Dead figure 8 puffer

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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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kpyatt
Puffer Fry
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:17 pm
Location (country): United States

Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by kpyatt »

Hello,
My name is kallie and here are my water Parameters:
Puffers:
30 gallon tank
pH: [Ideal: 7.2-8.0] 8.2
kH: ppm (na) don't have test to check
gH: mg/L (na)
Ammonia: 0.25ppm don't have test to check
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Temp: 80.2 degrees
Tank mates:
2 juvenile gsp
1 f8p (was 2)
1 Cory catfish
2 Minos
10 tetras
Some snails & ghost shrimp used as food

My one gsp has pop eye & I've been treating her in a separate tank but no signs of illness on other fish

Woke up to find my 2 inch figure 8 puffer "resting" on a rock, only to realize she was dead. No physical injuries, looked normal. I've put some freshwater salt in this tank (about 3 tps) and use beneficial bacteria from pure pond (the tiny tank ones) in the filter to keep everything going. There's slight Ammonia in the water from what I can tell, test was difficult to read. I'll do a partial water change today, but any idea as to why my puffer may have passed? I've only had her 2 weeks
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Pufferpunk
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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: Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by Pufferpunk »

:rip: So sorry for your loss!
It appears your tank is grossly overstocked. You are keeping FW & BW species together & I do not recommend keeping GSPs & F8s together
How do you know your parameters if you don't have a test kit? Please answer ALL the Qs above in red, so I can better help you.
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!"
kpyatt
Puffer Fry
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:17 pm
Location (country): United States

Re: Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by kpyatt »

Hello,
I meant to put that on KH and GH. I have a test kit, but it doesn't come with kh or gh which is super annoying. Is there a reason I can't keep them together? I've read success stories online and the petstore told me I could, so I'm interested to hear the truth lol. I feed them once a day, usually blood worms or a clam. I pull out anything they don't eat within 10 minutes. My aquarium was cycled a month with minos before I put in other fish. I normally do 25 percent water changes evert two weeks. With my tank being overstocked, would getting another over the tank hanging filter be beneficial for more beneficial bacteria?
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: Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by Pufferpunk »

You're also keeping soft water fish and fish that do not like any type of salt at all with fish who prefer low end brackish water and some who prefer salt water.

GSPs and F8s require very different salinities. GSPs grow 3 times the mass of the F8.

Overstocking a tank doesn't always have to do with the filtration. It also has to do with fish feeling uncomfortable an unsafe, not having their own territories. In these instances, there are immune systems are compromised and disease is a very common result from the stress.

I would attach 2 articles for you but I'm on my cellphone and can't I get to them right now. Look under the drop down tab in our Library.
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!"
kpyatt
Puffer Fry
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:17 pm
Location (country): United States

Re: Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by kpyatt »

Thank you for the advice, is there a brackish point that I could meet in the middle for the figure 8 and green spot? Or is keeping them in the same tank completely out of the question? I've heard success stories and horror stories. Do you think they could stay together if I found a middle brackish point and got them a bigger tank?

I'm sorry I have so many questions. The tetras and other tank mates I can move into a different tank if they can't withstand brackish. I should of just gotten mollies.
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: Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by Pufferpunk »

Since these fish can live upwards of 20 years, I would certainly hope that you would want to keep them in the best conditions possible for their longevity. Unless you plan on keeping multiple tanks, you're going to have to make a decision here.
Is research before purchasing is always your best option.
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!"
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: Dead figure 8 puffer

Post by Pufferpunk »

Since these fish can live upwards of 20 years, I would certainly hope that you would want to keep them in the best conditions possible for their longevity. Unless you plan on keeping multiple tanks, you're going to have to make a decision here.
Is research before purchasing is always your best option.
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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