be affected. I also noticed he is not moving his pectoral fin. It appears collapsed.

Is any of this normal? Or cause for concern?
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Pufferpunk
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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
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suvattii
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Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by Pufferpunk »

Please link me to a photo. Is it swimming normally? What is the pH of your tap 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!"
RamMac
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:46 pm
Location (country): United States of America

Re: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by RamMac »

Pufferpunk wrote: Thu Sep 08, 2022 9:56 pm Please link me to a photo. Is it swimming normally? What is the pH of your tap water?
pH in tap reads at 7.4. I’m not sure it’s swimming normally. I’ve noticed it swims vertically quite a bit but not sure I know what normal is for a puffer. I will try and upload pictures. I tried earlier via my phone and the files read too large.
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: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by Pufferpunk »

I need direct links.
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!"
RamMac
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:46 pm
Location (country): United States of America

Re: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by RamMac »

Pufferpunk wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:32 am I need direct links.
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RamMac
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:46 pm
Location (country): United States of America

Re: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by RamMac »

Pufferpunk wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:32 am I need direct links.
More pictures showing what I suspect is fin rot. the edges of the collapsed dorsal fin are white.

Image
Image
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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: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by Pufferpunk »

I'm wondering what is causing your pH to be so low. It concerns me that it isn't closer to your tap water. Start doing 50% weekly WC or more.
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... choutedeni
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!"
RamMac
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:46 pm
Location (country): United States of America

Re: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by RamMac »

Pufferpunk wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 12:25 am I'm wondering what is causing your pH to be so low. It concerns me that it isn't closer to your tap water. Start doing 50% weekly WC or more.
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... choutedeni
Wish I knew the cause of the pH difference too. Isn't my pH of 6.6-6.8 within the range for the T. schoutednei according to the link you provided though? In any case, I ordered some Kordon methylene blue from Amazon, but it wont arrive until Monday. Thanks for you time and responses.
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: Help new Tetraodon schoutedeni

Post by Pufferpunk »

It is but should resemble closer to your tap. I always suggest 50% weekly WC or larger.
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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